Peter by day, Pan by night

Chapter 14

        He leans toward me. “Very good, Wendy Darling. Took you long enough.

        My stomach twists. I step away from him, my back connecting with the trunk. “What is going on?” He doesn’t sound like Peter at all. I see the boy who taught me how to fly and who returned for me, but I hear Felix and dark men whistling in alleys and bullies who never know when to stop.

        Peter eyes darken. The inches between us disappear he steps toward me. I catch my breath as he slants his head down. He raises his hand and rams his fist into the bark next to my head.

        I jump away. Peter carves into the wood, then slips the dagger back into his belt. “Thank you for your help, Miss Wendy.”

        I smooth my thumb over the jagged lines of a star. I don’t know what is happening. Who is this boy? I saw a flash of him in a treehouse, but it was easy to ignore with the open blue sky and sunshine.

        But now at night with shadowy trees around us, fear pulls curtains around my heart.

        “Well…” Peter folds his arms. “The moon is almost full. I think this is enough adventure for one night. Wouldn’t you agree?”

        I need to warn the Indians. I don’t know who they are or why they are hiding, I can no longer trust Peter Pan. He might mean them harm and I don’t know why.

        And it is my fault because I helped him find them.

        I whip around the trunk and open my mouth to yell something-anything. But as soon as I move away from the trunk, Peter’s hand digs into my arm and he jerks me back. I wince and the Indian hideout fades away.

        Are we returning to Earth? Did he get what he wanted and now will send me home?

        I open my eyes and stumble forward. We stand in the lost boys’ clearing.

        “I wasn’t sure if that would work.” Peter’s voice comes from behind me. I jerk around.

        “Tell me what is going on!”

        “There is a curse on this island. But you already knew that. Everyone changes at night, Wendy, even you. Soon you will forget yourself. The darkness is already poisoning you. It still might time some time, but then again time has never really mattered here-so I’ve already won. You just haven’t accepted it yet.”

        “I never will. There is still hope.”

        “What hope? This isn’t a fairytale. It isn’t a dream anymore. What are you going to do about it, Wendy girl? No one can defeat me. No one can save this island.”

        He leans against the largest tree. Above us is his treehouse where I saw the first glimpse of Neverland’s darkness.

        “Are you ready for the game to begin?” Peter pulls the dagger from his belt and spins it through the air.

        I step away. My heart catches in my throat. “I’ve done what you wanted, Peter Pan. I don’t know what is going on, but you must let me go home.” My words steady my breathing. Why would he keep me here? I want to leave and why shouldn’t I? I had fallen in love with the Neverland full of magic and mystery and blue sky. But this isn’t the island I know. This is danger and darkness and questions.

        “Silly girl. You aren’t going home. You returned of your own free will. This is your choice.” He flicks his knife into the air again. The silver glints in the moonlight.