29/3/07
Title: The Care and Feeding of Flying Boy
Author: Squeezynz
Chapter: Eleven – So Many Doors, So Little Time
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Wendy Darling flapped her hand to clear the grey mist obscuring her vision, an image becoming clear of a street remarkably similar to one she'd traveled every day of her life back in London.
"Why...I'm home!" Perplexed, Wendy turned and found that the doorway was gone, only an alley way stretching behind her with dark shadows and noisome piles of rubbish. In fact everywhere she looked appeared abandoned and desolate, the street pavement cracked and damaged, the roadway covered in dead leaves and windblown detritus. "What has happened here?" She asked out loud, taking a tentative step forward to the edge of the footpath. The sky overhead was leaden, the houses either side of her shut up and looking uninhabited for some time. An odd noise made her look up to see a strange elongated balloon pass overhead, its engines droning like enormous bees as it slowly made its stately way over the roof tops and out of sight. "Whatever in the world was that?" Wendy mused, stepping off the pavement and into the roadway. An eerie silence pervaded the block of terraced housing, no shouting or clatter of wagons and carts, no hansom cabs or horses neighing, no dogs barking or evidence of people at all. Yet this was usually a busy roadway with servants and residents bustling about their business, the traffic trundling along almost all hours of the day and night. "Hello?" Wendy called out, stepping over a large pile of dead leaves accumulated around a broken wooden box cast away in the middle of the road. "Can anyone hear me?"
Silence greeted her calls, only the wind whirling the brittle leaves along the street made any sound. The drone of a motor heralded the return of the unusual flying device over the buildings, Wendy watching its slow progress before walking quickly towards the house that she recognized as her own. Taking the steps two at a time she lifted her hand to rap the door knocker only to find the front door unlatched, swinging inward and revealing the dark interior of the house. Looking back from her more elevated position, Wendy could see what looked like a pile of debris in front of where a house would have stood further down the street, bricks tumbled half way across the street, along with broken furniture and blackened beams. Thoroughly alarmed, Wendy hurried into the entrance lobby of her home.
"Mother...Father...I'm home. Is anyone here?" Hurriedly she peered into the two front rooms, both of them empty and the furniture covered in Holland cloths, ghostly in the grey light from outside. "Please, can anyone hear me? Is anyone in the house?" With her breath leaving her in sobs, Wendy climbed the staircase, her hand slipping on the banister and causing her to stumble on the landing. Everything was where she'd left it, the pictures still on the walls and the rooms as she remembered, except for the dust coverings over the larger pieces. The difference was the complete absence of life, her fingers fumbling with the recently installed electric light switch, the toggle not producing anything other than a dull clicking noise. Desperate for light, Wendy pulled open a drawer, looking for matches or anything to use to light one of the ever present oil lamps placed beside the beds. She found nothing in any of the drawers, they were all empty of clothes, belongings and the usual clutter associated with human habitation. One drawer stuck as she tried to pull it out, Wendy tugging it with more force than usual only to have the handle break off in her hand. Scared and angry, she lashed out at the drawer, pulling it out with both hands and dashing it on the floor.
"Where is everyone? Where are you?" Wendy screamed at the empty room, her voice echoing through the house. Apart from the distant drone of the flying machine going over the roof, there were no other sounds in the house or from the street. In a panic, Wendy flew from room to room, searching desk tops and mantles for any letters left behind, thinking distractedly that if her parents had to leave in such a hurry they may have left a message for her. The search was in vain, Wendy ending up back where she started, standing in the gaping doorway on her own home, no wiser as to what had happened to her family, or where they had gone. Sinking on to the top step of her home she hugged her knees, burying her head against them while tears leaked out of her screwed tight eyes, soaking her skirt. How long she stayed there she had no idea.
"Are you lookin' for someone deary?"
The voice made her jump. In front of her stood an old woman, stooped and wrinkled, clothed in rags and looking in dire need of a good bath.
"Yes...yes I am. The family that lived here..." Wendy indicated the doorway behind her. "Do you know what happened to them?"
"Let me see," the old woman tilted her head to look up at the house, squinting slightly before returning her gaze to the girl in front of her. "This be the Darling house, isn't it?"
"Yes...that's right. George and Mary Darling lived here, with their three children..."
"Three? Oh no deary, not three...just two boys, if I remember rightly."
"No, that's not right. There was a girl, the eldest..." Wendy willed the old lady to agree.
