Gwennie Goes to Neverland Gwennie Couldn’T Sleep

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Gwennie goes to Neverland Gwennie couldn’t sleep. She had felt someone watching her for the past half hour, but she knew the room was empty. She decided to do what she always did when she couldn’t sleep and climbed out of her bed to sit in the window seat and count the stars. As she tiptoed past her older brother’s bed, she could just make out the carved wooden bed end with his name in swirly letters—James, surrounded by fairies and magical beasts. In the top left corner there was an elf maiden held captive by a fearsome pirate, and across from her a boy with slightly pointed ears, a pixie, and a sword was speeding to her rescue. Peter Pan of Neverland. Gwennie smiled. Each Goldenstar child had one—her, James and little Annie-Marie who was only two. Ever since she could remember her parents had entertained her and her siblings with tales of the half-fae hero of the world where children never grow up. A floor board beneath her feet twinged and creaked and James turned over in his sleep. Gwennie froze. She did not want to wake James and Annie, for she knew her parents would find out and be unhappy in the morning. Once she made it to the thick drapes that covered the window-seat, she pulled them back and gasped. A boy stood outside. He appeared to be around thirteen or fourteen and had tousled red hair, tanned skin, a green tunic, leather belt, brown leggings, surprised green eyes, and a knife in its sheath. A small gust of wind buffeted him and Gwennie almost shrieked. He wasn’t standing—he was floating. The wind had picked up some of his hair, and for an instant Gwennie had seen. Slightly pointed ears peeked out behind his curls. Gwennie cranked open the window. “I think you had better come in.” she said.

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Some time later, Gwennie and Peter were sitting on the edge of Gwennie’s bed and talking about their lives. Gwennie had heard all about Neverland from her parents but was astonished to hear about it from a person who had lived there. “—and they have pirates and mermaids and elves and fairies.” said Peter excitedly. “There’s also me and my gang of boys who roam the island and hunt stuff. We live in and under the Wild Willow tree, and hunt and fish and gather berries and nuts. Once, Nibs caught a fish twice as big as he was! It made such a feast we had food for days!” James stirred in his sleep, and Peter, unaware prattled on. “I’ll take you there, if you like.” he said. “To see the mermaids, Elves and pirates and have great adventures.” James sat bolt upright. “Nobody’s taking my sister anywhere without telling me first or taking me with him.” he declared. His loud announcement had woken Annie, and she sat up in her cradle-bed and began to cry. Gwennie rushed over to comfort her and tripped on a small figure sitting on the rug. “Shhh, Annie,” Gwennie said, picking herself up and dusting herself off. “It’s all right. Peter here was just telling us about a place called Neverland. There's mermaids and fairies—oh! I do believe I just tripped on one.

1 “We are all thinking of going there—Peter James and I, that is— would you like to come too?” Annie had stopped crying by now and was rubbing her eyes with her little fists and nodding her head vigorously. “Alright!” Peter crowed. “We shall leave at once!” and he ran to the window, jumped out and disappeared. Gwennie rushed after him and was just in time to see him soaring off into the night with a small glowing light following him and ringing furiously. “Oh,” said Gwennie sadly. “I guess he didn’t mean to take us with him.” Annie started to cry and Gwennie tucked her back into bed. James stretched, yawned and lay down in his bed again. Gwennie stood for a few minutes and watched out the window as the speck that was Peter disappeared into the night. A few minutes later, just as Gwennie was starting to fall asleep, Peter came back. “What are you all doing in bed?” he asked. “I have come back to take you to Neverland. I am very sorry I forgot to give you the pixie dust the first time. I just couldn’t believe I had new friends to bring to Neverland and play and adventure with. Please forgive me, I really didn’t mean to.” Gwennie, who was the only one still up, put a finger to her lips and motioned him to sit on her bed. “James may not want to come again,” she whispered. “But I will do my best to convince him. Surely, he will regret it if he doesn’t come. Wait on the window-seat and I will wake him and Annie up. “James,” Gwennie murmured. “Peter’s back, and he is willing to take us to Neverland now. We shall have to be quick and quiet.” “Tell him to go away.” James said angrily. “If he’s going to leave abruptly, then pretend it was all a mistake, he can buzz off. Permanently.” “James,” Gwennie scolded. “I’m sure you will regret not coming. You’ve wanted to go to Neverland for years, so swallow your pride, apologize—properly!—and come with us. Think of it this way,” she said. “If you don’t come, you're going to have to be the one to tell Mama and Papa where we are.” James caved. “Fine,” he said. Then he turned to Peter. “I am sorry for being rude.” he said. And then he paused. “So, where's this pixie, and how will we get dust from her?” he asked. “I don’t know where Tink is,” said Peter, alarmed. “But if I shake her over your head, her golden dust will rain down and all you have to do is think of one happy thought, then you can fly.” “Tink?” said Gwennie. “Is that what your pixie’s name is?” “Yes,” Peter replied. “Although she’s a fairy. Male fairies are called pixies and females are called fairies. And,” he added thoughtfully. “Her full name’s Tinkerbell. I should look for her so we can leave. Tink? Tinkerbell? Where are you?” A small chiming sound that sounded like a thousand tiny bells being rung came from Annie’s tightly closed fist. Annie laughed and shook her hand up and down vigorously. More chiming came from her fingers and a small glowing light began to squeeze through her fingers. “Tink!” cried Peter. “Let her go! If you crush her I’ll never be able to get back to Neverland again, and I will be stuck here and forced to grow up! Let her go, I say! Let her go!”

