I have always loved "Peter Pan". When I was younger he was my favorite character. While other girls would fantasize over being a princess, I would dream of being a lost boy, or rather a lost girl, in Neverland. About two years ago my father's job was relocated to London. I was obsessed with the idea of living in there! Unlike other thirteen year-olds, I wasn't concerned about leaving my friends behind in the U.S. After all, I was going to be one step closer to Neverland. But, that wasn't the case at all.

When we found out we only had two months to move from Seattle, Washington to London, we all freaked out. Two months sounds like a lot, but in reality it is very little time, especially when we didn't know what kind of house my dad's job would provide. My little brothers were immediately shocked. Dissimilar from me, they weren't too happy to move, they had few, but good, friends. They had all been together since the first grade through sixth grade. My brothers have always got the best of things, more friends, more cake on their birthdays, and more toys. But, I guess that also comes with having a twin. Now is when I wish I had been upset to move too.

Two months later we were settled in. An immaculate house, with two floors, high roofs, and gigantic chandeliers that hung from the ceiling with, what seemed like, a thousand diamonds. From the outside the house looks like an old brick house, but then again never judge a book by it's cover. But still, I couldn't stop thinking that Neverland would be prettier. My room was a very light green, almost white, with some ordinations of Peter around the room. Unfortunately for me, at the time, I had to get rid of some of my possessions, that were, of course, Peter related.

One day I got into a terrible fight with my mother. We have different views when it comes to many things.

"Why have your grades dropped down so low? You're in the same classes now as you were in Seattle! I would have expected this from your brothers, but not you! You were a straight "A" student and now you have "C's" and "D's". What happened?"

"Mom! There you go again! Comparing me to my brothers! I don't know why my grades are dropping!" That was a lie. I knew exactly why my grades were dropping. I was slacking off, cutting school. I didn't like that school. All the kids were way too different from me. The lost boys are all the same, I didn't want to live somewhere that everyone is different.

"Well, you're not going to the swimming tournament this Saturday, and you're going to study for that math test your teacher e-mailed me about, and you are going to actually go to school. Those field trips you tell me about, I know they're not with the school. Your cutting class. And for that you will be in ISS the whole week, by my own rules not the school's." I could tell my mom was upset. She had never punished me like this before, I have gotten my phone taken away, T.V privileges taken away, but never things like swimming, that I actually cared for. Later that day, I went to my window sill and begged for something to take me to Neverland. I was upset, and like many teenage kids I overreacted. Of course, I knew it was a long shot, but I needed to try.

"Please, Peter! Take me to Neverland!" After a while of waiting, I grew tired and thought about my punishments. I knew it was solely my fault. I quickly got over the fact that I was mad at my mother for punishing me, after all I deserved it, and was about to go down stairs to apologize. I stood in front of the door, opened it, and it closed, like if there was an opposing force against it. I opened it again, and the same thing.

"Hey! Daniel! Adam! Stop with the joke!"

My bay-window opened, with a gust of air. There stood the shadow of Peter Pan. You would have expected, like in the movie, that Peter was nearby and came in to greet you etcetera, but that was not how this went down. The shadow, a black figure with bright red eyes, was very intimidating. He seemed hesitant for a moment, wondering how to take me. He came flying in, breaking my window to come inside easier. I screamed my head off. Next thing I knew I was grabbed by the shadow man. He was about to successfully abduct me when my mother came in, almost breaking down my door, and grabbed my other arm. For a second I thought the shadow would win, but soon he gave up, and I was free to stay.

"I'm so sorry, Mom! I promise I'll do better! I will!" I said between sobs.

"I know, Brooklyn, I know."

The next couple of months were great. My window was fixed and my mother and I got along really well. My grades went up to "A's" and everything was fine. I had also gotten rid of my Peter obsession and gained a new one, swimming. But like all good things, it came to an end. I was sitting on the couch by my bay-window when the shadow came back, and this time I could tell he wasn't going to give up. I went to call for my mom, but it seemed as if there was no oxygen in the room. I couldn't breathe. I don't remember much of what happened next, but I guess my mom and dad must have heard something, because they were the last things I remember seeing.

I woke up in a strange jungle. The jungle is dark, and mysterious. You couldn't see five feet in front of you. I was anxious, I wanted to go home. I was lost, afraid, and without a sense of direction. I ran south, or what I thought was south. I found myself somehow in the middle of a village, surrounded by these boys. They looked almost like Tootless, Nibs, Curly, Slightly, First Twin, and Second Twin, from "Peter Pan,"  looked frightened. One came up to me and begged me to turn back, but I didn't listen. I was still in a sleep like state. That shadow must have gave me a concussion. I collapsed on the dirt floor underneath me, and the boys crowded me.

"Boys. She's just a girl! Just like Wendy." I couldn't recognize the voice that I heard. It was British, but none of the characters in the movie had british accents. I searched for the character that had said that, and soon realized it was Peter Pan. "Shadow. Why did you bring this abomination to man-kind here. We all know I don't like females on the island. When will you learn! Wendy was an exception only because she's serving time for her brothers. Go to your cage!" And so "Shadow" did exactly that. Peter still had his ginger hair, and bright eyes, but his face had a dark look.