"Nope, never heard of no girl...oh wait a minute, now you come to mention it. There was a girl once, a long time ago. Such a kafuffle there was at the time. She went missing. Yes, that's right, disappeared out of her bed as if she'd never existed. Had the police around here sniffing about and disturbing folk, a right ol' muddle."
"But...I've only been gone a little while..." Wendy said faintly, the old lady not taking any notice and carrying on with her narrative.
"I remember now, they posted advertisements in the newspaper, and went around knocking on doors for every such a long time." She sighed, settling her hands together across her chest. "Sad business it was, and no mistake."
Wendy sat sunk in a well of misery, her brain unable to think beyond that fact that her family had been frantically looking for her.
"Of course, we all thought she must be dead, poor girl," the old lady rambled on. The drone of the flying machine interrupted and the old lady spat violently on the pavement, her face creased in a ferocious scowl. Raising her fist she shook it at the zeppelin as it floated over head. "Bastards, go back to the Kaiser and bomb him!" She turned back to face Wendy, at last noting the girls devastated expression. "Did you know the family deary?"
"Yes...I did." She looked up. "Please...what has been happening here? What are those strange flying things? And what happened to that building down there, where is everyone?"
"Well now, fancy you not knowing...been living on an island somewhere? It's the war deary, the war. Bombs dropping down on honest folk and blowing them all to bits, it's dreadful, I tell you. Simply dreadful."
"War?" Wendy stared at the woman blankly. "What war? What year is this?"
"What an odd question, it's nineteen sixteen. There's only one war, the one that's ruining good men's lives is what. Now come along, you can't stay here...we've been luckier than some and not been bombed the last couple of night, but with that bloody great thing cruising overhead we'd be mad to stay here."
"Nineteen sixteen...ten years have passed!" Wendy looked profoundly shocked, her eyes wide and disbelieving. "But the house...my family.."
"Come along now...they're long gone, safely out of London if they've got any sense. You come with Aggie, I'll see you safe. Hurry now, it's getting dark." As if to punctuate her warnings, the ground shook as an explosion rocked the street. "Oh my gawd, they've started...hurry deary, hurry or we'll both be blown to smithereens!"
With a surprisingly strong grip the old lady pulled Wendy down the steps and across the street, another explosion, closer this time, making the ground undulate and almost tripping Wendy as she hurried after Aggie. They were heading for the alleyway, the drone of the zeppelin sounding loud over their panting breaths, Wendy looking back once over her shoulder to see a gout of flame explode from one of the terrace houses, bricks and glass raining down on the street. Suddenly they were plunged into darkness, the tall walls of the buildings cutting off any light from the overcast sky. At the mouth of the narrow passage, a huge explosion blew the two women over, slamming Aggie into the wall and sending Wendy sprawling. Smoke and dust choked everything, billowing clouds enveloping them as they coughed and moaned.
"Get up deary...get up," Aggie wheezed, "get yourself through that door now. You be right safe there...go now!"
With streaming eyes and still coughing, Wendy staggered to the door and wrenched it open, almost falling through.
To find herself back in the cave once more, the wooden door banging shut behind her before melting back into the stone. Wendy whirled, her breath catching, "Aggie!" Her shout echoed back at her as she stared at the now solid wall, the door gone forever. Drawing in a steadying breath, Wendy slowly turned, her hands clenched in to fists as she tilted her head and shouted at the enclosing rock walls.
"This was supposed to be the cave of dreams," she indicated the doors with a flick of one hand, "these are just nightmares! I want to go home!"
For a few seconds she waited, anger welling up and spilling over in tears and frustration. Oblivious to her turbulent emotions, another door became illuminated, beckoning her in, even going so far as to click open by itself so it stood a little ajar. Not enough to see inside, but enough to entice. Wendy ignored it for almost five minutes, then her commonsense won out. "I'm not going to get out of this horrid place unless I go through a door, am I?" She addressed the walls for want of anyone to talk to. Getting no reply, she scowled horribly then approached the waiting door. Looking up she read the script carved in to the lintel. " A future so near. Now what in the world is that supposed to mean? Let's hope its a happier prospect that the previous two."
Angry, and a little fearful, Wendy yanked the door wide and stepped through. There was no mist or fog this time, she walked right in to a thick jungle, the leaves and trees pressing close around her so that she couldn't see in front, behind or above. Pushing her way through the tangle, she almost fell into the clearing on the other side. The canopy was cleared here and sunlight poured down like a great golden shaft, the jungle all around looking darker in contrast. Blinking at the sudden change in light, Wendy shielded her eyes and squinted, seeing something at the center of the grassy glade, but unable to make out what it might be. The turf felt cool and soft under her bare feet, her steps noiseless as she approached. A gasp escaped her lips when she recognized the shape sprawled like a broken puppet, arms and legs flung out from the body and left at awkward angles.
