“Gah… my head…”
Tinker Bell woke up with a splitting headache that felt like it could shatter her skull. She had clearly been planning to report those two despicable traitors to Peter Pan, but suddenly everything went black. In an instant, darkness engulfed her and she lost consciousness from some powerful impact.
Shaking off the haze, Tinker Bell tried to assess her surroundings. The place was familiar—it was inside Peter Pan’s castle. But something was off. She realized her vision was moving on its own, bobbing up and down repeatedly despite her not moving at all.
She attempted to move her body but found she couldn’t. That’s when it hit her—she’d been captured by those wretched traitors.
“Huh? She’s awake.”
“Aaaahhh!”
In my grip, Tinker Bell let out a bl**d-curdling scream.
“Peter Pan! Peter Pan, where are you?! Help me! Someone help! Those traitors are ransacking our room! Peter… ugh!!”
I quickly silenced her with just one finger over her mouth. She was so tiny and fragile; if I applied even a little pressure, she might burst apart.
With a furious glare, Tinker Bell glared at me as Cassandra, who had been searching the room without success, stepped forward.
“Tinker Bell, where’s Eris? Where are the children you took?”
Once I released her mouth, Tinker Bell snorted and blew a raspberry.
“Pfft, like I’d tell you guys anything. Just wait! When Peter Pan comes back, you’re done for!”
Cassandra’s expression turned eerie, her eyes gleaming with madness. Before things escalated further, I decided to act.
“Well then, let’s make you want to talk. Did you know they don’t even bother building proper bathrooms here? They just dig holes in random rooms and dump waste there.”
“What? What do you mean by that?” Cassandra asked nervously.
Leading Tinker Bell toward the bathroom we’d discovered earlier, the stench hit us immediately—an overwhelming odor of rot emanated from the deep pit filled with Peter Pan’s accumulated droppings.
Tinker Bell’s pupils dilated in horror.
“W-why are we going here?!”
“This is your last chance to cooperate. Answer nicely.”
Smirking, I shoved Tinker Bell toward the edge of the pit. Her feet dangled just above the pile of filth before I stopped.
“Aaaahhhh! What are you doing?! Ugh! Stop it! Please stop! I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything! Just get me out of here!”
Relieved, I pulled Tinker Bell out and gave Cassandra a thumbs-up. Calming herself, Cassandra managed a strained smile.
“Alright, lead the way.”
“Ugh… I’m gonna throw up. Look, over there by the bookshelf.”
At the spot Tinker Bell pointed to stood an empty bookshelf attached to the wall. Approaching it, Tinker Bell instructed me to lift her so she could press her hands against the barren surface.
Click.
The sound of a button being pressed echoed as the bookshelf slid sideways, revealing a hidden passageway leading underground.
“You’ve crossed the line now. When Peter Pan returns… ugh… you’re finished.”
“Nope. Not quite.”
I clamped my hand over Tinker Bell’s mouth again, worried she might vomit on my fingers. Thankfully, she only dry-heaved a few times. With rising tension, Cassandra and I descended into the secret tunnel. Glowing vines lined the walls, casting enough light to see clearly despite the depth.
We moved cautiously yet hurriedly, aware Peter Pan could appear at any moment. Tap tap tap tap. Our anxious footsteps echoed through the narrow corridor.
After climbing down for a while, we reached a decrepit door covered in more glowing vines. Twisting the handle carefully, we entered what appeared to be Peter Pan’s hiding chamber—a grotesque sight awaited us.
“Wh-what is this?”
Confusion laced Cassandra’s voice. My own mind struggled to process the scene before us. The room was spacious, dominated by a monstrous flower bud larger than any adult human. Its crimson petals exuded an unsettling aura, while countless roots sprawled across the floor—and possibly beyond, extending throughout all of Neverland.
“Where are they?! Where are the kids?! And where’s Eris?!”
Cassandra stormed toward Tinker Bell, rage boiling over.
“Speak up! Where’s my sister hidden?”
“I-I told the truth! I swear!” Tinker Bell protested.
“You liar!!!” Cassandra screamed, grabbing Tinker Bell midair and yanking on her wings.
“AAHHHHH! It hurts! My wings! STOP!”
Tears streamed down Tinker Bell’s face like waterfalls. bl**d dripped onto the floor as Cassandra’s expression remained eerily calm, devoid of emotion.
“Next goes your arm. Then your legs. Finally, your head. Scream all you want. You’ll d*e long before Peter Pan gets here.”
“Y-you’re crazy! You’re supposed to be our mom! This isn’t right!”
“SHUT UP!!! I’m NOT your mother! I’m Cassandra! Eris’s sister! And I am NOT your mom!”
As Cassandra prepared to rip Tinker Bell’s arm off, I intervened, holding her back.
“Calm down, Cassandra! Let’s hear Tinker Bell out first!”
“Let go of me!”
Grabbing her arm, I restrained Cassandra as best I could while addressing Tinker Bell urgently.
“Listen, you keep this up and you WILL d*e. Tell us the truth! Where are the kids Peter Pan took?!”
“Sniff… I-I didn’t lie. They’re here. Right here. Look over there.”
Following Tinker Bell’s tearful gesture, Cassandra and I noticed strange bulges among the thick vines in the corner of the room. Each lump was large enough to contain a person.
My gaze shifted to the ground near the giant flower. There, scattered around, were shimmering white powders. Powder that looked disturbingly familiar. The glowing vines and roots seemed alive, pulsating faintly.
My heart pounded wildly.
Thump thump.
The white powder. The bizarre flower. The massive lumps.
Thump thump.
Tinker Bell insisting the kids were here—but nowhere to be seen. The magical dust sustaining all of Neverland. The eternal youth granted by its power.
“No… no… no…”
Trancelike, Cassandra threw Tinker Bell aside and rushed to one of the lumps. Trembling, she tore open the thin membrane covering it.
I watched silently, praying desperately that I was wrong.
“Aaah…”
Cassandra’s hand emerged from the ruptured lump, clutching a small ring coated in white dust. Recognition struck me instantly—I knew exactly what this meant.
“Aaaahh…”
Tears streamed down Cassandra’s face as she collapsed to the ground. As the lump fully split open, torrents of white powder spilled out along with various old clothes and belongings.
Carefully, I picked up an ancient pendant lying amidst the debris. Opening it revealed a photo inside: Captain Hook in his younger days, clean-shaven, smiling alongside Wendy.
Yes. The children taken by Peter Pan were already gone.
And those left behind wandered aimlessly, searching for loved ones who would never return.
Cassandra’s anguished cries filled the room, tearing at the very fabric of reality. Her heart-wrenching screams showed no sign of stopping.
