Pan's Revenge by Anna Katmore Read Free Book Online Page B

quick
shout to Miss Lynda, our housekeeper, I usher the girls out the
front door.

 
Peter Pan
     
    EVERYTHING HURTS. I moan as I turn around in
a place that feels a lot like my bed in the tree. My eyes open
reluctantly. Colors swim in front of them, light fading in and out
of my vision.
    “Loney! Quick, get the others. He’s waking
up!”
    “Tami?” I croak through a sore throat,
identifying the voice as that of the pixie among my friends.
    A cold, damp cloth is pressed to my forehead.
“Yes, Peter. It’s me. How are you feeling?”
    “ Like a
dragon had me for lunch and spit me out again.” Trying to focus
without real success, I slowly drag my hands down my face.
Something on my cheek scratches my palms. By the rainbows of Neverland , what is that?
    “And you look like exactly that happened to
you. Peter, what’s going on?”
    “ You ask me
that?” A biting pain in my back makes me yelp as I sit up. It’s
gone quickly, but the aftermath leaves me breathless. I hunch
forward, resting my arms and forehead on my bent knees. “Why am I
hurting so badly? And how did I get here?” The last thing I
remember is looking into the mouth of Hook’s gun and then tossing
our father’s watch into the volcano. Anything after that is a
blurred image of colors and sounds. And loads of pain.
    Goddammit! Did he shoot me?
    “You didn’t come back from the boar hunt, so
after some time, the boys and I went looking for you. Toby found
you close to the tree house. You were unconscious and had so many
bruises. We didn’t know if we should even touch you, but we
couldn’t let you lie there either, so the boys carried you
home.”
    My vision comes back. I tilt my head and look
at Tameeka’s worried elfin face. “How long have I been asleep? What
time is it?”
    “It’s almost noon.” She gulps and the new
look on her face scares me. “Peter, you’ve been knocked out cold
for thirty-three days.”
    The air freezes in my lungs. “And I’m still
alive?” This seems impossible.
    “ At the
beginning, we tried to feed you berry mash and pour water down your
throat, but you choked on it and we almost lost you then. We didn’t
try to feed you after that.” Her soft hand strokes over my forehead
and down my cheek. “Peter, we were out of our minds. No one knew
when or if you would wake up again. The Lost Boys and I took turns
in keeping watch over you. They’re out on the hunt now but—” Her
eyes take on a more gleeful shine. “Oh, everyone will be so happy
to see you finally came around!”
    “What’s that in my face?” I ask her, rubbing
my palm across my chin.
    There’s a long pause before Tami answers.
“Stubble.”
    “ What?”
    “It started a couple of days ago.”
    In her look I
can read there’s more. “What else?”
    The pixie’s
wings sink behind her back. “You grew. About six
inches.”
    This is impossible. Complete bullshit.
Throwing back the covers, I get out of bed, ignoring the pain that
comes with the movement. I jump from the booth to land on wobbly
legs. The moment I look down at myself and see how the hem of my
shirt has ridden up my belly, I know Tami was right. I grew. And I
sprouted a beard too. What the hell—
    The pixie glides down beside me. Her hands
are clasped in front of her chest as my frightened gaze finds hers.
“You’re aging again, Peter,” she whispers.
    “ No!” The word is a painful croak.
“This can’t be.”
    “It’s happening. I just don’t know what
brought it about.”
    “ I
do. ” My voice has gone deathly cold.
“Hook.” Whatever it was that started this plight, it has something
to do with the pocket watch he forced me to destroy in the volcano.
“He found a way to end the standstill.” Pulling the too tight shirt
off over my head, I fling it aside and clench my teeth. “But I’m
the Pan!” Hands fisted, I fly through the hollow tree toward the
hole at the top. “I won’t grow up! Never!”
    The warm wind
of a race through the sky slaps me in