by Dash Hoffman
“It’s a special compass. It doesn’t point out magnetic north and south or east and west. It points to the Neverland.” Callie answered softly.
“To what?” Liam blinked up at her.
“To the Neverland. You know, from Peter Pan.”
“Is that some made up place in that book she keeps reading?”
“Yes. She likes to dream that she goes there. It gives her some escape from being here. The Neverland Compass is important. It helps her find her way there.”
He frowned sharply. “I think you’re both taking this whole Peter Pan thing much too far. It’s one thing to read a book, but now there’s a compass, and you’re hanging stars, and she wakes up dreaming about the place. It’s too much!”
“Why is it too much?” Callie asked gently as he dropped the compass back into her hand. “You had fun hanging stars tonight. I saw you.”
“I..” he began and stopped, then started again, “I did have fun because Emma was enjoying it, but it’s just too much.”
Liam stood up and put his teacup in a dish tub on a counter. Jamming his hands down into the depths of his pockets, he began to pace.
“I don’t like any of these things you’re filling her head with. These… these dreams that aren’t real. Places that aren’t real.” He stopped and faced her, pointedly, raising his eyebrows.
“The doctors are real. The hospital is real. The cancer she is fighting is real! The tests and the treatments are all real. That’s what we have to keep centered on; not this silliness and nonsense!”
Callie sighed slipped the Neverland Compass back into her pocket.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s real or not, Liam. It’s her joy in believing in the fantasy that’s getting her through the all-too-serious and real things she’s dealing with in this hospital.”
Liam blinked again, and she saw that her words had stuck in him. Something she’d been wanting to ask since she’d met them somehow found its way to her mouth.
“Liam… I see you going through this on your own; bearing the whole thing. Where is Emma’s mother? Emma said she was at work. Can’t she help you with any of this? Why hasn’t she been around?”
Something dark and bitter flashed in his eyes, and he turned his head away from her. “We’re not going to discuss it.”
Callie knew that she could not bring it up again.
“Maybe we should go back.” She stood and put her own cup in the dish tub, and they returned to the waiting area near the nurse’s station on the fourth floor.
Liam paced silently. Callie sat in a chair and watched the face of the big white clock with the black numbers hanging on the post at the nurse’s station, following the second hand as it ticked- ticked- ticked by so slowly that it almost wasn’t ticking at all.
After an eternity, Joshua came back pushing a bed on wheels. Emma was asleep on it.
Liam and Callie both rushed to him, anxious to hear the news. Joshua’s face was grim. He pushed the bed into her room and carefully put her into her own bed while nurse Abbie wheeled the extra bed out.
“Well? How did it go?” Liam asked, standing at the foot of Emma’s bed, his eyes flitting back and forth from his daughter to the doctor and back again.
Joshua pulled the blankets up over Emma and then covered her with an extra blanket that was toasty warm from having been in a heated box.
Emma did not stir. The doctor turned and faced them both, his shoulders slumped low.
“She’s not doing well. Not at all.” He sighed heavily. “You can stay with her if you want to, but you must be quiet. This took a lot out of her. She needs to rest. She won’t wake up until tomorrow or the next day.”
Liam went straight to Emma’s side and pulled up a chair, taking a seat in it. Joshua handed him a pillow and a blanket, and Liam took them with a grateful nod. He stuffed the pillow behind himself and covered his legs with the blanket, and then leaned back and watched Emma sleep.
“I’ll come back to check on her in a while.” Joshua told them quietly, and then he left.
Callie’s heart was lodged tightly in her throat. She could not seem to make herself swallow it back down. Tears flooded her eyes and she blinked them back.
Watching Liam there at Emma’s bedside, she knew that he would be there until she woke up, and that he wouldn’t be able to sleep until she did.
“Goodnight.” She said quietly, but Liam didn’t hear her.
Callie walked to the door and paused there for a moment, looking up at all of the stars hanging silent and still overhead. “Watch closely over this sleeping babe, all you Neverland stars. Goodnight, Britely.” She whispered, and then she left.
Mermaids of Neverland
Chapter Nine
An Adventure
With Mermaids
“Mr. Davies!” Callie called as she walked into the tea shop, but she needn’t have called for him at all. He was waiting for her, as he always seemed to be, at their table in the front of the restaurant.