2 Annie may not have understood his words as part of what he said was in Faerie Tongue, but she understood his tone very well. With a sniffle she shook Tinkerbell one last time and handed her over to a relieved Peter. Tink, who was rather dizzy and had a bad headache let loose a tinkling swarm of her most foul language; there was such a large quantity of the most ghastly language that Peter looked horrified at her tirade. “Tink!” Peter said, forgetting that the others could not understand Faerie Tongue. “What did she say, Peter?” asked Gwennie. “Yeah,” said James. “And why’d she sound like a bell?” “Best I not repeat it to you.” Peter replied. “As for why she sounds like a bell, it’s Fae Tongue.” he explained. “That’s why you made bell noises too, right?” siad James. “ you were communicating with the fairy.” “Yes.” said Peter at the exact moment a voice was heard heading up the stairs. “James?” Wendy Goldenstar asked. “Who are you talking to?” “Quick,” hissed Peter. “We have to go now!” hurriedly he shook Tink over each one of them. “Now all you have to do is think a happy thought, and you’ll be off.” he whispered. “But do it quickly now.” “That’s easy,” said James. “Pirates!” and he shot toward the ceiling like a cork out of a bottle. Annie thought of her gold-dusted hands and imagined all the fairies waiting for her that needed to be shaken up a bit, and slowly, more gently than James she drifted toward the ceiling. Gwennie took a little bit more time. First, she tried to imagine meeting the fairies and mermaids and all the other inhabitants of Neverland, then a small voice in her mind whispered ‘you included Hook.’, and she shook her head hard to rid herself of the image of the tall pirate captain. Then, she tried to imagine racing along, laughing, exploring and adventuring all over the island with James, Peter, Annie and all the Lost Boys. the little voice whispered ‘but what if someone gets hurt? Would they never heal, due to the magic of the island?’. Gwennie shook her head again. “Come on, Gwennie.” Peter said impatiently. “The footsteps are just outside the door.” Peter, Gwennie thought. I’ll be with Peter, and everything will be alright. And she shot clean out of the window and into the night.

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“Slow down, Gwennie!” called Peter. Gwennie was flying much faster than he ever imagined was possible. She was far ahead and getting farther away by the second. Gwennie stopped and was hovering by a tall chestnut tree when they reached her. She had a dazed, faraway look in her eyes and she was mumbling something incoherent. “What was your happy thought anyway?” asked James. “You looked like it was something really good, then you just zoomed off.” Gwennie blushed. “Oh, it was nothing.” she murmured, hoping Peter couldn’t tell she was embarrassed. Peter didn’t. He was too busy staring out at the night sky before them. “Come on,” he said. “we need to get a move on. If we are not there by dawn, we will get stuck in the InBetween and not be able to get out until twilight.

3 “Head toward the second star to the right, then straight on ‘till morning.” he addressed to the dazed Gwennie. “If you are going to shoot off again you need to know where we are going.” “’kay.” said Gwennie. She made a mental note to herself to fly slower so Peter, James and Annie could keep up. “Let’s be off, then.” said an impatient James. And off they flew. After a loop around the moon and a game of tag on Cassiopia’s throne, they reached a piece of the sky that had a large island floating in it. Seawater poured off the edge a few miles offshore and dissipated into raindrops as it reached the atmosphere. The island was surrounded on three sides—South, East and West—by a large fluffy cloud that enveloped the island as if it was a large coat the island had put on, then left unzipped. As they breached the cloud, Annie felt a blast of air go whizzing by her ear and they all heard something explode behind them. Gwennie whipped around and flew as fast as she could to soothe Annie, who had burst into tears. James called out to Peter to stop, as Peter was flying in the lead and turned around as well. What they all saw, was the burst of light and noise as they felt another one whoosh by. “Those pirates,” said Peter sadly. “They discovered the lost boys’ hidden stash of fireworks again. Which means they’ve got the lost boys as hostages again too. Sorry, I have to go rescue them,” he turned Gwennie, Annie and James. “It’s me they want after all.” “No, Peter!” Gwennie said. “What if you get hurt? O-or killed?” “We’re coming with you,” said James. “Will we be able to fight the pirates too, Peter?” “Do you have suitable weapons?” asked Peter. “No? Well, you will not be able to fight, that’s for sure.” “Oh, Peter,” said James pleadingly. “Not even a little bit?” “I guess I shall lend you both a dagger, but be careful to stay out of Hook’s way, he’s mine to fight, and he has started coating his hook in poison, so it will kill you instantly if he so much as scratches you with it.” That is when Gwennie screamed. Annie, getting bored with all the talking that was going on, and seeing Tinkerbell fly on ahead, and flown so close to the ship, that all one of the pirates had to do was reach out and grab her, and that is exactly what a pirate had done. A lean pirate with stringy black hair, an eyepatch, and a rusted, but still usable cutlass, had grabbed Annie and was holding his cutlass to her throat. Annie was kicking and crying, scratching and biting, wailing and just making a horrible mess of the pirate’s plans to capture the small flying thing, kill it and bring it to his captain. So this is what children look like, thought the pirate, forgetting that he himself had been a small child a long time ago who had gotten lost and brought to Neverland, then had the luck to be taken in by Hook. What a brat. It is so, so……...here the pirate had to stop and think a moment. What was this thing that was making his ears hurt and scratching his face up? “A brat.” he decided aloud, and that is when Gwennie swooped down, grabbed Annie and kicked the pirate as hard as she could. Her kick hit him square in the face with a solid-sounding thump-crack! as his nose broke. Annie clapped her little hands and the pirate clapped a hand to his face to try and stop the torrent of blood that was pouring from his nose. All he succeeded in doing was making his nose hurt and bleed more.

