Jody in Neverland

Chapter 19 - Battle of Courage

Meanwhile, Jody set to work to free the lost children. Soon they were all free of the painful wrist bindings but Nibs refused to let Jody cut the bigger rope that tied them to the mast. Instead he instructed the smallest child to try and wriggle out. With some effort they finally squirmed out and this immediately made the rope loose enough for the others to get out. But instead they all stayed put to give the impression that they were still prisoners. The small child, hid behind some barrels, in the hope they would not be missed and Jody sat in front of the gap hands behind her back as if tied up.

One by one the children fell asleep except Jody, anxious to know if Tinkerbell had warned Peter in time.  Eventually even Jody dozed off into a tumultuous sleep. Soon the sun began to rise, the darkness of night replaced by the golden glow of dawn.   A cheer of laughter roused the children.

The pirates were celebrating.

Pan is dead!

The boy is dead!

Long live Hook!

There was laughter and cheers. The lost children were all awake now, and all looked up to the sky in silent prayer, hoping Pan was alright.

An hour passed with no sign of Pan, the children's hope were beginning to fade. When suddenly over the songs and laughter of the pirates, there was the unmistakeable sound of a cockerel crowing. The pirates stopped their merriment and looked for the source of the crowing. Then suddenly Peter flew out from behind one of the sails and crowed again triumphantly. Suddenly there was chaos, the lost children scrambled out of their ropes and the pirates sprang to their feet and in an instant the deck was heaving with children and pirates fighting. Nibs threw a sword to Jody, having just disarmed a rather inebriated pirate. No sooner had she grabbed the sword than a burly pirate ran towards her. She backed away until she was up against the wall of the cabin. The pirate was closing in on her and suddenly she felt her heart hammering as a wave of terror swept over her. The courage that had kept her going, that had seen her rescue Tink, faded in an instant.

Peter saw Jody out of the corner of his eye as he was duelling Hook.

He cried out to her

Believe in yourself Jody. Believe in yourself and ignite a flame no grown up can extinguish. A flame of strength and determination. There will always be pirates but there doesn't have to be fear or pain. In the darkest moments that flame will light up the shadows and take away your fears. You will never be alone, for I am that spark, that flame.

The words suddenly filled Jody with a new strength. She lunged forward and began to attack the pirate with all her might.  Within a few minutes she was standing triumphantly over the pirate who was now trussed up like a sack of potatoes. She had managed to defeat the pirate and with Tootle's help had tied him up. 

Soon the fighting was over. As the children gained the upper hand, some of the pirates had escaped on rowing boats. The others were tied up or too injured to escape. Peter had won his duel with Hook, the fight ending with Peter poking his sword under Hook's chin and grinning as he watched Hook begging for mercy.  The lost children were cheering and egging on Peter to kill Hook. But suddenly Peter withdrew his sword. 

Go! he shouted

W-w-what!?

Just go and never come back!

Hook rushed to the side of the ship and leapt overboard. The lost children let out a cheer as they watched Hook swimming towards one of the pirates' rowing boats in the distance.  As Hook swam an all familiar tick tock noise could be heard getting louder.

As the adrenaline wore off, the children felt hungry and exhausted, they raided the ship's kitchen and after a hearty meal everyone fell asleep on deck in the warmth of the midday sun.