Think of circle time at preschool, that was exactly how we did it. Well, minus the comfortable pillows.
“So, Peter, tell me. How much do you know about starstuff?”I asked.
Peter visibly flinched. There was a silence while we watched Peter fidgeting and looking around uneasily.
“I feel like I know it, the starstuff I mean. I have been having so many dreams that don’t seem to be dreams at all. Actually, they don’t even seem to be my own dreams. My first dream, I was talking to a girl named Molly. Then a porpoise taught me how to fly and some man clarified to me that I will be a flying boy forever,”Peter explained, then his gaze darkened,”When I held a plank in my hand that read “Neverland”, I knew that I am not what I think I am anymore.”
There was a silence while Peter was deeply breathing. I could only watch him in empathy.
So it is true . . .
“Then I had another dream. This time I was facing the Skeleton and Ombra, whoever they are, in a train and I held a sword in my hand. Then I broke a chest lock with the sword . . . when I woke up . . . the tip of that exact sword was under my bed,”Peter said, voice trembling as he pulled out a sword tip from his jacket.
Everyone gasped. I was speechless without any words. Tears threatened to fall out of my eyes. I knew what was coming, but to see the tip of the Sword of Mercy takes it to a whole different level.
Peter stared intently at me and asked,”Elysie . . . am I, Peter Pan?”
The name seemed to linger in the air for a while.
I closed my eyes, trying to gather all my racing emotions. But all I could do is think of Peter, Peter Pan to be specific.
“Will I ever see you again?”I asked.
He just looked at me sadly.
“I don’t know. Maybe . . . but you probably won’t recognize me for a while.”
“I believe so,” I stuttered out, “All the dreams you have are true.”
“But, how am I Peter Pan?”
“Maybe, he is possessing you. You may not be him, but you have his thoughts and powers.”
“Like flying,” Allan said, recalling back to the time they went flying with Paul and Asia.
“Yea. Maybe the more memories triggered, the more Peter Pan wakes up,”I mumbled.
Peter just sat bewildered, feeling very overwhelmed by everything spoken to him.
“What if he fully possesses me? What will happen to my soul?” he asked,
I looked down glumly,” . . . I don’t know. But we will take it step by step.”
There was another silence.
“Woah, Peter, can you believe how amazing it will be to be Peter Pan?” Allan encouraged, trying to lighten the mood.
“Haha, yea . . . great,”Peter stuttered nervously.
“Do you think you can handle it? There are a lot of strings attached,”I clarified.
Peter just looked me in the eyes.
“I’ll manage. You know, I did actually listen at the youth group. If this is some sort of calling from God, that big guy, I’ll do it. Maybe I was meant to be Peter Pan’s keeper all along,”Peter said.
“Well said brother,”Allan teased in a southern baptist accent.
After we shared a time of stories and laughs, I decided to cut it there.
“Well, let’s get ready. It’s time for action.”
