by Dash Hoffman
“Scout and Tumbles are quite a pair. They finish each other’s sentences, they help each other, and they almost seem to have the same brain! Scout’s very good at finding all the animals, and you know what – he’s a very good dancer! He danced at the feast with the Indians, and we were all impressed!”
“Tumbles can climb anything, jump all over, and he’s quick! So nimble. Like a gymnast.”
Callie watched her going on and on, amazed at everything she heard.
“Turtle Dove isn’t a Lost Boy, but he is a new friend. He’s wise and clever, and very brave. I think he listens to the island. He knew so much about it that none of the Lost Boys knew. I don’t know if the other Indians taught him that or if it’s just how he is, but it’s good.”
She looked at Callie. “They are all my new friends. I love having friends now. They are so much fun, each of them with their different ways. It meant so much to me to be able to go there and see it all… to wave at the mermaids and help the boys escape from that incorrigible Captain Hook. To go on a quest and find the real Neverland Compass. Then to eat with them and laugh and tell stories. It was the most fun I’ve had in so, so long. It was the best time I’ve ever had. I know I shouldn’t wish for more, because I should be happy with what I’ve had, and I am… I’m so grateful for every moment of it, but I would love to go back and have many more adventures there.”
Callie smiled widely at her. “I’m sure you will go back again and again.”
“Oh, do you really think so?” She asked, piping up and looking wide eyed at her friend.
“I do indeed.” Callie assured her.
“Gosh I hope so. I didn’t get to see Peter Pan. He wasn’t there. It was why that devious Captain Hook had the boys captive to begin with. He was trying to lure Peter back to save the Lost Boys so that he could kill him! I would really love to meet Peter Pan.” She grinned and tilted her head slightly, eyeing Callie.
“You said he lives in Kensington Gardens sometimes.”
Callie held up a finger to correct the girl. “Ah no, Mr. Barrie said that in the book. Just about everything I’ve told you about the Neverland, the Lost Boys, and Peter… all of it, it comes straight from the book.”
Emma leaned closer to her and lowered her voice some. “Have you ever seen Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens?”
Callie answered her in an almost conspiratorial voice, “I haven’t, but there is a statue of him there. It’s just over a hundred years old now, and it was commemorated by the Queen!”
Emma gasped. “Was it? My…” Her eyes grew wide again.
“You know, there’s also a children’s park there. It’s a special one made in memory of Princess Diana. It’s designed like the Neverland. There’s a big wooden ship, and there are teepees and all kinds of fun things. They sell ice-cream and food as well, just outside the gate.” Callie gave her an inviting look.
“Oh! Do they? When I’m better I want to go to that park and make friends with all of the children there and eat ice cream with them!” She grinned and looked upward, thinking of how wonderful it would be.
“I’ll tell you what. If your dad agrees to it, I’ll take you there when Dr. J says it’s okay for you to go on an outing.” Callie’s eyes twinkled.
Emma squealed with joy. “Oh, I would love that! Thank you!” She touched her small fingers to her lips then, ponderously.
“Do you think that Peter Pan might be there at the park in Kensington Gardens with the other children, since he isn’t in the Neverland right now? I’d really, really love to meet him.” Emma searched Callie’s eyes hopefully.
Callie tipped her head to one side and considered it for a moment. “He might be. In the meantime though… I’ve thought of something else.”
“What is it?”
“Well,” Callie leaned forward and locked her eyes with Emma’s, “Peter sometimes loses his shadow. It’s how he met Wendy in the nursery. Perhaps if we make a shadow that looks like Peter, he will think that it’s his and he will come here to see you!”
Emma brightened for a moment, but then it passed. “But how will we make a shadow?” She asked, her forehead creased in doubt.
Callie cocked a brow at her. “Is that a little uncertainty I see in you? Could it be doubt? From the girl who found her way to the Neverland and imagined up some of the greatest adventures ever to be had there?” Callie shook her head and clicked her tongue softly in a disapproving way. “Well that can’t be. Have faith and hope, my little friend, and then mix in some fun, and anything is possible!”