4 Gwennie dropped Annie up higher where she was out of reach of the pirates, told her to stay where she was, and plunged back down to wreak more havoc on the pirates. Peter and James were already into the fray, James mimicking Annie and punching and kicking, while Peter had his knife out and was mowing pirates down as quickly as they came at him. Gwennie lunged at a pirate who, realizing too late that he had made the wrong decision, was trying to back out of the action. At the last moment she pulled up out of her dive and hit him square in the face as well. His eye turned black faster than Gwennie thought was possible, and as he howled and clutched dramatically at his face, Gwennie saw a row of small bodies tied to the mizzenmast. They were yelling and screaming and as Gwennie drew nearer, she found that they were actually chanting a name. The six boys who were clothed in the skins of animals were calling Peter's name. A small girl who was dressed in large oak leaves sewn together was also chanting “Peter! Peter! Peter! Peter! Peter!”. When Peter noticed, the change in his expression was instantaneous. His eyes sparkled even more intensely and his concentrated look was replaced with a large grin. “Ho, there!” he shouted. “Can you get yourselves out of your bonds?” A skinny boy dressed in raccoon furs called indignantly, “Of course we can, Peter! You know we always can, but we let Hook have his fun before we escape and have ours! The look on his face is so funny then we escape before he has even had us hostages for two minutes! Can we come help?” “Yes, Slightly! Of course you can help us paralyze the pirate population! Come, join the fun, Lost boys!” With a yell, the lost boys cut the ropes binding them in a dozen different places with a dozen different knives and daggers that they had stored on their beings. The pirates, seeing how energized and excited the lost boys looked at the prospect of a fight, fled to the cabin, where their captain was woken from his nap and hollered at them loudly. Peter, James, Gwennie, Annie and all the lost boys quickly escaped before Hook would find them there.

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While they flew to the lost boys’ hideout on the island, Gwennie caught Peter glancing back at where they had left the pirate ship. He looked sad and Gwennie knew from the stories that her mother told her, he would never pass up a fight with Hook. But he had, probably because there were so many people he felt he had to look after, thought Gwennie. “Peter? Are you alright?” asked Gwennie, angling her body so she flew across the group towards him. “Yeah,” replied Peter. “It’s just that I had a perfect opportunity to fight Hook and missed it.” “I understand.” said Gwennie. “There have been lots of things I have had to pass up on too, in my life. It is hard, but you just need to keep moving.” “Hey Peter! Quit talking with your girlfriend, and you’ll see that we’re home” called a voice from the back of the group. An outburst of snickers arise from the four boys following the one who called out. “You're just jealous, Curly,” Peter replied cheekily. “’Cause you don’t have a girlfriend.” “Ooooooh, Curly got roasted!” taunts a boy in skunk skins.

5 “Be quiet!” called a boy dressed in fox pelts. “Don’t hurt the feelings of fragile Mr. Curly Whirly.” “I’m going inside,” Curly announces, and disappears down the hole in the trunk of a tree. “We should all head in,” Peter said. “Before Hook and his crew recover and come after us. This way, we may be able to coordinate a surprise attack. Imagine the look on Hook’s face when we ambush him!” “YE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE SSS!” cheered the Lost Boys, and one by one, disappeared down the trunk of the tree. Gwennie, James and Annie,a little unsure carefully sidled over to the tree and peered down the trunk. “Why don’t you go first, James?” Gwennie asked politely. “Oh, no.” replied James, equally politely. “What would Mother say? I insist, ladies first, and if not ladies first, oldest and bravest first.” “Alright, James.” said Gwennie. “I’ll go. You don’t have to be scared.” “I’m not scared,” said James. “I am just following the rules that Mother set for us. You know the ones that tell us how to properly behave, and be polite. But if you really want to, go first.” “Fine,” said Gwennie, and sat down on the edge of the hole. “But you are a scaredy-cat!” and she pushed off, and disappeared into the darkness. “Am not!” James called down th hole. “Are toooooooooooooo!” a voice called back from somewhere below him, echoing upwards with Gwennie’s fall. Suddenly, James heard something—no, a herd of somethings—running through the bush toward Peter’s hideout. He shoved Annie down the hole, and, as the herd grew nearer, he heard the distinct tones of the pirate who captured Annie. “This way!” the pirate called. “Stuvvey trailed them all the way to their hideout! It’s just a bit further!” “Wait ‘till i get my hands on that blasted Pan!” shouted an answering voice, and James knew with a chill running down his back and away from the speaker, that it was Hook. James disappeared down the hole in the trunk of the tree faster than a rabbit into its burrow. Once he reached the bottom, after what felt like eternity falling down the hole, he found he had landed on a pile of leaves and was in a small cave-like room with two other smaller cave-rooms branching off of it. “Quick! “ he called. “Their coming! The pirates and Hook are coming!” “To arms, men!” called Peter triumphantly. “Our hour is at hand! We shall fight the pirates!” “Fight the pirates!” all the lost boys echoed back and ran around the large room gathering in their supply of weapons, which was many more than it should have been. Slightly handed a short sword to James and a dagger to Gwennie. “You are quite handy with your feet in battle too, lady.” he said. “if you could assist us with those we will have the job done much faster.” “Gladly.” replied Gwennie with a grin. “Those pirates won't know what hit them! Now huddle up everybody, here's the plan.”

