CHAPTER 12: A STORY AND A REFLECTION
Later, Wendy spent the day telling stories to the Lost Boys. Each boy had a favorite one; Slightly loving Cinderella, Curly adoring Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the twins both loving Alice in Wonderland, Nibs preferring Sleeping Beauty, and Tootles liking Beauty and the Beast. Peter's new favorite was the Little Mermaid, which was also Wendy's. After Wendy put the Lost Boys to bed, she would travel into Peter's room to tell him the Little Mermaid every night.
"So it appeared that Ariel couldn't live happily ever after with Erik. She watched him near the shore with her fin, forever to be in the sea." Wendy sat on Peter's bed while he lay tucked inside, listening.
"Wendy?" Peter asked.
"Yes?"
"Why can't Ariel live happily ever after with the prince? Like any other of your stories?" Peter asked.
"It can never work out Peter, the prince breathing air and walking, while Ariel swims and has a tail. It just doesn't work out."
"But I want it to work out." Peter moaned. Wendy yawned, and hugged Peter goodnight.
"Actually, I'm afraid that I have a different ending for the Little Mermaid." Wendy lied. "I said it wrong." She wanted to make Peter happy, so she changed the story. "Ariel went back to the sea, while her father, King Triton, decided that she should sprout legs of her own and live with her true love. And they all lived happily ever after. The end."
Peter smiled, not knowing that Wendy had made this up off of the top of her head. "So, that's the real ending?"
Wendy whispered a laugh. "Yes Peter." Wendy walked to the door and turned to the boy. "It is the real ending."
Peter nodded and closed his eyes. "Goodnight Wendy." He whispered.
Wendy peeked around the bearskin rug hanging and eyed Peter as he slept. "Goodnight Peter." Wendy whispered, only so she could hear it. Now thinking that the night had a meaning, she quietly went to her room.
Wendy's room had daisies planted on the walls and ceiling like ivy. Her bed matched, having leafs for blankets and a large rose for a pillow. She knew that there would be no mirror, for no boy in the Underground Home knew what a mirror was. Oh how she wanted to glance at herself in the mirror! Just once more!
Wendy sat on her stool as she pretended that she was looking at a mirror. Sad feeling it was for Wendy, to know that you will never see yourself again in a reflection. Then, a thought came into her head. Quickly, Wendy sprang up from her stool and ran out to the large room. She climbed up the ladder like a rabbit and ran some more into the darkness. Where was dear Wendy headed? Only the mermaids would know, other than Wendy herself.
Neverland wasn't known well to Wendy. She only had traveled to the jungle, the clouds, and the bay. She was headed to the town that Peter had pointed out; running as fast as one could go.
She arrived in the town where children were unwanted. Everyone was evil who lurked about, and only two or three shops hung in the dark streets. Others were small houses with the lights off. Wendy crept to one of the stores, and found a mirror, hanging on the wall. Without seeing herself, she ran up to it excitingly.
But when she looked in the mirror, her excited smile turned into a disappointed and sad look. She had changed. Eventhough Wendy had only been gone for two days (Neverland time) she had changed.
Her hair was still wavy and shiny, except it was a little lighter. That is what happens whenever you spend time in the warm sun! Wendy was still beautiful, but her appearance was dirtier. Her locks were still in place, except it was a bit messier than it used to be. Wendy did not see the girl struggling to be free any longer; she saw the full Wendy, the complete Wendy, and the real Wendy.
"This is me." Wendy murmured. "This is Wendy Morgan."
Those we love remain with us...
In the whisper of the wind
In a soft rain that falls from heaven
In each sunrise
In every single star that lights up the night sky and
In every single memory we hold within our hearts.
Suddenly, a clash of glass echoed through the room. Wendy turned around in a hurry, finding the storeowner coming near her with fury in his eyes.
