prompt || peter didn't save her from the mermaids
Hot, indignant tears seeped from the corners of Wendy’s eyes, as she tried to wring out the sodden parts of her dress. She shot a glare at where Peter was sitting, surrounded by sea girls fawning over him. She felt stupid for having looked forward to meeting the mermaids. She felt even stupider for ever entertaining the thought that Peter might like her, when he had the attention of such beautiful creatures. Their hair fanned out in glorious waves where it touched the water, and their movements were as fluid as practiced ballerinas. They reacted as one to Peter’s jokes and banter, their laughs ringing out like music. It was no wonder that even Peter Pan was charmed by them.
Peter hadn’t even noticed when one of them had detached themselves from the group, swimming over to where Wendy had been sitting, with the pretense of friendliness glimmering in her eyes. Wendy had smiled, grateful for some attention, before shrieking as the mermaid sent a wave of such force in her direction that it was only pure luck she had managed to latch herself onto the rock in time. The mermaid gave a playful laugh as Wendy struggled back out of the water, but the young girl couldn’t help suspecting she had heard an undercurrent in it of something much more sinister.
A loud, sneering voice emanated from within a fog in the distance, and all heads turned in its direction. The mermaids sank in the water until only their eyes were visible, unwilling to risk an encounter with the Jolly Roger and its crew. Peter stood up on his rock, his balance perfect, and scowled when a rowboat came into sight carrying his nemesis, Hook, and his first-mate. He was already up in the air when he recognised the form of Tiger Lily, bound and gagged at Hook’s side. Before Wendy could say anything, Peter had darted off in the direction of the boat, leaving her without a single happy thought to send her after him.
She was momentarily at a loss for what to do, but started when a low hissing began to rise from the water’s depths. The mermaids, whose attentions were no longer occupied with the presence of Peter, now began to circle around Wendy, their tails gleaming like silver as the water rippled over them. Her position on the rock seemed even more precarious than before as she shifted upon it, trying to get as far away from the water as possible. It seemed as though something had suddenly changed in their appearance; their gazes were cruel, their features less than human, and their nails elongated to the point of deadliness. Wendy glanced from one hostile face to the next, and fear ran its razor-sharp edge along the back of her neck.
The hissing had increased in volume until it was all she could hear. Before Wendy knew what was happening, a scaly hand had thrust its way out of the water and locked itself in a vice-like grip around her ankle. She had only a second to scream before her leg was pulled out from under her, causing her to lose her balance. Into the water she fell, and suddenly, it seemed as though ten thousand hands had found their way onto her body, vicious nails pressing imprints into her skin until it broke. The more she thrashed around, the louder they screeched and the more their grips tightened.
At the sensation of teeth sinking into her forearm, she screamed, only to let water flood her lungs. Her skull made a dull sound of impact as it hit the rock behind her, and a thin stream of red curled out amongst her hair like smoke. She was no longer capable of struggling as she was pulled into the icy depths.
As he left the Indian camp, Tiger Lily safe with her family once more, Peter congratulated himself on yet again foiling Hook’s plans before he remembered how his day had started. Wendy.
When he reached Mermaid Lagoon, Peter cupped his hands around his mouth and made his signature crowing sound before alighting and looking around. “Wendy? Wendy, where are you?”
Hearing his voice, the mermaids once again rose up from the depths. Peter bent down to address them, and said jokingly, “Now ladies, what have you done with my friend Wendy?”
They giggled as one, and gave each other knowing glances. Peter froze as he noticed that the mermaids had grown in number. One face in the back stood out from the others, and his face lost all colour when he saw it.
Wendy, no longer capable of human feeling, blinked serenely at him. All the pins had fallen out of her hair, replaced by a wreath of seaweed, and her pale blue nightgown was nowhere to be seen.
She gave a smile revealing viciously serrated teeth. “Hello, Peter.”