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6 Gwennie emerged from the hole in the trunk of the tree as though she was pushed, with her hands tied behind her back. “I’ll never forgive you , Peter!” she called behind her. “How dare you!” and she burst into tears. Hook looked astonished. “Sacrificing maidens now, Pan?” he taunted. “You are even less of a gentleman then I am!” “No,” replied Peter’s voice from seemingly everywhere. “You are more of an idiotic codfish than I thought you were!” and Gwennie severed her bonds with her knife and jumped into the huddle of pirates with a yell. She had been enhanced with fairy dust so when she jumped into the pirate bundle, she had been propelled up and she came down, with a smash on not one but two pirate faces, her feet firmly aimed and planted on their fragile noses. With a whoop and a crowing from Peter, the lost boys and Peter emerged from the forest. The pirates, now distracted with Gwennie kicking them in the face and stabbing them with her dagger, did not see the lost boys emerge from the forest, but Gwennie did, and despite all the warnings that Peter had given her, she stopped what she was doing and stared. The pirate she was attacking took his chance and brought his cutlass to her throat. Peter, meanwhile, was engaging with Hook, James and Slightly were going at an older pirate with small round spectacles who Gwennie guessed was Smee, and Annie was ruthlessly beating a very tall, back-haired pirate who Gwennie realised was the pirate who had captured her on the ship, with a teddy bear she had smuggled to Neverland in her nightgown. The pirate who had grabbed Gwennie called out “Got ‘er cap’n! What shall do wit’ ‘er now? Chop off ‘er ‘ead?” “No!” yelled James. “Don’t do it, Hook.” begged Slightly. “She’s just a lady. Don’t hurt her, please!” “Yes,” purred Hook. “do what ye want with her, Drudge, just get her out of my sight!” Peter stepped forward, bent down and placed his knife on the ground. “Hook,” he said quietly. “Release Gwennie and I will go with you willingly. It’s me you want after all.” Hook could not believe his luck. “Alright, Pan,” he growled. “But no tricks, mind.” “No tricks.” replied Peter quietly. “Just give me one last chance to speak with the lady.” “Granted.” said Hook. Peter walked over to Gwennie with his hands spread out in front of him. “Loosen your hold on yer cutlass, matey.” Hook told Drudge. “But don’t let the lass go.” “Don’t do this, Peter,” Gwennie whispered. “Hook’s going to do something awful to you, I just know it.” “Gwen,” said Peter sadly. “Once I leave this clearing with Hook, get Tink to give you some more fairy dust, and take Annie and James home.” “But—” Gwennie started, but Peter cut her off. “No buts, Gwen,” he said. “Just get yourself, Annie and James home safe: I can endure whatever Hook does to me, so long as I know you are safe.” “Alright, Peter,” Gwennie said. “Be careful.” and, silently she started weeping. “Careful?” Peter said loudly and indignantly. “Me?!? Who do you think I am, Gwennie?”

7 “I know who you are, Peter,” Gwennie said, smiling through her tears. “You are the most kind-hearted, wonderful boy in the world, and I hope you never change. Goodbye, Peter.” “Enough yapping.” Hook said gruffly, for even he was starting to tear up. “Come with me, Pan, I have wonders in store for you yet. Wonders of pain, I mean.” And with that, he dragged Peter out of the clearing. “No!” Gwennie yelled, and fell to her knees. “No.” she sobbed. “Y-you can’t take him! Please…please….” Slightly walked up to Gwennie and put a hand on her back. “It’s okay, Gwennie,” he said. “Peter will be fine. He gets captured by the pirates a lot and he is always able to come home, safe and sound, with barely a scratch on him. Anyway, I'll go get Tink so you, James and Annie can go home.” “Don’t bother, slightly,” Gwennie said, raising her head from the ground, a steely look of determination set in her eyes. “I’m not going home until we save Peter.” she stood up, and called to the other Lost Boys, “Who's with me?” A cheer goes up around the clearing. And, as it dwindled into silence, James stepped forward, clearing his throat. “If I may,” he said. “I have an idea to get Peter back.” “Go on.” said Gwennie impatiently. “As my siblings know,” James continues. “I read a lot of books on pirates and their ships, and i've learned that there is a large gold piece at the back, and it usually curls a lot. I was thinking that we can use it to get to the captain's window, by climbing up the ship from the water because the curly cues are attached to the captians’ cabins’ window. But we—” “Hey,” interrupted a lost boy who was wearing skunk skins . “Um, wouldn’t it just be easier to fly and get to the ship?” “Yes, it would be,” answers James. “But the pirates are expecting us to do that, so they will have all their cannons and pistols aimed at the sky.” a few lost boys nod appreciatively. “And James,” said Gwennie gently. “If we go by water, you're forgetting the crocodile.” “It’s only a danger if you swim,” said a boy dressed in a bear skin. “It stays by the ship in the hopes that Hook will fall overboard, although it is half blind in both eyes so it sees anything big flailing things in the water as Hook.” “Rest in peace beneath your watery grave.” all the lost boys mumbled. “Did someone die?” askes James. “Yes, we lost one of our band to the crocodile.” murmured a boy in rabbit skins. “Rest well brother Julian.” the lost boys chanted. “He was the only one of us other than Peter who had a proper name.” Slightly said sadly. “It was written on his pinafore, like mine ‘Slightly Soiled’.” “How nice,” said Gwennie, but her mind was on other things. “Alright everyone, let’s all go around and say your names because I don’t have some of your names but if we’re going to rescue Peter, then I simply must. For those of you who do not know this, or have forgotten, my name is Gwenith, but please call me Gwennie instead.” “Excuse me,” said the boy dressed in fox pelts. “May we call you Mother?” “Only if you tell me your name,” said Gwennie. “Right then,” the boy said. “In that case, my name is Twin One.”