"A child!" The man cried, knocking down items. Wendy trembled with fright. The man blocked her in a corner. Wendy shivered, though it was not cold. "What are you doing here!" the man yelled.
"I-I" Wendy tried to talk, but her mouth felt too dry to say so. She could feel the words coming out of her lips, but nothing came.
"You'll pay for this, you will!" the store owner warned, raising his hand, ready to slap Wendy's face. "And you'll regret coming in here to steal!"
It was dark, and the man could only see that a girl was crying infront of him. He smirked at her as he raised his hand even higher.
Meanwhile, Peter felt his heart beating quickly. Wendy's heart was beating quickly as well, causing Peter to feel that she was hurting. Peter raised his head quickly and whispered with a worried face, "Wendy." He ran to Wendy's room, but Wendy wasn't there. "Wendy!" Peter cried again, running to the big room and climbing out of the Underground Home. His cry woke up the boys, who started running behind him.
"Peter!" Slightly panted. "Where's mother?"
"Gone!" Peter wailed, running as fast as ever. Then, he realized that he could fly, which was much faster than running. Peter immediately lifted into the air at a fast speed. "Where could she be?" Peter asked himself, looking at the ground below him. He was near the village, and could hear any scream. Luckily, Wendy gave out a cry for help. Peter stopped, looking at the village and yelled, "I'm coming!" He zoomed into the door, finding Wendy being slapped by a man with a goatee.
"Now you'll know how bad stealing is!" The man yelled, slapping Wendy across the face for the sixth time, extremely hard. Wendy dropped the ground, her face stinging with the more slaps the man gave to her.
Peter got out his sword and ran to the unsuspecting man. He ran his sword straight through the grown-up, Wendy seeing the bloody end of the sword sticking near her. The man widened his eyes and almost dropped on Wendy. Just in time, Peter grabbed Wendy and pulled her aside. The sword made a hole where Wendy's heart was only seconds earlier.
"Oh Peter!" Wendy cried, hugging Peter tightly while her tears ran down his neck. "Thank you."
Peter gave a cocky smile. "Your welcome."
Wendy laughed, but couldn't stop crying. "I can't imagine what would've happened to me if you didn't come." Wendy sniffled. Peter let go of her and put his hands on his hips.
"What were you here for, anyway?" he laughed.
Wendy walked over to the mirror, dragging Peter with her. She stopped them where they could both see themselves with each other. "It's a mirror." Wendy whispered.
Peter slowly put his hand on the reflection. "That's me..." Peter looked at himself for a moment with fascination. Then, he dragged his finger to Wendy's reflection. "And that's you."
Wendy stopped crying and smiled lightly. "Yes. Peter, that is me, and that is you." Wendy slowly turned to Peter, looking at his lips with her eyelids one quarter down. Peter turned to face her as well. "And...." Wendy brushed her two fingers on Peter's lips, making her skin tingle. "These are yours."
The two children gazed lovingly at each other, until the Lost Boys came rampaging in with their swords, bows, and arrows. "The fight's over?" Tootles asked. "Already?"
The boys all flopped down their weapons with disappointment. "At least mother's safe." Nibs added.
Peter and Wendy dropped their hands to their sides quickly and drew away from each other. "What were you doing?" the twins asked Peter and Wendy.
"Peter saved me." Wendy blushed.
The boys ran up to her and sat at her feet. "Do tell us what happened, mother!" they all insisted.
Wendy grabbed a chair and sat down, smiling as she stared into space, telling the story. "I came to the store, and found a mirror." The boys looked at her blankly and clueless. Wendy looked down at them. "Mirrors are these things." Wendy motioned for Peter to show the mirror to the boys. They all awed at their reflections. "When I was looking at myself, a grown- up came and started to hit me in the face!" The boys now looked at Wendy with focus, wanting her to go on.
"No!" they all cried at different times.
"Peter came flying in and ran him through!" Wendy smiled as she pointed to the dead body leaking blood on the wooden floor. "So father saved the day."