He quickley turned to me and faked a smile "Well... What is your name?" He said that as if he had expected me not to have heard his rude and sexist comments. I quickly made up a fake name.

"My name is... Maybelle!" I returned the fake smile.

"Well. I think we all know your name isn't Maybelle." His smile went away, and I could see the darkness within him. "Brooklyn, wouldn't you know that I always know my fans' names? Oh, wait. Don't tell me. You thought I was the go happy, full of light, Peter from the movie? Oh, dear... You are very wrong. I make Rumplestiltskin look innocent." He nodded, and looked straight behind me. I swung my head around and saw a lost boy, Second Twin. He had a club in his hands. Second Twin mouthed the word "Sorry" and swung the club at my head.

I was in a coma like state. I could hear them speaking. Peter said something about my arrival. Then I heard something about an ancient prophecy. I tried to get up, but I was given a water like substance. I refused, but someone made me swallow it and I was out, worse than before. That was the third time I was knocked out that day.

"Oh, my... Brooklyn? Are you dead?" I instantly thought it was Peter, but then realized it was the same girl I heard when I was knocked out. When I opened my eyes it was a blonde girl, with blue eyes. She had a London accent.

"Um. I don't think so."

"Oh! Goody! At least good for me. It means I won't be alone anymore, but bad for you."

"What? I don't understand."

"Oh, right. I haven't told you yet. You are expected to fulfil a prophecy. The heart of the true believer must be sacrificed so that the island keeps its magical properties."

"But, I stopped believing. Well, now I believe again, but that's not the point. I am not the true believer, so can I go home?"

"We aren't sure if you are  the believer. It might be a boy, but we need to find the prophecy to make sure... It's somewhere in my trunk." This girl's trunk was full of paper, toys, and what seemed like rotting food. I wondered how we would find it in there.

"What about if I am not the true believer?"

"Then you stay as a prisoner. With me."

"Wendy's right! Now, let's find that prophecy." Peter came out of nowhere. Maybe he was there the whole time. I will never be sure.

We searched the trunk in and out, and at the bottom was the prophecy. I found it, folded it up, and hide it in my pocket. I wanted to know before them. If I was the so-called 'true believer' then I would arrange an agreement, if not, I didn't know what would happen.

"Wendy! I thought you told me you had it!"

"Peter! I thought I did. Am so sorry! Please not the -"

"Cage? Why, I that didn't even cross my mind! What a marvelous idea! Cage! Now!" He sent Wendy away, and then focused on me. "Now, Brooklyn. You didn't find the prophecy, did you?"

"Nope." That sounded to confident. He must have known it was a lie.

"Of course you do!" He snapped his fingers, and the prophecy was in his hand. I checked my pockets and it wasn't there. "I would send you to the cage, but I allow one mistake per person. I think it's pretty generous of me to do so. Now, let's read the prophecy." He was focused on the old letter. I didn't know if I was safe or not from looking at his face. I had to ask.

"So, am I the-"

"No. I knew it. Well... I can't exactly let you go back to your home. You'll just terrorize all the children, I like to do that on my own. So, you'll just serve as a prisoner."

"No! I won't!"

"Where are you going to go? I know everything about this island. I'll just find you, if you run away." I ran anyways.

I ran, and ran. I didn't know where I was going, except that it was farther away from that nut-job. I ran until I couldn't breathe anymore, thankfully I made it to an industrialized hut. It looked empty, so I stepped inside. I saw a bay-window by the front of the hut. I sat there observing the jungle before me. The trees gave an umbrella effect on the island below it. I wished the island wasn't filled with darkness, maybe I wouldn't mind being prisoner to the Neverland I thought I knew. After some thought, I figured out that the lost boys seemed like prisoners too. The sad looks on their faces, and the way they act tell you that they don't want to be here. Maybe they made the same mistake I did. I wish I had been happy with what I had at home. If only I hadn't believed in Neverland as I had.

"I told you I would find you." I didn't have time to react, he snapped his fingers, and I was was in a cage.

Peter explained that the cage was enchanted and that no one can escape it unless he lets them out, and that it is only used when you make more than one mistake, so basically all the time. He also said he doesn't plan on letting me out anytime soon. To add to that, the cage in above ground hanging on a thick rope. The cage is only as big as two times my body, which isn't very big, thank God I'm not claustrophobic.

This leads me to the present, 3 years later. I get let down from the cage every two days to stretch, everyday I get fed prison food. I know for a fact, I will never leave Neverland. Not because I don't want to, but because I can't. You can only leave if Peter lets you. Good thing is, I might be upgraded to maid. Which is just as bad, except I get real food. But still, I'll never be able to leave. I'll never be able to see my family again. I am guessing that's why it's called Neverland.

Hey! I hope you enjoyed this short story! I am willing to do more short stories of you guys liked this one. (Don't worry I am still going to continue the KK book I am currently writing)
Have a nice day!