8 “My name is Nibs, Mother.” said the boy dressed in skunk skins. “I’m Twin Two,” said the boy in rabbit skins. “And I am Tootles, Lady Mother.” said the boy dressed in bear skins. “Perfect.” said Gwennie. “Now, let’s all go to save Peter.” “TO SAVE PETER!” cheered the lost boys.

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A twig snapped beneath Gwennie’s feet as their party made it’s slow way out of the forest and toward Cannibal Cove, where the pirates moored their long, black ship. “Quiet!” hissed Curly. “They’ll hear you!” “Don’t speak to the Lady Mother like that, Curly,” warned Tootles. “It’s not kind, and I won't have it.” “Silence!” said Twin Two. “All of you!” Silence fell over the group as they crept down to the water. Slowly, they waded into the water and little by little neared their destination. The canoe the elves had left them, tied to a stick far enough out that nobody would see it from shore: it was too obscured by the oppressive mist that blanketed the island. “Oh!” gasped Twin One as he entered the water, his voice rising a couple of octaves. “Cold innit?” said Nibs, his teeth chattering. “Freezing.” agreed Slightly. “Yep.” squeaked out Twin One. “Shush,” said James. “Yes, it’s cold, but we are nearing the canoe, and once we get there, there must be no sound at all as we near the ship.” “Aye,” said Tootles. “Else the pirates shall find us.” As they reached the canoe, a large, dark shadow floated by them. “Hello, Neverbird.” Slightly said then turned to Gwennie James and Annie. “Don’t worry, she’s perfectly harmless.” They eased themselves into the canoe, a long sleek boat made purely for stealth, silence and speed. As they took up the paddles, a faint splish! sounded behind them and a tail flicked up from the water, but none of them noticed. As they paddled to the pirate ship, they did not notice the identical twenty canoes floating soundlessly on the water in a half circle around them, filled with the elite elvish army. Nor did they notice the log floating by the pirate ship, waiting, waiting, for it’s chance, and the quiet ticking of a clock from somewhere on it. “Wow,” breathed James. “Here we are, everybody. Welcome to the Jolly Roger.” Soon, nine shadowy figures made their way up the gold spirals and swirls that coated the back of the ship. Once they all reached the window, they stopped. “Remember the plan,” one of them hissed. “Don’t change it whatever you do, just stick to the plan.” “Unless there are guards.” one of the other shadows pointed out. “Yes,” the first one agreed. “If there are guards, signal, and we switch to plan B.” They had planned this to a T. Plan A, though, was to sneak in, rescue Peter and be out before the pirates noticed they were there. Plan B only went into action if there were guards. Plan B ment disposing of the guards overboard, rescuing Peter, then dealing with whatever happened next. Hopefully, that meant escaping without a fight.

9 One of the shadows took a brief glance through the window. “All clear,” it said. “Hand me the crowbar.” “No crowbar.” another shadow said. “Slightly, it’s your turn.” One of the shadows moved until it was right in front of the window, then it fiddled with something and pulled something off of the window. What it had removed, was, in fact, one of the large window panes. It let it drop, and it splashed into the ocean below. “Slightly,” one of the shadows hissed. “You weren't supposed to drop it.” “Sorry.” said the shadow that had removed the glass, and climbed through the window and into the ship. Slowly, one by one, the other shadows followed. Once inside the ship, the lost boys moved very swiftly and silently, hardly making a sound at all. They were inside the captains quarters, and it showed that Hook was a very vain man. The room was furnished with many mirrors, expensive rungs and golden ornaments. A chandelier draped with many diamonds and gems hung from the ceiling and cast a soft light about the room. A table, with a chair, laden with cushions sat in one corner, while a bookshelf laden with books, another chair, along with a desk, piled with many scrolls, pieces of parchment, inkwells and feather pens, sat in another. A large comfy looking bed was set off the main room in a small alcove, and the final two corners each held a large wardrobe. One, Nibs found, held a large array of red pirate jackets, black leggings and lacy jabots. Tootles stuck his head in the other oneand found… “Peter!” Tootles’ shout brought the other lost boys running. “Is he alright?” Slightly voiced the question they were all asking themselves. Peter certainly didn’t look alright. He was covered in dried blood, and numerous cuts all over him and a large black eye. “Hook must have used this cabinet as a torture chamber.” Twin Two said. “Look at all the nails and glass stuck in the sides and bottom.” Twin One cried. “It is no wonder that he is this bloody.” said Curly, solemnly. Peter moaned. “He’s coming to!” said Nibs excitedly. “Peter, Peter, can you hear us?” “Lost boys?” asked Peter. “Gwen, James and Annie and the lost boys? No, this must be a dream, I told Gwennie to take them home and she said she would. She promised, she promised.” “Oh, Peter,” said Gwennie sadly. “I did not promise, and I am glad I did not, for if I had, I could not have come to save you.” to the lost boys she said. “Let’s get him out of here.” “Not so fast, girly.” sneered a voice from the doorway. “Can’t ‘ave th’ li’le birds escape from th’ cage, can we? And now we’s got more birds for th’ cap’n to play wit’.” A pirate with long, greasy, red hair entered the room. “Stumpy Stupey will cage the pretty birds,” he sneered. “Or kill them.” “Quickly,” said Gwennie. “We must get Peter to safety. Nibs, Tootles, since you two look the strongest, take Peter down to the canoe, then come back and help us fight the pirates. Everyone else, come, fight the pirates!” “FIGHT THE PIRATES!” cheered the lost boys, and they all lunged at the red-haired pirate.

