Peter Pan and the Lost Fae of Neverland

[04] QUATTUOR

"Don't grow up, it's a trap."

Peter remembered reading that on piece of cardboard some homeless guy was holding in the streets. Hindi maalala ni Peter kung bakit siya nagpunta roon, pero nang madaanan niya ang karatula, napatigil siya sa paglalakad.

In the middle of a crowd of adults walking as if life is chasing them, Peter found himself frozen in place.

'May ipinagkaiba ba ang pagiging matanda sa pagiging bata? O baka dahil wala lang akong maalala?' Isip-isip noon ni Peter bago kumuha ng barya mula sa kanyang bulsa. Marahan niyang nilapitan ang matanda at hinulog sa lata nito ang pera. Maliit na halaga lang, pero nakita niya sa ngiti nito ang labis na pasasalamat.

"Salamat, hijo. God bless."

Napahawak na lang sa kanyang batok si Peter, hindi sanay sa pakikipag-usap sa mga estranghero.

"Walang anuman po," sagot na lang niya at nagmamadaling umalis.

Peter sped up his pace, feeling the eyes of the man following him until he vanished into the sea of moving bodies. He silently blamed himself for his lack of social skills, especially when growing up in a society means interacting with people. And interacting with people means wearing different masks, different personas, and different personalities... just to seem normal in the public eye.

Much like a stage actor who takes on different character roles for different plays.

"But at the end of the day, which one is the real me? Who am I, really?"

That question lingered in Peter's thoughts, a permanent tattoo he can't seem to erase. Sa higit dalawang dekada na niyang pamumuhay sa mundong ito, pakiramdam niya malayo pa siya sa pagtuklas ng kasagutan. And over the past years he's been taking shelter in the abandoned theater, Peter thought his life can't possibly get any crazier...

That was until he saw a pirate ship flying in the sky above them.

"Like it?" Jester grinned beside him, studying his shocked expression.

Peter blinked in disbelief, even rubbing his eyes to make sure he isn't hallucinating things. Malay ba niya kung expired na pala 'yong tinapay na kinain niya kanina?

"Paano siya lumilipad? At... saan ka naman nakakuha ng barko?"

"Pixie dust! I... erm... stole a few sacks of it back at their hollow," he cleared his throat. "At hindi mo ba naalala ang barko na 'to?"

"Ha?"

"This is The Jolly Roger! Owned by your former enemy, Captain Hook! Rings a bell now?"

Peter shook his head. "Mukhang 'di naman siya 'jolly', mas tama yatang Haunted Roger! That thing looks like it came straight out of a horror movie!"

True enough, the ship looked eerie and surreal under the moonlight.

"Looks can be tragically deceiving!"

Jester laughed and took his hand. Bago pa man makapagreklamo si Peter, namalayan na lang niyang umangat na pala ang kanyang mga paa sa lupa at lumilipad na sila papunta sa barko. Pigil-hininga siyang kumapit sa fae hanggang sa ibinaba siya nito sa crow's nest ng barko. It was a small basket-like platform up in the mast, where a crew member would look out for land or any potential danger ahead.

Jester was silently watching him, flying beside the crow's nest.

"Hold on. This is gonna be a bump trip, Peter Pan."

"Hindi nga ako si Peter Pan---!"

"WEIGH ANCHOR!"

Maya-maya pa, bigla na lang may kung anumang mahikang humila sa angkla. Agad na napakapit si Peter sa railings ng nest nang gumewang ang barko. 'Anong nangyayari?!' Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata nang biglang nagliwanag ang barko, isang matamlay na kulay lilang ilaw ang pumalibot sa kabuuan ng Jolly Roger.