The boys jumped up and cheered. "Hooray!"
"Wonderful ending." Curly squeaked. "What do you think Nibs?"
"Perfect! What do you think, Slightly?"
"Great ending! Twin, what about you?" And this would go on until each Lost Boy ended up yelling that it was a happy and great ending for them all. Wendy looked at the clock and noticed that it was way past their bedtime. Automatically jumping into her mother role, she ordered the boys to go to bed immediately.
"To bed, to bed!" Wendy demanded in a tone that must be obeyed once they arrived in the Underground Home. Without tucking them in, for they have already been tucked in once before, Wendy watched the boys until all were sound asleep.
She sat sewing, for she could not get a peep of rest that night any longer. Peter came into Wendy's room, carrying the mirror with him. He had seen how Wendy adored the mirror, so he decided to hang it on her wall for his "wife" to look at herself whenever she pleased. Wendy thanked him for the gift, and Peter bragged about it later to his crew in the cockiest way.
"Wendy?" he asked, floating to Wendy as he put his hand on her shoulder. "It's on your wall now."
Wendy smiled, not looking up. "I thank you ever so much, Peter." Peter put his feet on the ground, walking over to the fireplace, and began to light it.
They could feel the comfortable heat kiss their faces. "What time is it?" Peter asked.
Wendy glanced at the clock. "It's almost six o' clock in the morning."
"Oh." Peter snapped his body toward Wendy quickly. "Wendy, you won't get tired here, only if you are captured or unhappy." Peter paused. "You're not unhappy Wendy, are you?"
Wendy ran to Peter's side. "Why Peter, no!" she quietly cried not wanting to wake up the sleeping children. "I've never been happier." She lied about that maybe, really forgetting about happier times.
"Oh." Peter sighed. He settled down, lying on the bearskin rug with his face closest to the fire, his stomach rubbing against the fur. Wendy rested her head on Peter's back, her hair keeping Peter warm. Thus another adventurous night came upon the two children.
Later, Wendy spent the day telling stories to the Lost Boys. Each boy had a favorite one; Slightly loving Cinderella, Curly adoring Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the twins both loving Alice in Wonderland, Nibs preferring Sleeping Beauty, and Tootles liking Beauty and the Beast. Peter's new favorite was the Little Mermaid, which was also Wendy's. After Wendy put the Lost Boys to bed, she would travel into Peter's room to tell him the Little Mermaid every night.
"So it appeared that Ariel couldn't live happily ever after with Erik. She watched him near the shore with her fin, forever to be in the sea." Wendy sat on Peter's bed while he lay tucked inside, listening.
"Wendy?" Peter asked.
"Yes?"
"Why can't Ariel live happily ever after with the prince? Like any other of your stories?" Peter asked.
"It can never work out Peter, the prince breathing air and walking, while Ariel swims and has a tail. It just doesn't work out."
"But I want it to work out." Peter moaned. Wendy yawned, and hugged Peter goodnight.
"Actually, I'm afraid that I have a different ending for the Little Mermaid." Wendy lied. "I said it wrong." She wanted to make Peter happy, so she changed the story. "Ariel went back to the sea, while her father, King Triton, decided that she should sprout legs of her own and live with her true love. And they all lived happily ever after. The end."
Peter smiled, not knowing that Wendy had made this up off of the top of her head. "So, that's the real ending?"
Wendy whispered a laugh. "Yes Peter." Wendy walked to the door and turned to the boy. "It is the real ending."
Peter nodded and closed his eyes. "Goodnight Wendy." He whispered.
Wendy peeked around the bearskin rug hanging and eyed Peter as he slept. "Goodnight Peter." Wendy whispered, only so she could hear it. Now thinking that the night had a meaning, she quietly went to her room.