"Peter!" Hurrying over, Wendy dropped to her knees and stared at the young man laying before her, his body like a rag doll cast away by a child. His face was turned away from her, his chest barely rising as he drew breath. "Peter what happened, why are you here?" She started to notice other things, the bruises up and down his arms and lower legs, the splotches of blood smeared over his torso, pooling at the base of his throat and visible in trickles from his nose and ears. "Oh Peter...what happened to you?" Gently she reached over and brushed his hair away from his face, her touch rousing him to turn his face towards her. Dark circles ringed his eyes and a deep gash ran up into his hair line. He coughed, his spittle colored red, his face contorted in a pain filled grimace as he fought to regain his breath. He stared up at her, no recognition in his gaze.
"Who are you?"
"Peter...its me, Wendy...don't you remember?"
"We-endy...what a funny name. Are you an angel come to take me to heaven?"
"No...oh no, Peter...you're not going to die, don't think that."
"I think you must be an angel...I can see your wings, and you look so pretty," he swallowed with difficulty, his feverishly bright eyes never leaving her face.
"I have to get you some help Peter...but I don't know where we are. Is the Indian village close?" Wendy tried to force a smile to her stiff lips, her eyes anguished a she listened to him take another painful breath.
"All gone...everyone gone...no one left to ask..." Peter smiled weakly and closed his eyes. "Neverland will be gone soon to."
"Peter who did this? Was it Hook...did you fight again?" She picked up one of his hands, folding it between her own.
"Don't remember...I suppose so...will it still hurt so much in heaven?" He opened his eyes again and Wendy felt her heart break at the life ebbing out of him. "Can you take me now...there's nothing to keep me here."
"No, no Peter...there has to be someone who can help. What about your fairy? Can't you call her to use her magic?"
"No more magic...no more fairies. Nobody believes anymore Wendy, not in magic or fairies or in me."
"I believe Peter...I believe in you...in Neverland, in all of this. I'm sorry I didn't say so sooner, but I want to stay here, I want to stay with you...please don't die." Choked by tears, Wendy held his hand up to her cheek, kissing the broken knuckles and willing her strength in to him. "I will stay Peter...I'll stay and be your Queen."
"I think I'd like to have you as my angel," Peter rambled, his eyes unfocused as they drifted from her face to stare up at the sky. "I could quite enjoy dying if I knew you were there to meet me..." His voice faded away, the light of life leaving his eyes, his last breath sighing out of his body and taking his soul with it. Wendy still clutched his hand, blinded by tears and barely able to breath for the sobs choking her throat. His stillness finally impinged on her grief, her heart giving an audible snap and sending a lancing pain through her chest when she realized he was gone.
"No...oh no..." leaning down, she pressed her lips to his, the flesh still retaining a little warmth, but no breath left in his body, nor light in his staring eyes. Peter Pan was dead. Above her head, the sun winked out of existence, plunging the glade into a gloomy half light laden with shadows. A distant roar was all the warning she got before a howling wind raged overhead, tossing the trees and branches back and forth until they broke and rained down, leaves swirling around like a blizzard, only the small space around Peter's body remaining clear of the maelstrom. Blinded by her tears, Wendy didn't see the jungle start to blacken and rot around her, the greenery melting away like paint running in the rain, trees crashing to the ground before being picked up by the wind and whirled away in a mad tornado of destruction.
Wendy felt numb, her tears drying up and her sobs subsiding as shock took over and she remained kneeling by his side, his limp hand still clasped in her own. All around her was mayhem and chaos, Neverland reducing itself to nothing more than bare rock, barren of all life, it's magic destroyed with no hope of renewal. Two figures appeared, striding through the howling storm, untouched by the destruction around them. Wendy saw them approach but didn't react to their presence, her mind unable to think past the tragedy in front of her.
"So...Wendy Darling...arrived just in time for the Coup-de-gras," Hook's dark voice washed over Wendy like a cold shower, snapping her out of her stupor and leaving her with a white hot anger pouring through her.
"He's dead Captain Hook, and beyond you reach." She turned to fix the other figure with a baleful glare. "Satisfied Jack? You got what you wanted...the end of Neverland."
"Don't blame me for this love. This is all your doing, not ours." Jack and Hook exchanged a quick glance before turning their attention to the girl getting to her feet.
