Second to the Right
A clock struck midnight off in the distance and a blanket was pulled away from a small head. Bright blue eyes blinked in the darkness as messy red hair stood on end. Peter really hated having his hair cut this short it never laid down right as he ran a small hand through it gently. Midnight was here once again and he climbed over the orphanage beds quietly as he made his way towards the only window not boarded up.
It was a clear night and he smiled to himself as he cracked the window opened and slipped out onto the did this every night loving the way the breeze flirted around him as he ran and jumped from one roof to another. This was the only time he had to himself the nuns never allowed any of the boys any time to play or just been kids. He let out a sigh as he crouched down behind the peak in the roof. He had caught movement from the corner of his eye and had thought he seen the head nun looking straight at where he had been. He held his breath and peeked around the corner. If only he could escape this life and be who he really wanted to be.
He sat down then with a frown upon his face. What did he want to be? He thought of everything that made up who he was. he was motherless, he had been told that his parents didn`t love him. No he thought that couldn`t be true. Still frowning he gazed up at the stars as he laid back against the tiles of the roof.
What do I want most in life he thought once more. A smile came to his face as he spoke to the moon, "I want to be free, and have lots of adventures for the rest of my life."
A cloud past the moon just then as if it were winking at the boy. He let out a soft laugh before climbing to his feet. Looking up at the moon once more he proclaimed, "I`m not going to be here much longer I`ll find adventure on my own."
A breeze rushed toward a fairy as she flew slowly around London. Taking a deep breath she froze in mid-flight. the air smelled familiar as if something was begging her to follow after it. She flew away from a few other fairies and made her way towards the smell. She spotted a small boy with wild red hair speaking to the moon and a soft smile crossed her face. He was very daring she thought as she went to move on, but then caught that familiar smell once more. Her eyes widened as it seemed to lead her towards the boy.
He made his way back towards the window and had just crawled back inside when large pale hands grabbed him by the shoulders. "I knew I saw you on that roof boy, now your really going to get it."
He was swung around and stared into the face of the head nun. He kept his eyes trained on hers as she lowered her face towards his once more. "Why were you on the roof Peter?"
"No real reason miss, just needed some fresh air its kinda stuffy in this room with so many of us here."
"Is that so, would you prefer to be living on the streets than boy. Out in the cold half naked and starving to death."
"I really doubt that I would be like that miss."
Her hand left his arm and before he could add another word she smacked him across his face. "Your very ungrateful you rotten little shit."
He kept his calm and continued to stare into her eyes not bothering to rub the stinging he felt on his cheek. "I never claimed to be ungrateful miss but I`ll gladly leave this place if you will let me."
Once more she struck him and this time had allowed him to hit the floor near her feet. Before he could move she grabbed him once more and pulled him out of the room behind her. she moved quickly down the steps and pulling open a door that led to the basement forced Peter down the stairs. "You`ll go a day and a night without food and sunlight, maybe you`ll be more appreciative of my generosity."
The door slammed in his face as he made his way to the back part of the basement. He refused to cry as he touched his tender cheek and only became more determined in getting away from this horrid place. Sitting down he pulled his knees to his chest as he thought of how he might be able to escape.
A small light flitted by the window where she had watched the boy that seemed familiar to her kind. She gasped as she watched the human woman hit him twice then yank him from the room. Wanting to see what was going to happened she quickly followed behind them allowing her glow to dim out. Once they had gotten to the main floor she was surprised to see woman push him into another room and lock the door. As the woman walked away she flew to where the lock was and climbed inside of it. It was a tight fit but within moments she was on the other side.
Allowing her glow to come back on a bit stronger she flew around the room quietly finally spotting the boy that smelt familiar to her. She flew towards him and landed lightly on his shoulder, not knowing what he would do she spoke softly to him. "Hello little boy," she didn't expect him to hear her.
"Who`s here," he replied?
She was startled and began twisting her blond hair in her hands, "you can hear me?"
Peter began looking around the room his eyes scanning everywhere before he noticed a soft glow coming from his right shoulder. His eyes took in the small female in the soft green dress that was encircled in a soft yellow glow. "Was it you that spoke?"
She held out her tiny hand "names Tinkerbell, what are you called boy?"