Callie left the room for a few minutes and returned with two pairs of scissors, a stack of black paper, and a roll of tape.
She set them on the little table and Emma perked right up and sat forward in her bed.
Handing Emma a piece of white chalk, Callie gave her a lopsided smile. “Okay. You’re going to draw the shape of Peter Pan, then we’ll cut it out and tape it all together, and then we stick it to the window. With any luck at all, he will see it, and he’ll show up here to visit you.”
“Let’s do it! The quest to find Peter!” Emma hoisted her chalk in the air, and laughed.
They worked together for the afternoon, talking about all things Neverland, and creating their Peter Pan shadow.
When his shape was drawn, they cut it out carefully, and then taped all of the pieces of paper together like a big puzzle. Once connected, it closely resembled the shadow of Peter standing with his feet apart and his hands on his hips. It was the very image of that cocky boy from the Neverland, who loves to fly and play, and crow and have fun.
Callie pulled a chair around to the window and stood on it so that she could reach as high as she needed in order to tape Peter’s shadow up on the glass. When she’d gotten it done, she turned on the chair and looked at Emma.
“Well? How does it look?”
Emma clapped her hands together and beamed. “It’s perfect! I love it! That’s sure to bring him here, isn’t it!”
Callie went back to the side of the bed. Emma yawned and reached for Callie’s hand, holding it gently.
“Now Peter Pan’s shadow and the Man in the Moon can watch over me while I sleep.” She murmured as she began to drift off.
“And me, too.” Callie added with a tender smile. “I shall watch over you as well.”
Chapter Seven
A Fallen Star
The little bell danced about excitedly as Callie entered Mr. Davies’ tea shop. He was seated at a table by the window with a book in his hand. He looked up at her and she saw the now familiar twitch of a wide smile beneath his thick, salt and pepper moustache.
“And what world are you visiting today my friend?” Callie asked, not at all surprised that there was no one else in the shop.
She was also unsurprised by the two cups of tea sitting on the table; one before Mr. Davies, and one waiting under an undulating puff of steam at the chair opposite his.
With a quiet giggle she sat and wrapped her hands around it, already knowing that it was for her.
“Narnia today. I do love Aslan and the children. It’s a truly great adventure.”
“Oh yes! I love that one as well!” Callie lifted the teacup to her mouth and sipped. It was perfect, as always. The light scent of lavender in her London Fog took her in her mind to endless fields of purple flowers and she exhaled slowly, completely relaxed.
“Visiting our young friend today?” He asked, looking entirely assured that he already knew the answer.
“Yes. I really love going to see her. She’s so bright and fun. One of the truly bravest people I’ve ever known.”
Mr. Davies nodded.
“Sometimes it can be very hard to be brave, when we are constantly tested as she is. There are days when we stumble and fall, and we have to find the strength to get back up and keep going. It isn’t always easy.”
Callie sipped again. “The first day I met her, I wondered what it might be like to work there, you know, being a nurse or a doctor, seeing all those sick
kids every day and trying so hard to help them, but now I often wonder what it must be like for Emma to live there. I know she wants so badly to go home and be with her friends, and to go to school. We just have to hope that it will happen sometime soon.”
Mr. Davies nudged a bookmark into the pages he’d been reading, closed the book, and set it on the table. He looked at Callie closely.
“The adventure rarely takes us where we think it will.”
He reached to the chair beside him and picked up a small bouquet of flowers set into a glass vase, and wrapped with a pink satin ribbon.
“Sometimes it’s the little things that can help make a difference.” He handed the flowers to Callie and she took them with a smile.
“I’ll give these to her, thank you.”
“Of course, my friend.” He replied gently.
Callie had nearly passed the nurse’s station when Abbie looked up and stopped her.