"What are you saying? I didn't cause these injuries, these wounds!" Wendy held out her hand, palm up to show the blood coating them. "You did this...you killed him."
"Do you think we could have succeeded if you hadn't already struck the mortal blow?" Lifting one dark brow, Hook smirked at her, tormenting her so that she wanted to strike at him and wipe the leer from his lips.
"You left him Wendy...left him alone...all he wanted was your love, your adoration. But no, you had to whine about your family, your duty...never a thought to his feelings, his longing to be loved." Wendy heard the words dripping from Jack's tongue but couldn't bring herself to accept them.
"You're wrong...I didn't...I haven't left him..."
"But you're thinking of just that, aren't you girly girl. You want to run away and leave all this behind you, leave him behind to rot in this infernal paradise, his own personal hell."
"It's too late for all that...he's already dead!"
"Ah, that's where you're wrong Wendy Darling...it's never too late in Neverland. This is just one future path, as are the others...this is not real, it is an illusion, a nightmare to end all nightmares." Hook's eyes gleamed redly as he stared at her. Wendy stared at the pirate Captain and his cohort, the two men sporting smirking grins that seemed at odds with their intentions.
"But isn't this what you wanted? For Peter Pan to die and release you from the hold this place has one you both?" Wendy asked.
"To be sure, it was the plan. But really, when one considers the alternatives, what is there out there for the likes of us." Hook waved his hands in a flourish, indicating the wreck and ruin all around them. "The world has forgotten James Hook, as surely as the world has forgotten about magic and wonder. Neverland is the final refuge for the unwanted, a bastion against the world's ills where magic is nurtured and love conquers all."
Wendy looked at Hook askance, the pirates manner and speech at odds with his bloodthirsty demeanor. She felt confused and unsure, her grasp on reality spinning out of control.
"I can change all this...can't I." She stated, refusing to look at the corpse still laying at her feet. "I can do something to stop this happening." She flung her arms wide to indicate the total devastation surrounding them.
"Anything is possible, you just have to believe," Jack told her. He took a step back away from Hook and the small tableau they formed. "Anything is possible."
"Every girl has to face the inevitability of leaving her home and family at some stage. You cannot remain a child forever Wendy Darling. Here you have the opportunity to love and be loved in a way you could never hope to attain in the world you left behind." Hook held out his good hand and closed the fingers over to make a fist. "Grasp it girl...keep all this alive, keep the magic alive..."
"Keep the magic alive..." Wendy repeated, watching as Hook stepped back and disappeared into a mist the same way Black Jack had done. Alone, she looked down to find that Peter's body had gone, leaving her standing in the middle of a barren rocky island without a single twig of vegetation or sign of life. "I will keep you alive...all of it...I do believe."
Sighing she closed her eyes, suddenly weary of the emotional upheavals, her mind made up, for once in accord with her heart.
When she opened her eyes she was back in the cavern, the remaining three doors that she'd left behind reduced to just one, the others absorbed by the rocky walls.
"Please let this be the one to lead me back to Neverland...I think I've had enough of dreams and nightmares."
As if in answer to her plea, the door creaked open by itself, a warm glow beckoning her in. Taking her last walk along the paved path, Wendy pulled the door wide and stepped through without bothering to pause and read the motto inscribed on the lintel.
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Peter and Tinkerbell slowly approached a boisterous family group of females and youngsters, the wolves standing at bay as soon as they realized they were no longer alone. For a moment no one moved, Peter remaining where he'd landed, his feet apart and his knuckles on his hips, Tink hovering somewhere above his shoulder. Then one of the larger females slowly approached the young man, getting to within a foot of where he stood before lowering herself to the ground in a gesture of submission. Peter remained still as a statue, the other members of the pack coming forward to copy the lead female until he was surrounded on all sides by wolves laying on their bellies, their muzzles buried in the grass and bright eyes fixed on him. Even the puppies and youngsters were quiet, following the example of the elders and laying down before the human in front of them. Relaxing his rigid stance, Peter let his arms hand loose by his sides, a grin breaking out on his face as he indicated with a wave of his hand to the lead female.
"It's been a long time Lupa...still bossing the girls around, I see?"
At once the senior wolf leapt up from the ground and launched herself at Peter, the boy and wolf rolling on the ground in joyful reunion while the other wolves stood around with tongues lolling, watching the sport. After a playful few minutes, the large female jumped off Peter and yipped at him, Peter wiping his face and laughing.
"Yes, you got me good Lupa. It's been a while since I visited the meadow. Maybe you should show me your latest additions?"