He took her tiny hand in his pinkie and shook it lightly, "I`m Peter."
Tink moved to the front of his shirt and sniffed him lightly as he watched in amusement. She spotted a dark cord around his neck and grabbed at it swiftly. He felt a light tug and watched as his necklace fell out of his shirt. Tink`s eyes grew wide as she recognized the necklace and she quickly dropped to her knees.
"I never imagined that I would be the one to find you Peter."
"Wait, what do you mean find me?"
"Oh right you was just a babe when you were taken to safety. Your the lost prince of us fairies. Your mother she was a human of course but your father, gee wiz your father he was the king of us."
"Wait what?"
Tink giggled, "it was said that when we would need you the most that one fairy will find and return the prince to his rightful home."
"So, I`m your prince?"
"Of course."
"How am I going to get back to my rightful home?"
A tiny smile crossed her face as she pretended to think it over for a minute. "Well Peter we will fly of course."
"Ok, now how do we get out of this room then?"
Tink flew around the room looking and then spotted a window that could be opened easily from outside. Flying back to Peter she pushed him towards the window. "You can get out from here of course."
"Except it`s locked on the outside, " he pointed out.
Without another word Tink flew out through the lock which she only struggled a little bit. Flying to the window Peter waited at she dropped down beside it and using all of her strength pushed the stick that kept the window in place out. She managed to open the window a crack before Peter pushed it opened all the way. Grabbing a hold of the edge of the window peter lifted himself out and closed it quickly placing the stick back in its place.
He stretched out his arms and stretched before turning to Tink once more. "Ok Tink, now how do we fly."
"It`s easy first you have to believe you can fly. Then you have to really want to fly since your only half a fairy you don`t have wings like I do."
"Ok, well I believe I can fly because I really want to."
"Find a happy thought Peter and don`t let it go. Your happiness is what will lift you up in life."
Peter thought hard on what would make him happy. He had discovered that he had parents that he was only half a human. Then a smile crossed his face that seemed to go from ear to ear. His blue eyes shown with a new light and he crowed out in delight as he ran towards the orphanage gates.
He was free, he was loved and his heart beat seemed to sing with happiness. He jumped once, then once more before he shot up into the cool night breeze with Tink hot on his heels. He flew low at first then burst towards the sky flying higher and higher as laughter escaped his lips. He dipped and dived and crowed over and over before turning to pause and watch Tink fly towards his shoulder.
"Ok Tink which way is home?"
She lifted her arm slowly and pointed out a star. "Second star to the right and straight on till morning."
Peter laughed once more and cupped his hands around Tink allowing her to sit on his palm. He turned towards the star and with one last look around London he flew off into the night.
Morning was just peeking over the horizon as he dipped down below the clouds. He could easily see a lush island before them. Tink peeked out from between his fingers and motioned for him to head down. Peter dove down and following Tink`s gestures landed in a valley of trees that seemed to buzz with life all around him.
Peter watched as she motioned for him to stay there as she quickly flew into a very large tree. Within moments hundreds of fairies surrounded him and he bowed his head and smiled to each fairy that flew past him. Finally his eyes paused upon a fairy in a bright lavender dress, a small crown was seen upon her head. Peter held out his hand before his face and giggled softly as her tiny feet seemed to tickle the palm of his hand. He held his breath as the fairy raised her head at the young boy and opened her mouth as if to speak. "Welcome home my dear nephew. My name is Amber and I am your father`s sister," the fairy said quietly.
Peter watched in amazement as the fairy flew from his hand and landed on his shoulder. She walked towards his neck and stretching her arms out wide she hugged him gently. "Tinkerbell has offered to remain at your side as a companion."
Peter nodded his head as he noticed Tink waving at him from a branch. "Feel free to travel the island as you like, and make sure you stop by the Indian tribe on the far side of the island. They are our greatest allies. However be careful of the ship that seems to be heading towards us Peter. We don`t know if they are friends yet."
Peter nodded his head as he watched his aunt leave his shoulder. She smiled brightly at him before turning and flying back into the tree she had first come from. Tink flew to his side then and pulled lightly on his hair to get his attention. "So what would you like to see first?"