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10 Getting Peter down the gold lattice work and into the canoe was harder then Nibs and Tootles thought it would be. They almost dropped him into the sea a few times, and lost their footing more times then they could count on one hand. As the two shadows made their way down the back of the boat, the elvish general, who was also the elvish princess, smiled to herself. She had known that they would need her. Only the medicine of the elves could bring someone back from the brink of death. And Peter was almost dead, Yvanna could feel his life force draining away even as the lost boys brought him to safety. “Brothers of the island!” she called out in a low voice. “We, the elvish army and the best elvish healers are here to aid you. What do you need of us?” “Yvanna?” came Tootles’ nervous voice. “Is that you?” “Yes, brother Tootles. I repeat, what do you need of us?” “Um, some of your medicine would be great, as well as some help fighting the pirates?” “Of course,” replied Yvanna calmly. “Bring Brother Pan here, and I will heal him myself. Elves, board that ship and assist the lost boys and whatever friend they have made this time. Peter won’t injure himself for just anybody, you know. It must be someone who is very special to him. I will follow shortly, once I have healed Brother Pan.” With a snap of her fingers, the elves swarmed the ship, their graceful bodies scaling the ship ten times as fast as the lost boys could, and yet making no noise. Their gold armour glinting in the light of the moon, and their long, pale hair, caught by a gentle breeze, swaying softly as they climbed the ship. Yvanna placed her hands on Peter's chest, and began calling out elvish words of power in her soft low voice, the Healer's voice. Peter moaned and thrashed. “Hold him down,” Yvanna said. “That Hook is a clever one. He has coated the nails and pieces of glass with the poison he puts on his hook, so it will be painful for Brother Pan while I draw the poison out of his body.” “How did you know?” asked Nibs. “about the nails and glass i mean. “ “I know many things, some which you will have a very hard time comprehending.” replied Yvanna slowly. “Now hold him down!” And with that she called out the final word of power and Peter screamed in pain. It was not a normal scream, it was a long wailing, haunting scream. Peter thrashed and twisted, rocking the elvish canoe side to side, gasping in pain. The poison slowly seeped through his skin. The miniscule droplets collecting and forming into a large condensed orb of the stuff above his chest. It was a black, oily liquid and smelled strongly of sulfur and rotten flesh. Soon, his breathing slowed, and the droplets came no more. Yvanna took an elvish waterskin and plunged the opening into the middle of the bubble of poison. The liquid sank slowly through the hole, and once all the liquid was inside, she screwed the top on tight and tucked it into a compartment in the canoe. Peter’s breathing evened out and soon he was fast asleep. Yvanna took out a mortar and pestle and ground a small, dried, leafy plant into dust which she mixed with some water and poured into Peter's mouth.The held his nose, and mouth shut until he swallowed. “Just a herb to make him sleep soundly for the next two hours,” Yvanna explained. “He will not wake up no matter how loud we are. “Now, come fight the pirates with me?”

11 ☆ ☆ ☆

Meanwhile, aboard the pirate ship the battle was in full swing. The red-haired pirate —that Gwennie realized was the one who had captured her in the forest by the lost boys hideout—had called out after Nibs and Tootles had left and all the other crew members including Hook had come down to join the fun. Gwennie, the lost boys, James and Annie had fought well, injured many, killed a few, and had defended the window vigorously, were now tiring and as pirates kept pouring into the room, they were getting beaten up as well. Each Twin sported a black eye; Twin One had his on the left side of his face, and Twin Two had his on the right side of his face. Slightly was cradling a broken arm and James had a nasty cut running down the side of his face. So, to no surprise, they were all tremendously relieved when the army of elves, two hundred strong, swarmed through the window and started attacking the pirates. Slightly called out a word of thanks and greeting and the lost boys and the Goldenstar children began attacking the pritas with renewed vigor. Another round of renewed strength and energy swept through the hearts of the whole crowd when Yvanna, Nibs and Tootles climbed through the window a short while after. The pirates, on top of the resolve to fight all these enemies, also felt a wave of fear roll through them. Each pirate in turn shook off the feeling, telling himself that he would not be scared in a battle on his captain’s ship, but none could shake off the feeling completely. The pirates had to admit, they were outnumbered and with their enemies still going strong, and their crewmates being mowed down, faster than they could blink, there was almost no point in continuing their battle. Soon, none of the pirates were left standing,but the captain himself. And at the same time the captain stepped forward to confront and fight hundred and ninety-nine elvish warriors left, not to mention the lost boys and Goldenstar children, a lone figure stepped through the window. His chest was bandaged, and he still had dried blood all over him, but Peter had a healthy flush to his cheeks and determination in his eyes. All he said was two words, but it was enough to make Captain James Hook quake in his boots. “He’s mine.” said Peter, as he pulled his knife from its sheath. “Well, then,” said Hook, plastering a sneer on his face to hide how scared he was. “The poor, injured Pan thinks he can hurt me, the mighty James Hook? I’d like to see him try.” “Then I shall.” answered Peter. And lunged at hook’s throat. In the blink of an eye, Hook had his rapier out and pointed at Peter's bandaged chest. “Ta ta,” said Hook.. “bad form. Your defence is positively terrible.” “True, but I am just going easy on you,” replied Peter cheekily. “You are such a bad fighter you need all the support you can get.” “Bold words, dead man.” warned Hook. “I’m glad you think of me as a man,” said Peter. “What does that make you then?” and without waiting for an answer he replied. “A codfish. Only a codfish.” “Blasted Pan!” shouted Hook. “I’ll kill you!” With no warning he lunged at Peter with his rapier stretched out, but Peter just camley brought his knife down upon the blade, and it shattered like glass. Off balanced, Hook careened into the armchair waiting calmly across the room for him. He sat up with his

