Prologue

The battle between the Lost Boys and Captain Hook's pirates raged on into the orange air of evening. Captain Hook had kidnapped the Darlings and the Lost Boys. John and Michael were huddled up high in the crow's nest, John protectively holding Michael on his hip. "Don't worry" John mutters, "we'll get home to see mother soon, everything is going to be okay." Michael smiled, his teeth were rather pointy for someone so young, John noticed. Below them, the clash of metal and grunts of hairy men serenaded the high seas. Peter was perched precariously on the mast dagger clutched in his fist fighting Captain Hook. A pirate, sword clenched between yellowed teeth, started to climb up to the crow's nest where John and Michael were hiding. Defenseless, John tried to hide himself and his younger brother when the pirate clambered over the edge like a crab over a coral reef. His giant paw-like hands clutched Michael and held him aloft, and with a deep booming laugh threw him overboard! John stared horrified into the wide, terrified eyes of his baby brother. John reached for Michael's small tiny hand and narrowly missed only grabbing his fingertips. He watched horrified as his little brother fell, until all he could hear was a splash.

Suddenly a small green shoe flew through the air and struck the pirate in his one good eye, sending him toppling over the crow's nest and onto the hard planks of the deck far below. As John searched for the source of the shoe, he saw Peter Pan shoeless fighting Captain Hook. A wave of gratitude swelled in his breast as John raced down the rope ladder to rescue his little brother from the cold ocean water.

As soon as John reached the deck, he leapt into the cold embrace of the ocean. He saw Michael floating several yards away—Michael was still okay! He swam in hard, fast, messy strokes to Michael. But why wasn't he swimming? It was then that John noticed the blood turning the clear waters a dirty red.

Coral. Michael hadn't landed in the safety of the open water after all. A cruel coral reef intercepted the baby boy. John, after what seemed like an eternity of swimming, reached Michael. John extracted his brother gently from the reef, sharp bits of coral gouging their flesh in the process. John tenderly gathered Michael into his weak, bleeding arms. Michael blinked and looked into his sibling's watering eyes. He gave John a sad smile. "Don't cry. At least now I don't have to grow up."