Brown Eyes

Chapter 9

(Peter's P.O.V.)

We got to the part of the forest where nobody could see us or hear us. We were laughing because the fairies caught us spying on them and chased us away, and hearing the words "Fairies" and "attack" in the same sentence was too funny. I smiled at Beth who was still laughing, and trying to catch her breath.

"This is amazing!" she said. "How long have we been away from camp by the way?"

"Well it's almost sundown," I said. "Probably a good seven to ten hours."

"Oh lord," Beth laughed. "Half the Lost Boys will be dead by the time we get back!"

"Not dead," I said with a smile. "Possibly missing some limbs and a few black eyes, but not dead."

She giggled, and looked around. "Where are we?" she asked.

"You'll see," I smiled as I saw the sun set.

Then a firefly blinked. Then another, then suddenly all of them started blinking all around us. Beth looked around at all the blinking lights that blanketed the forest in awe.

I waved my hand and a jar appeared in it. I gave it to Beth.

"Go catch some," I said. "I know you want to."

She looked at the jar, then quickly snatched it out of my hands as if I would suddenly change my mind. Then she took off the lid and started running, using the jar as a net, catching as many fireflies as she could.

I smiled and watched as she swooped and dove at sharp angles like a bird hunting bugs. She laughed and ran around like a little girl, her eyes lighting up as bright as the fireflies, if not brighter.

I sighed as I watched her. Her jar was filling up with golden light, and I could see the reflection of it in her eyes.

Then I saw it. The forest around us seemed to brighten. The trees started to perk up, and I saw flowers bloom all around us, in the most vibrant colors I've ever seen in Neverland.

I'd been to see the fireflies so many times before, and this has never happened. It hasn't happened anywhere for as long as I've been in Neverland, and I've been here a long time. I was dumbfounded.

"Peter!" Beth exclaimed and ran towards me.

I saw the flowers seem to follow her. The grass got greener and spread out from where her feet touched the ground. She smiled and the trees lifted their branches higher. The whole island was bursting with energy.

It was Beth.

"Look at all the fireflies I caught!" she said and showed me her jar. It was filled with dozens of fireflies.

"You know, you can keep their light in there," I said.

"I can?" she asked.

"Here," I said. I took a bit of light from each firefly in the jar, then said, "Okay, open the lid."

She twisted the lid and then took it off and all the fireflies started to fly out. Beth looked up to the sky where they flew in awe. She was washed in a golden glow, and the fireflies flew around her and up. It really was a sight to see.

When all the fireflies had left the jar, she put the lid back on, and as I said, some of their light stayed in the jar.

"Whoa," she breathed, looking at it.

"Now you have a souvenir," I said.

She smiled up at me. She stood on her toes and kissed me for a second.