Wendy's room had daisies planted on the walls and ceiling like ivy. Her bed matched, having leafs for blankets and a large rose for a pillow. She knew that there would be no mirror, for no boy in the Underground Home knew what a mirror was. Oh how she wanted to glance at herself in the mirror! Just once more!
Wendy sat on her stool as she pretended that she was looking at a mirror. Sad feeling it was for Wendy, to know that you will never see yourself again in a reflection. Then, a thought came into her head. Quickly, Wendy sprang up from her stool and ran out to the large room. She climbed up the ladder like a rabbit and ran some more into the darkness. Where was dear Wendy headed? Only the mermaids would know, other than Wendy herself.
Neverland wasn't known well to Wendy. She only had traveled to the jungle, the clouds, and the bay. She was headed to the town that Peter had pointed out; running as fast as one could go.
She arrived in the town where children were unwanted. Everyone was evil who lurked about, and only two or three shops hung in the dark streets. Others were small houses with the lights off. Wendy crept to one of the stores, and found a mirror, hanging on the wall. Without seeing herself, she ran up to it excitingly.
But when she looked in the mirror, her excited smile turned into a disappointed and sad look. She had changed. Eventhough Wendy had only been gone for two days (Neverland time) she had changed.
Her hair was still wavy and shiny, except it was a little lighter. That is what happens whenever you spend time in the warm sun! Wendy was still beautiful, but her appearance was dirtier. Her locks were still in place, except it was a bit messier than it used to be. Wendy did not see the girl struggling to be free any longer; she saw the full Wendy, the complete Wendy, and the real Wendy.
"This is me." Wendy murmured. "This is Wendy Morgan."
Those we love remain with us...
In the whisper of the wind
In a soft rain that falls from heaven
In each sunrise
In every single star that lights up the night sky and
In every single memory we hold within our hearts.
Suddenly, a clash of glass echoed through the room. Wendy turned around in a hurry, finding the storeowner coming near her with fury in his eyes.
"A child!" The man cried, knocking down items. Wendy trembled with fright. The man blocked her in a corner. Wendy shivered, though it was not cold. "What are you doing here!" the man yelled.
"I-I" Wendy tried to talk, but her mouth felt too dry to say so. She could feel the words coming out of her lips, but nothing came.
"You'll pay for this, you will!" the store owner warned, raising his hand, ready to slap Wendy's face. "And you'll regret coming in here to steal!"
It was dark, and the man could only see that a girl was crying infront of him. He smirked at her as he raised his hand even higher.
Meanwhile, Peter felt his heart beating quickly. Wendy's heart was beating quickly as well, causing Peter to feel that she was hurting. Peter raised his head quickly and whispered with a worried face, "Wendy." He ran to Wendy's room, but Wendy wasn't there. "Wendy!" Peter cried again, running to the big room and climbing out of the Underground Home. His cry woke up the boys, who started running behind him.
"Peter!" Slightly panted. "Where's mother?"
"Gone!" Peter wailed, running as fast as ever. Then, he realized that he could fly, which was much faster than running. Peter immediately lifted into the air at a fast speed. "Where could she be?" Peter asked himself, looking at the ground below him. He was near the village, and could hear any scream. Luckily, Wendy gave out a cry for help. Peter stopped, looking at the village and yelled, "I'm coming!" He zoomed into the door, finding Wendy being slapped by a man with a goatee.
"Now you'll know how bad stealing is!" The man yelled, slapping Wendy across the face for the sixth time, extremely hard. Wendy dropped the ground, her face stinging with the more slaps the man gave to her.
Peter got out his sword and ran to the unsuspecting man. He ran his sword straight through the grown-up, Wendy seeing the bloody end of the sword sticking near her. The man widened his eyes and almost dropped on Wendy. Just in time, Peter grabbed Wendy and pulled her aside. The sword made a hole where Wendy's heart was only seconds earlier.
"Oh Peter!" Wendy cried, hugging Peter tightly while her tears ran down his neck. "Thank you."
Peter gave a cocky smile. "Your welcome."
