Our Uncle Oliver

by Ellie Austin

Somehow Peter Pan is stuck in London. He cannot fly, so must stay with the Darlings. A family friend, Mr Barrie, wants to learn more about the new boy, but the reappearance of a notorious relative makes life difficult... and dangerous.

25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Mr Barrie closed his notebook and looked up to gaze across the Serpentine. The bench on which he sat, and the place itself, would be forever tinged with sadness and regret for him now. Somewhere along this stretch of water, Oliver Hunt had pulled the lifeless body of a boy to the shore; a boy Barrie had sworn to himself he would protect.

But he had failed.

Not only had he failed Peter, but he had failed John as well. So preoccupied with keeping an eye on Peter, he had neglected to recognise the danger all the children had been in.

Barrie was convinced Hunt had had a part to play in both boy's deaths… but he could not prove it. Instead, he would have to live with the heartbreaking guilt of not being there.

Of course, he was no stranger to such sorrow… but now, feeling himself responsible for the deaths of three boys, rather than one, was hard to bear. His thoughts went to his brother then; David had been so brave… so full of life… so like Peter.

James' memories of David had faded through the years… but the pain had not. And now the loss of two more boys would weigh on his heart and prey on his mind forever.

He wanted more than anything to visit the Darling household; to give them comfort and support, and receive the same in return… but he knew he would not go back there.

Most sickening of all was the praise and admiration shown to Hunt for his 'selfless' and 'heroic" act: trying to save a drowning child. Yes… the man who had caused their deaths was being celebrated as a hero. It was more than Barrie could bear.

The horror and guilt of it wasn't lost on Hunt, at least, and Barrie had learnt the despicable man was leaving… returning to the rock he had crawled from. At least the other Darling children would be safe with him gone.

But the realisation that Oliver Hunt would not be punished for the evil he had done… that was hard for James to stomach.

Even so, he was powerless. Instead of obsessing over the injustice of it, Barrie resolved to focus on his grief, and on the boys he had lost.

Especially Peter.

Barrie had loved John dearly… but Peter had fascinated him. The boy really had reminded James so much of his lost brother.

And perhaps the boy wasn't the Peter Pan… perhaps it had all been a pretend… but even so, Barrie looked out across the sparkling waters of the Serpentine and thought of Peter... safe at home… in Neverland.

The End