NEVERLAND [discontinued]

Shadow

Chapter 7: Shadow

        Pan was feverish.

        He tossed and turned in his sleep; muttering expletives that would have gotten the children in trouble if they deigned to repeat them -though they did not, for all that happened when they gave a rare visit was Wendy frantically calling them to find a way to soothe their father's discomfort.

        Knowing that Wendy was the cause for this now, made John discontented.

        Why should Peter have to give up his humanity and become the inhuman Pan?

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        The stuff of legends -and nightmares- Pan was a monstrous sight.

        Over the course of a fortnight Peter had melded into his returned shadow, the 'gift of Neverland' now making him pay for another's wrongdoings.

        Who could have guessed this was what had lay dormant in his soul? A ghastly creature prowling about, awaiting the moment where Neverland would once again become corrupt -as such places always did with magic like theirs.

        The already rare visits from the 'family' trickled to a stop. Help became non-existent as Wendy -almost as if affected by her connection to Peter- became something of a monster herself. She took it upon herself to try and corral to children as if they were animals; leading them to Peter and almost succeeding before they ran off again in terrified hysterics.

        Eventually, Wendy's 'love' for Peter dulled as even she couldn't bring herself to look at his red, clawed hands, or his strange fang-like teeth that poked against his lips; drawing blood when Wendy pressed distraught kisses against his face. All his features became indistinct, making Peter seem like one of those blurred, obviously doctored photos that had been sold in London as novelty gifts.

        One by one the original Lost Boys followed suit; fading into shadows that whispered in the night of terrors yet to come. Even Michael seemed to stop appearing as often.

        Finally the day came where only the little ones remained, huddled together and shivering as Wendy drew curtains and snapped at them.

        It was one cold night that she came to him with a tearful smile -he knew it had to be fake- and spoke.

        "I'm not a bad person, am I John? But I was never good enough- you understand don't you?"

        He turned away.

        "All I understand is that you control Neverland... and it is waiting for it's Queen."

        Just like that she changed. She became the girl he knew she must have been hiding all along.

        A smirk graced her lips, and for once he was sure it was a genuine action.

        "Then, brother... bow down to your Queen."