Wendy laughed, but couldn't stop crying. "I can't imagine what would've happened to me if you didn't come." Wendy sniffled. Peter let go of her and put his hands on his hips.
"What were you here for, anyway?" he laughed.
Wendy walked over to the mirror, dragging Peter with her. She stopped them where they could both see themselves with each other. "It's a mirror." Wendy whispered.
Peter slowly put his hand on the reflection. "That's me..." Peter looked at himself for a moment with fascination. Then, he dragged his finger to Wendy's reflection. "And that's you."
Wendy stopped crying and smiled lightly. "Yes. Peter, that is me, and that is you." Wendy slowly turned to Peter, looking at his lips with her eyelids one quarter down. Peter turned to face her as well. "And...." Wendy brushed her two fingers on Peter's lips, making her skin tingle. "These are yours."
The two children gazed lovingly at each other, until the Lost Boys came rampaging in with their swords, bows, and arrows. "The fight's over?" Tootles asked. "Already?"
The boys all flopped down their weapons with disappointment. "At least mother's safe." Nibs added.
Peter and Wendy dropped their hands to their sides quickly and drew away from each other. "What were you doing?" the twins asked Peter and Wendy.
"Peter saved me." Wendy blushed.
The boys ran up to her and sat at her feet. "Do tell us what happened, mother!" they all insisted.
Wendy grabbed a chair and sat down, smiling as she stared into space, telling the story. "I came to the store, and found a mirror." The boys looked at her blankly and clueless. Wendy looked down at them. "Mirrors are these things." Wendy motioned for Peter to show the mirror to the boys. They all awed at their reflections. "When I was looking at myself, a grown- up came and started to hit me in the face!" The boys now looked at Wendy with focus, wanting her to go on.
"No!" they all cried at different times.
"Peter came flying in and ran him through!" Wendy smiled as she pointed to the dead body leaking blood on the wooden floor. "So father saved the day."
The boys jumped up and cheered. "Hooray!"
"Wonderful ending." Curly squeaked. "What do you think Nibs?"
"Perfect! What do you think, Slightly?"
"Great ending! Twin, what about you?" And this would go on until each Lost Boy ended up yelling that it was a happy and great ending for them all. Wendy looked at the clock and noticed that it was way past their bedtime. Automatically jumping into her mother role, she ordered the boys to go to bed immediately.
"To bed, to bed!" Wendy demanded in a tone that must be obeyed once they arrived in the Underground Home. Without tucking them in, for they have already been tucked in once before, Wendy watched the boys until all were sound asleep.
She sat sewing, for she could not get a peep of rest that night any longer. Peter came into Wendy's room, carrying the mirror with him. He had seen how Wendy adored the mirror, so he decided to hang it on her wall for his "wife" to look at herself whenever she pleased. Wendy thanked him for the gift, and Peter bragged about it later to his crew in the cockiest way.
"Wendy?" he asked, floating to Wendy as he put his hand on her shoulder. "It's on your wall now."
Wendy smiled, not looking up. "I thank you ever so much, Peter." Peter put his feet on the ground, walking over to the fireplace, and began to light it.
They could feel the comfortable heat kiss their faces. "What time is it?" Peter asked.
Wendy glanced at the clock. "It's almost six o' clock in the morning."
"Oh." Peter snapped his body toward Wendy quickly. "Wendy, you won't get tired here, only if you are captured or unhappy." Peter paused. "You're not unhappy Wendy, are you?"
Wendy ran to Peter's side. "Why Peter, no!" she quietly cried not wanting to wake up the sleeping children. "I've never been happier." She lied about that maybe, really forgetting about happier times.
"Oh." Peter sighed. He settled down, lying on the bearskin rug with his face closest to the fire, his stomach rubbing against the fur. Wendy rested her head on Peter's back, her hair keeping Peter warm. Thus another adventurous night came upon the two children.