“Callie! I’m so glad to see that you’re here today.” The nurse gave her a half smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
With a frown, Callie stopped. “Is everything okay?”
Abbie shook her head slowly and pursed her lips for a moment. “Not really, no. Emma isn’t feeling too well at all, and she’s a bit down. Her dad’s at work and he won’t be here until later this evening. She could do with some fun and cheering up, and I know you’re just the person to help her feel better.”
Callie nodded. “I’ll go right in. Thank you, Abbie.”
She stepped into Emma’s room quietly, peering around the door with a smile. Emma looked up, and her sad, dejected countenance began to ease.
“Hi.” She murmured.
Callie could see that her face was drawn and there were darkened circles under her eyes. Callie made herself smile widely, rather than letting the worry in her mind and heart show on her face. She wanted to encourage Emma.
“Hey there! How are you doing today?” Callie kissed her cheek and then rubbed her hand on the girl’s arm.
Emma frowned. “Not very well. I feel really sick.” She lifted her brown eyes to meet Callie’s, and they seemed almost listless.
As she sometimes did, Emma brought her hand to her head and tenderly ran her fingers over the bare skin there.
“Well, maybe these will help make you feel better.” Callie lifted the vase of flowers for Emma to see, and Emma brightened just a bit.
“Those are so pretty!”
“Yes, they are. They’ll brighten your room. Let’s put there here, on your little table.”
Callie set them beside the copy of Peter Pan which she could tell had been read again. She sat in the chair at the bedside and pulled it closer to Emma.
“What can I do to help you feel better? What would make you happy right now?”
The hint of a smile played at the corner of Emma’s small mouth. “Could you help me get to the Neverland again?”
Callie gave her a tender look. “Yes, of course. Let’s see… do you have your Neverland Compass?”
With some effort, Emma slowly reached just under the neck of her pajamas and slipped it out. She looked at the green Neversand inside of it.
“Here it is. I wear it most of the time now, so I can find my way there if I need to, but I haven’t been back since you took me the first time. It’s tricky for me to do it. I need your help, please.”
“I am so glad to help you.” Callie took a deep breath. “Okay, grab on to the compass and close your eyes tight. No, tighter than that… good. Now think your happy thought and hold it in the center of your mind and heart, and let it lift you up. Once you can fly, go through the darkness and follow the stars, and they will take you to the Neverland. Remember I’ll be with you in your thoughts. Now off you go!” Her voice was quiet and soft, and it made all the difference in the world to Emma.
It seemed to Emma as she flew along, over the city of London and then the sea, out into the dark universe among the glittering stars, that she somehow reached the Neverland a bit faster than she had the first time she had gone.
When the great blue ocean came into view and began to fade to lighter shades of greens and turquoises, and then aquamarine after that, she knew that she was nearly there, and the closer she got to the Neverland, the better she felt. In fact, she realized as she looked over her arms and legs, that she felt even stronger and healthier than she had the last time she was in the Neverland, and a thrill of tremendous joy rocketed through her. She spun in the air, twirling with glee as she squealed.
The first thing she noticed when she got to Neverland, was that the sun was getting ready to set, and the Man in the Moon was already shining and beaming. He smiled at her and winked, and she waved at him in return.
She looked closely over the beaches and the south of the island where the Neverwoods began, and her heart nearly skipped a beat when she saw the Lost Boys all marching along in single file at the edge of the forest.
Scout peered upward, and then his hand shot out like and arrow and he pointed right at her, waving and calling out to her with a grin.
“Emma! It’s Emma!”
The other Lost Boys all stopped suddenly, and at the end of the line of them, Shortly bumped into Bandit, who fell on Patches, who tumbled into Pockets, who landed on Firefly.
Firefly jumped up with fists raised and a naughty grin on his impish face. “Bumpers! You want to fight?”
“No, Firefly! We all fell! I’m not fighting this time.” Pockets shook his head. “Besides, you always win the fights.”