12 head spinning, and almost instantaneously Peter was upon him. Peter picked hook up as if he weighed nothing and brought him over to the window missing it’s pane and, far below hook landed with a splash. “Elvish blade,” said Peter smiling. “Curse you pan!” he shouted. Then with an amazingly high pitched scream for a pirate captain, the log lurched and seemed to swallow him up, for it was not a log, at all, but the crocodile that Hook feared so much. Peter, suddenly very lightheaded, fainted and fell over and landed gently in Gwennie’s arms, for when she had seen him sway, she had rushed to help him. “Let’s get home,” said Gwennie, abruptly feeling as if the whole world had come crashing down upon her shoulders. “It must be far past everyones’ bedtimes and Peter needs rest.” So, with the elves' help, the lost boys carried Peter down to the canoes, and with their elvish entourage following so silently that the lost boys and Goldenstar children found themselves forgetting their presence as the weariness set in, they set off for the lost boys’ hideout, or as the Goldenstar children called it too, now, home.

☆ ☆ ☆

It was two days after the battle with the pirates that Peter woke up. It was around three in the afternoon, when he lifted his hand and brought it to his head, where he felt a cold cloth draped over his forehead. “Wherrami?” he wondered. “Peter!” Gwennie cried joyously. “you’re awake!” and she rushed over to his hammock. “How do you feel, Peter?” The fact that Peter felt like a sledgehammer had hit him on the head a few times then, just for good measure, drilled all the way through it, was quickly understood by the lost boys, who had crowded around his sickbed when they had heard Gwennie cry out. They backed up, respectfully and Peter sat up and groaned. “Careful now, Peter.” said Slightly. “You were pretty injured after the battle, and you haven’t healed completely yet, Yvanna says.” “What happened while I was unconscious?” asked Peter. After they had filled him in he said thoughtfully, “And why are you, James and Annie still here, Gwennie? I thought I told you to leave after the pirates took me out of the clearing. And you said you would.” “I did,” said Gwennie. “but once you left, I took votes to see if we should fly home or stay and rescue you. There were none who wanted us to go home.” But Peter didn’t register this, he was staring off into space and after a few minutes he said unexpectedly, “Gwennie, there is something I need to talk to you about.” “What is it Peter?” said Gwennie “Come outside with me and enjoy the sunset, and I shall tell you.” said Peter, and he hauled himself out of his hammock and went to the steps that led out of the house under the ground. “Are you coming, Gwennie?” asked Peter. “Yes,” replied Gwennie, and hurried after him. Once they got out of the home under the ground, Gwennie found that Peter was quite right. The sun was preparing itself to set over the edge of the island and was turning the sky all sorts of brilliant shades of red, orange, pink, magenta, purple and a deep violet.