Still sitting in the long grass, Peter waited while Lupa marshaled the other wolves and youngsters, parading them all before him, Lupa taking special care to show off the latest litter of tiny pups, dropping them in his lap to fondle and play with while she looked on protectively.
"They are beautiful Lupa...almost as beautiful as their grandmother."
Handing the puppies back to their anxious mother, Peter rose to his feet and set off across the meadow, the wolf Lupa loping easily at his side. Every now and then Peter would reach down and ruffle the wolf's fur behind it's large ears, the animal growling appreciatively when he hit a particularly sensitive spot.
"I've come to find someone Lupa...she came this way with a pirate."
Lupa sat on her haunches and opened her jaws, her liquid eyes fixed on Peter.
"Ferru took her and the young man up the hill to the Cave of Dreams," Lupa growled, the words just distinguishable.
"Ah...Walbassa. Since when?"
"Last eventide. Ferru still up there, probably guarding the Lost Boy's that followed."
Peter laughed. "Nothing sneaks past those sharp eyes, or keen noses."
"Lost Boys could do with a bath sometime." Lupa retorted, her muzzle stretching into a fair imitation of a human grin.
"I'll tell them you said that," Peter replied. "I have to go now and catch up with Ferru."
"Bring the lady with you next time you visit Peter...I think Diz would be happy to make your lady her pet."
"Diz is all grown up? When did that happen? Sure I'll bring Wendy back...I'd like to see Diz again myself."
"You were ever her favorite pet, Peter."
"I remember. I have to go now...I'll send Ferru back to you when I see him."
"Goodbye Peter...good luck."
With a final scratch behind the wolf's ears, Peter flew up into the air, Tink not far behind him. Together they left the meadow and headed up the hillside, weaving between the tree tops while keeping an eye on the rocky outcrop at the crown. Very quickly they reached the bald summit, the steep hillside spread out below them, dotted with several dark figures that resolved into the males of the wolf pack, a rising crescendo of greeting howls meeting him as he set down in their midst. Four tousled heads popped up out of the grass and cheered to see their leader arrive to save them.
"Peter...you've come to rescue us!" Harry shouted, jumping up and down. Grub did the same, a grin as wide as his grubby face beaming at Peter in adoration and gratitude.
"They were never in danger," Ferru growled when he padded over to greet Peter.
"I know." Peter replied, offering his hand outstretched into which Ferru placed his paw. "And I thank you for your good care of them."
Ferru slanted his head towards the outcrop further up the hillside. "Walbassa has been busy this night. No one has returned from the cave as yet."
"Then I've come at the right time." Turning to face his small troop of boys, Peter folded his arms over his chest. " Your mission if done and I'm proud you braved so many dangers on my behalf. Ferru?" Peter turned to address the wolf. "Can you provide an escort to take the boys back a short route than they arrived. I'd like them to avoid having to go back through the Burnt Valley."
"I will escort them myself..."
"Oh no, send another. I promised Lupa I'd send you back directly." Peter grinned at the wolf, the animal grinning back.
"Then I will do as you say." A series of yips and barks sent the main pack on their way back down the hill, leaving two and Ferru to remain behind along with Peter and the Lost Boys.
"Sim and Pit will lead the Lost Boy's back to the Indian village," Ferru growled, jerking his head to indicate for his two volunteers to start their task.
"Go with the wolves, I'll see you at the village before too long."
"What about Wendy and that pirate she's with?" Harry asked, his expression anxious.
"Not for you to worry about nipper," Peter replied affectionately, ruffling the younger boys mop of hair. "Tell the other's we'll be back soon. Now scoot!"
Peter and Ferru watched the small troop of boys and wolves make their way down the hill until they were out of sight. Peter turned his head to face up the slope to the towering cairn of rocks.
"Do you wish me to stay and wait?" Ferru asked, cocking his head to look up at Peter.
"No...we'll follow soon."
Without further ado, the large black wolf sprang away and started down the hillside leaving Peter to start the short journey up the steep climb, Tinkerbell still hovering over his shoulder having remained quiet until that moment.
"I can't go in there Peter...you know that, don't you?" The tiny fairy darted in front of Peter making him pause in his climb.
"I know Tink..."
"I'll go then...don't let that Walbassa try any of his tricks on you," Tink scolded before darting off, her brightness swallowed up by distance after only a few seconds. Peter continued up the slope, the looming rocky escarpment broken only by the dark mouth of a large cave directly in front of him.
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tbc...