For once, Wendy was looking forward to a laundry trip. Ray had been gone for nearly two weeks, off on some mission for Peter. For once he'd done as he was told. That, Wendy knew, was progress. Ray was learning his place within the Lost Boys, and accepting it. Someday, perhaps even in the near future, he would listen to her.
Today was promising to be a wonderful day. The sun was shining, as it almost always was, and the clear sky promised a wonderfully warm day, as always. But today it seemed more brilliant, as it had when she had first arrived. She tried telling herself that it had nothing to do with Peter's plan to accompany them to the lagoon today. He would probably spend most of his time flirting with the mermaids anyway, she thought sourly, but even that didn't sour her mood for long. Although, now she thought of it, it did seem they liked him better now that he was older. Certainly they touched him a lot more, and their smiles seemed somewhat brighter… but there she was, being jealous again for absolutely no reason. Peter was much too sensible to go haring off after a mermaid, even if Ray wasn't.
It was, as Wendy had hoped, a wonderful day. Peter was attentive and kind, and spent as much time with her as he did with the mermaids. And if he looked out over the lagoon a lot, seemingly lost in thought and brooding, what of it? He was watching for pirates, of course.
Her glorious mood was shattered when they turned back towards the path to the tree. She opened her mouth to scream for Peter, but too late. She could already hear the sounds of struggle as he fought off pirates. Hook advanced, smiling menacingly. He, unlike them, had not aged a day since her arrival. "Come, my dear, I don't believe you had a chance to look over our ship the last time you were aboard." And he dragged her, kicking and screaming for Peter, Tootles, someone to help her.
Huddled with the Boys on the deck of the pirate ship, Wendy still could not believe that ease and speed with which they had been captured. It was like last time – so easy and neat, it was unbelievable. Except this time, there seemed to be no escape. Peter was as caught as the rest of them, his dagger confiscated and he himself trapped under a heavy, close-woven net. He was raging at Hook, his voice slightly muffled through the hemp.
Hook, for his part, looked both completely calm and terribly smug. He knew, as did they all, that he had caught every one of the Boys likely to offer resistance, and most of the girls. Only a few of the younger boys had remained back at the tree, and the golden-haired girl who had remained to make them lunch and air out the blankets. There would be no help from there.
Peter's voice, so near her ear, whispered top her. "At least they haven't caught Ray. It's actually good you two have been fighting so much, or he'd have been caught instead of me."
"But Peter," Wendy cried, forgetting herself completely, "that's terrible. It should…"
"Quiet," Peter snapped. Wendy couldn't remember him ever using that tone with her.
Hook, however, had heard. He rose lethargically from his chair and advance slowly down the deck, like a courtier in a ballroom.
"What, if I may inquire, is the cause of this disruption? Miss Wendy,
did you have something you wished to share with us?"
"No," Wendy snapped. Her voice, though, quavered uncertainly.
"Very well then. Men, you know what to do." The captain sauntered back to his chair. It seemed the men really did know what to do, because the bundled up Peter's net, knocking Wendy aside. From a locker the produced several stones, already by ropes. These they attached to the net, creating a heavy, inescapable prison around Peter. With a sickening lurch, Wendy realized what they were going to do.
She was still screaming when three pirates heaved the sack overboard, raising a fountain of water and a resounding splash.
Finally, the death of Peter Pan. Should I stop here...?