It was evening time on the streets of London. there were many sets of parents going out for the night. The Ladies were all deck out in evening dresses and on the arms of their men who were wearing tuxedoes and top hats. In the darling house 14 year-old Wendy sat in front of a mirror all decked out in a fancy blue evening dress that Millicent had just bought her. Her mother stood behind her also dressed up. They were going out for a short time that night because Millicent had set Wendy up to entertain a young man that night. Wendy plopped her hair brush down in the table with a sigh frustration.
"I wish aunt Millicent would stop trying to marry me off so quickly." She muttered. Her mother laughed,
"Well you know how fond she is of matchmaking," she said, "and besides you are the only niece that she has."
"Lucky me," grumbled Wendy. Just then aunt Millicent came bustling into the room,
"Is she ready, Mary?" she asked Mary nodded
"Good, good, good," said Millicent, "Gerard will be here, soon."
"Millicent," said Mary, "I not so sure that it is a good idea to leave Wendy in the house alone with a boy that we've never met."
"Rubbish," said Millicent, "I've met him and he's a fine upstanding young man. He's just right for Wendy."
The elder darlings left the house at the stroke of seven, despite Mary's misgivings about the whole affair.
Wendy walked to the window to watch for Gerard. As she stood there her eyes wandered up to the wall around the house next door. There on the wall was the neighbor boy Peter. He had short dirty blonde hair and blue eyes he was wearing a white shirt and dark trousers. He reclined on the wall eating an apple. Millicent didn't like peter. She said he was wild boy and Wendy was to stay away from him. That only served to heighten Wendy's curiosity about him. Wendy was brought out of her musings when she realized that the boy was looking straight at her. She waved shyly. He smiled and returned the wave. Just then the doorbell rang. She straightened her dress, straightened her hair and got ready to meet Gerard. Gerard was standing there flowers in hand when Wendy opened the door. She was a tall skinny boy with black hair and blue eyes. He gave the flowers and she invited him in.
Meanwhile…
Peter finished his apple and tossed away the core. Suddenly a fairy emerged from his pocket and jangled urgently at him.
"Well Tink," he said, "I know that Wendy Darlings aunt doesn't like me but that doesn't mean that I can't look in the windows when she's not around."
Tink Nodded. Peter stood up and suddenly floated up into the air. He floated through the upstairs window and found a spot on the stairs where he could see the parlor.
We he looked he saw Wendy struggling to get away from Gerard who was trying to kiss her. Suddenly she broke free from his hold and slapped him hard in the face.
"You're going to pay for that you little tramp," hollered Gerard Wendy turned and ran into the hallway with Gerard at her heels. Suddenly as she passed the stairs an arm shot out and clothes-lined Gerard who went down hard. Wendy stopped in mid-flight and turned to see Peter standing on the stairs glaring at Gerard.
"The only one who is going to pay for that is you," snarled Peter. Gerard still defiant jumped and charged at Peter aiming a right hook as he came, peter side-stepped the punch, grabbed the back of Gerard's head by his hair and shoved his face into the banister so hard that the end railing broke.
Gerard staggered back and fell to the ground blood oozing from his broken nose.
"Get out of here you little worm," growled Peter, "and don't you ever come near Wendy again." Gerard scrambled out of there on his hands and knees."
"Are you alright?" said Peter turning to Wendy
'I think so," said Wendy smiling again, "Thank you for coming to my rescue. Um how did you get in?"
"The upstairs window was open," said Peter, "I promise I'll leave by the door this time. He turned, opened the front door, and ran squarely into the darlings and aunt Millicent.
Mary immediately spotted the broken banister and asked Wendy what had happened. Wendy told them he whole story, Particularly about Peter coming to her rescue. Mr. and Mrs. Darling turned and glared at Aunt Millicent.
"Millicent," said Mary Darling, "That's the last time I take your word about a boy."
Peter walked down the street headed toward the park. Just as he past the telegraph office he heard some men talking. He stopped to listen
"Are you sure about that, Joe?" asked one of the men
"I'm positive," Joe replied, "Captain Perry is going to take his ship though the straights of Perrone tonight!"
"But that's suicide that the first man, "every one knows that the straights of Perrone are Hook territory. I can't believe he try it especially with all the innocent people on board. Why Wendy darling from this very neighborhood is on that boat too. Peter turned ran into the alley.
"Tink," he said the fairy came out of his pocket, "Condition Red, round up the lost boys bring them to the usual place. Tink salute and took off into the sky. Peter turned and ran down the alley.
"Peter Pan," he said slowly and evenly as he ran. Instantly there was a flash of greenish white light. And when the light disappeared Peter was soaring through the night sky dressed in green with a shining sword on his back.
TBC
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