13 Peter led her to a hill, on which a wide moss covered stump sat, surrounded by ferns and small wild violets. “Sit down,” Peter said, and Gwennie sat down on the stump. “There is some stuff you need to know about me. “Firstly, this is the place I come when I want to be alone, and think. None of the lost boys can find it because I've wished that ‘the other inhabitants of Neverland may never find this place unless I lead them there intentionally.’ “Secondly, I have a secret to reveal to you that I have never revealed to anyone else in my time on Neverland. The truth is that I am truly a girl. My real name is Lydia Tippan. When the lost boys first came to Neverland I was wearing pants and a tunic and had been cutting my hair regularly, because I didn't like having long hair. It got matted really easily, and got caught on branches and twigs as I ran through the forest, so they thought I was a boy. After they had been there a few years I revealed to them my true nature and they threw me out of The Home Under The Ground, and Yvanna found me wandering in the forest, so I went to live with the elves. This is how the elvish/lost boy allegiance began. After a few years living with them, I went back to the lost boys and told them that my name was Peter Pan and I had gotten lost and ended up here. I used the second half of my original last name as my false identity’s last name. They accepted me as one of their own and told me on my first night back that they were glad I was not a girl because they had had a ‘liar who they believed was a friend to be a girl. Oh, and we threw her out so she died in the forest’. I have not revealed anything about my true past to them since.” “What do you want me to call you now?” asked Gwennie. “Should I still call you Peter, or should I call you Lydia?” “I think it would be best if you still called me Peter and used the pronoun ‘he/his’ when talking to me or about me.” replied Lydia. She stared quietly into the sunset. “And please, never tell anyone, I do not want anyone else to know about who I truly am. The last girl I told,—I told you a lie, I'm sorry. I have only ever told one other person then you since I got back to living in The Home Under The Ground with the lost boys—was your mother, Gwen, Wendy Darling,—now known as Wendy Goldenstar.” “Peter,” said Gwennie finally. “I’m getting cold, can we go in now?” “You go ahead,” Peter said quietly. “I understand this is a lot to take in, but please don’t hate me.” “I could never hate you, Peter.” said Gwennie, softly. “Goodnight.” and she slid off the stump and hurried away into the twilight. Peter sat on the stump for a while after Gwennie had left. Thinking, and wondering if Gwennie would ever look at him the same again. Eventually, once the moon was high in the sky, he pulled a gold locket out of his tunic’s hidden pocket. He flicked open the clasp , and stared at the two photographs inside. One was of a woman, with the same curly, wild, red hair that he had. She was laughing and holding a baby. Her bright green eyes twinkled up at him, as if sharing a private joke that only he could hear. Opposite her, on the other side of the locket a man with dark brown hair and warm brown eyes stared solemnly out of the frame. He saw the fire in his mind’s eye, his parents' screams echoed around in his head as he saw the fire consume them. And he saw himself, hidden quickly beneath the floorboards in a carved wooden chest. Peter fingered the piece of parchment that was folded between them, along with a forest green ribbon, obviously off the woman’s green dress. He knew word for word what the parchment said, and quietly he said the words aloud to himself.

“ Our Lydia, We are so terribly sorry to do this to you, but it is for the best. We hope you survive the fire, live a good life, and treasure this locket well. We love you, and we understand if you cannot forgive us for abandoning you. If you can forgive us, well, just know that we were always thinking of you. We love you very, very much sweetpea, Love, Mum and Dad ”

Peter rubbed the locket hard with one thumb, and used the back of his other hand to furiously wipe at his eyes. Then he stood up stretched, and headed back to the Home Under The Ground.

☆ ☆ ☆

The next morning Peter seemed unrealistically cheerful. “You probably want to go back to your old home,” he said over the breakfast that Gwennie had prepared. “So I have decided to take you back. We leave in an hour.” “Peter,” Gwennie said while they were clearing the breakfast dishes. “I forgot to ask you, who was the girl in the oak leaf dress that we saw when the pirates were shooting fireworks and we had to rescue the lost boys? She was tied up with them to the mizzen mast and she was chanting your name with the other boys. She looked to be about eight and had very straight, dark hair that was cut along her jawline.” “Oh,” said Peter. “That was our friend Zinnia. She is half elf and half fairy, but she lives with the fairies. She likes to trick and trap people, but she is very loyal and kind.” Soon, they were ready to leave and Gwennie hugged each of the lost boys one last time then she said, “Tink, we are ready, fairy dust, please,” and Tink jingled and jangled and shook herself over each of their heads. Gwennie thought, home, Mother, Father, my soft cozy bed and my books, and she floated up to the top of a pine tree where she grabbed onto the top, so she would not go anywhere without the others. Annie thought of the other teddy bears she had left at home and, remembering the one she had snuck with her, cuddled it and drifted to the top of the tree, where Gwennie grabbed onto her so she wouldn’t drift off. James thought of his school friends and laughing and joking around with them and drifted up too. In no time at all they were flying home. It felt good to be free of gravity and have the wind rushing on their faces so Gwennie and James experimented with doing loops and dives and all kinds of aerobatic tricks on the way home. After a while Peter and Annie joined them and they had a wonderful time racing and looping around. Presently, they came to the window with the window-seat on the third floor of the big house that the Goldenstar family resided in, and one by one, the Goldenstar children floated gently through the window and landed on the floor of their bedroom. Peter hovered in the window and looked down at them. “Goodbye, Peter.” said Gwennie softly. “And thank you.”

15 “For what?” asked Peter curiously. “For everything.” replied Gwennie. “For that,” said Peter, matter of factly. “I should be thanking you.” “No seriously, Peter.” said James. “Really, thanks. Gwen is right, I would have regretted it a lot if I hadn’t come.” Annie and James climbed into their beds, but Gwennie stayed a moment longer at the window. “We will see you again won’t we?” she asked. “Maybe, Gwen. But who can say?” said Peter. “Time’s not quite right in Neverland, so tomorrow night for you, may be a hundred years for me. Or five days for me may be fifty years for you, and eventually, we’ll both forget. We’ll forget what we each looked like, and what each other sounded like. We may even forget each other's existences entirely. So,who can say?” “I’ll never forget you Peter, I promise.” said Gwennie. “The adventures we have shared with you and the lost boys, I'll never forget. I swear this on the magic of Neverland” “I promise I’ll never forget you too, and I also swear this on all the magic of Neverland.” said Peter solemnly Somewhere far away, close to the second star on the right a million bells of different shapes and sizes shook, and their sweet melody reached even the ears of Gwennie and Peter. “What was that sound?” asked Gwennie. And Peter, with a faraway look in his eyes answered, “it is the magic of Neverland, Gwen, holding us to our promise.” And he flew away into the night.

THE END!