“You want to wrestle? We can wrestle!” Firefly offered hopefully.
Chance elbowed them in annoyance. “Oy! You two, look! It’s Emma! She’s flying in from the netherworld!”
All of them turned and looked up, their eyes wide and their mouths open in amazement.
The Fairies of Neverland
“Emma! Emma!” They all chorused together happily, jumping up and down.
She laughed and waved back, coming down to land beside them gently in the grass on the path.
“You’re back!” Shortly beamed, hurrying to her and hugging her waist. Bandit immediately followed suit and did the same. She hugged them back and looked at the rest of the boys.
“Nice to see you again!” Chance tilted his head in a friendly way, and Emma knew that he must be in good spirits.
“Jolly good to have you visit again! It’s been ages!” Pip clapped her shoulder in delight.
“I’m so glad to be back and to see all of you!” Emma replied, gazing at each of them. She stopped short when she saw a glowing golden light on Patches’ shoulder.
“Wait! What’s that Patches?” She peered closely and her mouth fell full open.
Patches turned and smiled at the glowing thing on his shoulder. It was a fairy. A tiny little being that looked almost like a human, with arms, legs, and a head topped with a tuft of light, fluffy pink hair. It was wearing a dress made of flower petals, and on its back were two iridescent wings.
She fluttered her wings and slowly lifted off of Patches’ shoulder, nearing Emma and eyeing her curiously.
Chance spoke up. “Oh! That’s right. You haven’t met Tink. Emma, this is Tinkerbell. We’ve told her all about you, though I’m not sure if she remembered all of it. Tink, this is Emma.”
Tinkerbell fluttered and bobbed around Emma, sniffing at her and pulling gently at her brown hair, before going to her nose. They were face to face, Emma and Tinkerbell, and Emma could hardly breath. In fact, she was holding her breath and not daring to blink for fear she might miss some wonderful, magical moment.
The fairy jingled like a little golden bell, and then she leaned forward and kissed Emma on the nose, laughing before flying to her shoulder and sitting there.
Emma’s heart nearly beat right out of her chest, she was so excited. She grinned and drew in a breath, looking around at the boys.
“Did you see that? Did you? She kissed me!”
The boys cheered and Chance raised one brow at Emma. “You�
�re lucky she likes you. She never really liked the Wendy lady, or at least, that’s what I’ve heard. Careful though, fairies are so small that they only have room to feel one emotion at a time. I hope she stays happy with you. It’s big trouble if she gets mad.”
Emma nodded. “Good to know. I’ll be mindful of that, thanks. Where is everyone off to? Are you on a quest?”
Patches chuckled and rubbed his big belly. “I’m on a quest for dinner! We are going back to the tree!”
Firefly punched his fist into the air. “Let’s go! Back to the tree and home and dinner!”
“Single file!” Chance ordered, and they all lined up with Emma taking up the back behind Bandit and Shortly, who were trying to march as fast as their little legs would let them.
“The sun is setting! Look at that sky!” Tumbles pointed out, growing concerned. “We’ve got to get back home before dark!”
“Why do we have to get there before dark?” Emma asked a little loudly, so that all the Lost Boys in front of her would hear her.
Pip looked back over his shoulder and spoke seriously. “Neverland at bedtime is dangerous!” Then he faced front again and continued to march.
Emma heard the soft, distant voice in her mind; the voice of her friend; the woman somewhere way back in the netherworld.
“Neverland at bedtime becomes threatening; all light and frothy fun becomes mysterious and black shadowed, and above all, you lose the certainty that you would win, and you are glad that the nightlights are on at home.”
Emma chewed at her lower lip and looked around, stepping up a little closer to Shortly as they all made their way along.
“We’re nearly there!” Pip called out to Emma, pointing ahead to a great tree that stood out in the forest.
She grinned, and her feet left the grass for a moment as she floated upward a few inches from the ground; so strong was her happiness at seeing it for herself and getting to be there with the boys and Tinkerbell.