The Pan of Neverland

Chapter 13: Through the Castle

As the boys descended from the platform, they found themselves in a grand chamber with towering ceilings and rugged walls that appeared to have been carved out of the mountain itself. The chamber's only flat surface was the wall holding the exit point, which was not a conventional door or window, but rather a small, swirling tornado, as if seen through the eyes of a bird.

"What is that?" Cheddar exclaimed in amazement, striding boldly toward the black hole in the wall.

"Hold on there, mate," Thump cautioned, tightly gripping Cheddar's collar. "That looks like a portal. I've read about them in my science fiction books."

"Aye, Thump, you might be onto something!" exclaimed Slightly, his eyes intensely studying the swirling darkness. "It seems we won't have to climb after all. This appears to be a secret entrance, not a secret tunnel."

Rattle, scanning the room, asked, "Well, somebody's got to go first. Who's it gonna be?" He looked each Lost Boy in the eye, his stare careful and assessing.

Muffle, following Rattle's gaze, repeated, "Who's it gonna be?"

The room grew tense as the boys contemplated who would be the first to enter the mysterious portal.

Peter's face lit up with an excited little smile, but deep down, he knew he couldn't risk it. What if the fairies had set up an ambush on the other side? How would the boys save him if things went south? No, it had to be one of the others to check if the other end of the tether was safe.

"I'll do it," Axel declared, breaking the tense silence. "You've made it clear that I'm not up to par with what this lot can do," he gestured towards the other Lost Boys, "but I'm going to prove my worth to you, Peter Pan."

"That's a good lad," Peter said, trying to sound enthusiastic, though his tone lacked sincerity. He had his doubts.

With a confident stride, Axel approached the swirling vortex and looked back at the other boys.

"Let us know the coast is clear," Sidewing said, voicing their concerns.

Axel nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped confidently through the portal. As he entered the blackness, he felt his body being stretched like a rubber band, his hair standing on end. For a moment, he felt weightless, and then suddenly he was ejected out of the other end.

As he landed on the ground, Axel shook off the dizziness and surveyed his surroundings. It was a small, cramped space, immediately recognizable as a teenage fairy's bedroom. Suspended from the intricately carved, white ceiling was a delicate little four-poster bed. The walls were adorned with yellow and blue trim, giving the room a childlike vibe. Despite the quaint decor, the room felt ancient, as if it hadn't been inhabited for years. The air was thick with staleness, suffocating in its darkness, untouched by a gust of fresh air for a long time.

Axel brushed off the dirt that clung to him from his landing and took a moment to examine the detail in the carved walls and the furniture that seemed to be out of a fairy tale. The room was so small that he could almost touch each wall with ease. As he took a step closer to the bed, he noticed a few small bugs scurrying away, disturbed by his presence. Axel smiled to himself, knowing they had successfully infiltrated the fairy realm undetected. He poked his head back through the wall and, with a nod, signalled to the other boys that it was safe to follow.

After Axel gave the all-clear, the Lost Boys squeezed into the minuscule room, their bodies pressed against the walls. Curiosity sparked in their eyes as they scanned every inch of the space, taking in the playful pictures adorning the white dresser and the small vanity table where Cheddar had discovered a music box. Opening it, he revealed a delicate spinning figure of Tinker Bell, gracefully twirling to a soothing melody.