Neverland

Chapter Eleven

Without the fire burning at my camp, it seems so dark. The atmosphere feels so much better. I cut through the girl's cage with my sword, making even slices.

The girl is wearing a white nightgown with pink bows, something I haven't seen in a while. Her light hair is mussed, and the girl is shivering, though it's not cold. She must be frightened, I suppose.

With my command, all the Lost Boys retreat into the jungle. I need time to question this girl. She sits on a patch of dead grass, rubbing her arms constantly. I crouch beside her, letting my fingers brush the earth.

"Let start with the basics," I say. "Who are you?" The girl breaks her stare at the ground.

"My name is Wendy," she says. "Wendy Darling."

"Wendy," I say.

"Please don't kill me," Wendy says, panicked. "I have two younger brothers, John and Michael, back in London. They need me."

"I'm not going to kill you, Wendy," I assure her. "No one need to die except for Hook."

"Why do you hate him so much?" Wendy asks. She asks this as a simple, innocent question.

"He rebelled against me," I say. "I have no traitors stand in my midst. Everyone is kept in line. Hook's missing hand is a permanent reminder to him of that." Quietly I add, "He was jealous of my power." Wendy is silent. I continue with my interrogation.

"What century is it back in... London?" The word sounds strange on my tongue. It has been so long since I have spoken of my former home.

"The nineteenth century," she says. "Did you use to live there?"

"Yes," I answer. "Two hundred years ago." Jack is dead. The one thing I still cared about is gone, though I would never admit it to my Lost Boys. I loved my brother, but not enough to leave Neverland. It is something that will shame me forever.

"How are you still alive?" she asks. I glare at her.

"I'm the one asking the questions, am I not?" I demand. I stand, towering over Wendy. "Is this Hook's little trick to divert my goals?" I ask myself. "At least he doesn't have the map in his possession..." I wave my handover Wendy, tinting her blue. Nothing happens, so I know that Hook hasn't trust any magic with her. She's safe to be at camp.

An idea forms in my head. Fairies are girls, right? With Wendy, I might have a better shot at finding the pixie dust, before Hook gets the hidden magic.

A fur coat hangs above the fire, drying off water from a spring. I take the coat and toss it to Wendy. She looks at me questioningly.

"Put it on," I say. "We're leaving camp." Wendy wraps the fur over her.

"Where are we going?" she asks worriedly. She is afraid of me, and I like that.

"We're going on a treasure hunt," I say. "Time to fly."

Wendy has never flown before, and is unable to believe that she can fly. I offer to help her, as Lyam had, not Hook. She takes my hand. I look down at our clasped hands. I do not like being touched. I slide my hand up farther, so I am lightly encircling her wrist. The less contact the better. Bending my knees, I push off, hard.

The air whistles in my ears. At first, Wendy is afraid at the great height. We are well above the jungle, near the top of the Dark Ridge. I get us going to the waterfall, and soon Wendy begins to laugh.

Slowly, I let go of her wrist until she is flying by herself. Her arms are spread like wings. The wind blows her hair straight back. Wendy tilts from side to side, much like a bird. We approach the waterfalls.

"Down there," I say, pointing belows. Wendy swoops down, face first, while I descend more steadily.

Water is crashing down as usual. I pull the map out from my pouch and carefully unroll the brittle parchment.

"Amazing!" Wendy exclaims. "This is really real. I'm in... I'm in... oh, what's this place called?"

"Neverland," I say, not really paying attention. "It isn't all fun and games as you think."

The map is glowing at the top right corner. Next to it, are two waves curving down to represent the falls. The tear my knife made has vanished. Protection magic.

"What is the treasure?" Wendy asks. I lower the map.

"Pixie dust," I say softly.

"Pixie dust?"

"It has more magic than you have ever dreamed of," I say. "More powerful than Tinkerbell; more powerful than me." Wendy is astounded.

She quickly recovers and says, "Does the map for the pixie dust lead here?"

"Well, yes," I admit. "But there's nothing here at all. Just water flowing over ledges." Wendy carefully studies the clear water, the one place I am unable to transform. Is it pixie dust that keeps this location safe?

"In stories I've read," Wendy concludes. "Treasure, or in this case, pixie dust, is right in front of your nose. I wonder..." She steps in the river where the waterfalls stream into. Her bare feet and a few inches of her nightgown become soaked. Just before taking another step, Wendy throws off her fur coat. Then she enters in the waterfall. She does not reappear.

I am about to fly away with the assumption that she is dead, when she calls, "Peter! I think I may have found something!" I never told her my name, but I reckon Hook did. Cautiously, I let myself tread into the liquid. My leather boots become soggy. Advancing forward into the sheet of water, I realize that magic creates a roof from the water. The falls do not drench me.

The cavern behind the waterfall is shaded blue and green. The only colors I've seen of magic. Wendy stands off to the side, holding something in her hand.

"Is that the dust?" I say, opening my hand to her. "Give it to me." Without a second thought, she places the object in my outstretched hand. The parchment is much like the map.

"It's not magic," she says. "At least, I don't think so. I has some writing on it that I can't understand." Looking down, I see it's written in the same language as it is on the map, most likely in fairy language. In an instant, I am able to read the parchment. Neverland's magic has been removed, and is now hidden at the place you call home. Neverland's magic, the island's life force, must be pixie dust.It's as if it's talking specifically to me. Then again, it is magic. Perhaps it is different for everyone.

The place I call home. Certainly not London, I never did have any good memories there. Here, on Neverland, this is a place where I have a part. It may not be the best one, but it is the lead. My home.

Neverland is a whole island, including the sea and Skull Rock. The island is under my magic, and I control it. I did set up camp near the Black Jungle first, maybe that is what the parchment is referring to.

Of course. Now it all comes together. My home. The camp. Neverland. Lyam stole some magic. Tinkerbell wanted to protect it. The fire that never goes out. All the pieces in the puzzle fit together. I know how the pixie dust got moved.

"Come Wendy," I say excitedly. "Let's find ourselves some pixie dust!"