Second Star to the Right

Chapter Three: You Can Fly

"Wendy: But Peter, how do we get to Neverland?

Peter: Fly, of course!"

~'Peter Pan', 1953

Chapter Three: You Can Fly

"I guess I should formally welcome you," Peter Pan said, a bit sarcastically. "So, welcome to Never Neverland." He walked closer to Wendy. "I need help, Wendy, but I'm not sure if you are the person that will do the job." 

Wendy felt obligated to help Pan, but she wasn't sure why. Something about him made Wendy feel safe, but at the verge of death at the same time. "What do you need help with?" She asked.

Pan smiled; she already was willing to help him. Wendy had passed the first test. "Well, like I said, I don't know if you are who I'm looking for yet."

"Well, who are you looking for?" Wendy asked, puzzled by Pan's statement. 

"All in good time, Wendy Darling," Pan vaguely replied. "How much do you know about Neverland?" Pan asked her.

"Not much, just that mermaids weren't as kind as I thought they would be."  Wendy said, somewhat shyly. Pan laughed, and Wendy smiled at him. Pan felt something deep in his stomach that he couldn't understand. He shook it off, and broke the silence. 

"Come on, Wendy," Pan said, and reached out his hand. "Let's have some fun." Wendy took his hand, and off she ran with Peter Pan. 

~~~~~~~~~

Peter and Wendy rushed through the forest, and Wendy never let go of his hand. Trails were created throughout the island by the Lost Boys, so that they would know how to get around. Occasionally, they would see a Lost Boy, who just looked at them and stared as they ran past. 

"Where are you taking me?" Wendy asked Pan; she was getting tired of running. Her feet ached and her breath was short. 

"Almost there, Wendy Darling." Pan replied, repeating her name again. Wendy was not sure why he said her name so much. Pan wasn't sure either; he just liked the sound of it. Suddenly, Pan pulled Wendy off of the trail and deeper into the forest. 

Wendy saw a break in the trees, and Pan dragged her out. He didn't stop running until they were at the edge of the cliff. Wendy flung forward from the momentum, but Pan held her up. Wendy looked down. Fifty feet below her was the ocean. The waves smacked against the rocks, and mermaids laughed gleefully from just below the surface. Wendy was terrified. Why would Pan bring her here?

Pan dropped Wendy's hand and let her catch her breath. They sat down in the dirt a safe distance away from the drop off. Pan reached into a pocket in his pants and pulled out a small container. He looked at it for a second, then handed it to Wendy. Wendy examined the clear bottle. It was small, about the size of her pinky finger, and it was filled with a white dust.

"What is it?" Wendy asked Pan, suspicious of what he was giving her.

"Fairy dust," Pan answered and took back the vile. He looked at it more closely, "I can't get it to work. It is useless," Pan tossed the bottle at the ground in frustration, and it rolled towards Wendy. She picked it up again. 

"What does it do?" She asked.

"It's supposed to make you fly, like the shadow. I haven't seen it do anything." Pan said. Wendy stood up and opened the bottle. 

"Well, let me try." She said, then took a pinch out. The dust suddenly sparkled and turned green. Wendy laughed and smiled. Pan grinned; she had actually gotten it to work. Wendy threw the small amount of fairy dust at Pan, but nothing happened. He frowned. 

"I told you it wouldn't work." Pan muttered, and took back the fairy dust.

"Try believing, think a happy thought." Wendy replied. She believed it could work. Pan knew it could, he had done it before. That was a long time ago though, back when he had just gained his youth. Now, he didn't have a happy thought to make him fly. Pan looked at Wendy, and he realized that he had to think of something quickly. 

She was smiling at him, her eyes full of wonder and happiness, and that made him almost feel happy himself. He could tell her heart was pure, but he needed to know how much she believed. Think, Pan, think! Pan thought to himself. What did he want most in the world? He wanted power. He wanted to stay young forever. That was his happy thought. 

Pan grabbed Wendy's hand again. "Ready?" He asked. 

 "For what?"

"Let's have some fun!" Pan pulled her over to the cliff and jumped. Wendy screamed, until she realized that she wasn't falling. She was flying. Pan threw a pinch of the dust on her, then put the vile back in his pocket. 

"Do you believe, Wendy?" He asked her, but before she could answer, Pan let go. Wendy fell.