She stopped short when she saw the two cups of tea, and the plates of sandwiches, scones, and cakes.
He looked up at her from his book, and she covered her face with her hands and burst into tears. Mr. Davies rose from his seat and went to her, wrapping his arms around her and letting her cry on his shoulder until she had cried herself out, and then he gave her a clean handkerchief from his pocket.
“I’m sorry.” She sniffled, drying her tears, but he shook his head sternly.
“No apologies. There is nothing to apologize for. It is an unbearable thing to see children suffer, but we must be strong for them. They need us to be.”
Callie sank into her seat and gripped the teacup in her hands as if it was a lifeline. “How can I be strong for her if I feel like I’m losing my own strength?”
“You are strong for her, and for her father. I am strong for you. We all rely on each other. That’s how it works.”
He regarded her for a moment and then nodded at her. “Drink your tea. It will help.”
She did, and right away she felt some relief as the lavender overtook her senses, and relaxation washed over her.
With a heavy sigh, she set the teacup down and drew in a long breath, steadying herself. He waited patiently for her.
“I see the shadows growing long in the afternoon, consuming the daylight and leaving the beginnings of darkness in their wake. The shadows are ravenous; they envelope the whole world. You look away for just a minute, and when you look back so much more of the light is gone; the day and the time is gone, and there’s no getting it back. Every single passing second slips away from us never to be had again; there goes this one right now, and this second too… and now this one. All of them, like sand through our fingertips, falling away forever, bringing us ever closer to the moment when time stops forever.”
He watched her, listening closely.
“I want so much to stop the shadows and keep them at bay, force them to stay in place so that I can hold on to the light, even for just a little while longer, to keep it bright, to keep it warm, to keep even one moment in my hands; a moment where time does not move ahead, where nothing changes. A length of time where I can just feel everything happening in and around me for that long, long moment, stretched out for a while, before I have to let it go and let things begin moving again. It all moves, constantly; the air, the light, the world, life, all of it, and it just never stops. I wish I could pause it to hold fast to the most precious bits of it. I wish I could keep everything for just a little while, before it has to move on, but the shadows that grow longer every afternoon ignore me and go right along their way, taking the day and the light and the warmth from me.”
“She’s getting worse?” Mr. Davies guessed knowingly.
Callie bit her lip and closed her eyes, fighting back more teas. She nodded. “Yes.” She finally managed to utter as she reached for her tea to gulp more down.
Mr. Davies picked up the teapot and refilled her cup.
“We cannot stop time, o
r the difficult things we face; those shadows that feel like they are overtaking the sunny places of our lives. The only consolation we have is that from the shadows comes the night, with the heavens alight in the glow of stars and moonlight. It’s a different world altogether; no color, no warmth, but there is fire in the darkness; in the heavens, burning wildly so far away in almost every direction; stars forever and ever, and that mesmerize us until the dawn brings back the day.”
She shook her head and the corners of her mouth rose in an almost-smile. “How do you do that? Remind me of the good when I feel like things are at their darkest?”
He gave her a kindly look. “Because, my dear, there is only ever darkness because there is light. Darkness cannot exist without it. There may be things that block the light and create shadows for us, but the light is always there, and in the case of the darkest night, we know without question that the light is about to return.”
He set his weathered hand upon hers. “Things might seem at their worst, but as you said, everything is always moving onward, always changing. It won’t stay like this, and no matter how it goes, it won’t stay like that either.”
Callie gave him another smile and he handed her a warm scone.
“Here. Berry today, just for you.”
She laughed and began to butter it. “Thank you, Mr. Davies.”
“Anytime.”
Callie returned to the children’s hospital the next evening, and went straight in to see Emma.
Much to her surprise and relief, the little girl was awake, though alone. She was laying back in her bed staring at the stars on her ceiling, and looking much worse than Callie had ever seen her.
Dark circles framed her eyes, and her cheeks seemed sunken. There was no energy about her, no liveliness, and very little light within her gaze.
Where there was normally space on both sides of her bed, the area on the far side of the bed was filled with machines that beeped and hummed. Long tubes stretched from various pouches, connected here and there, attached to needles that were embedded into Emma’s hand and arm and taped to her skin.
Callie nearly choked on tears, but she managed to swallow them back as she smiled bravely at Emma. Emma tried to return the smile.
“Hey honey, how are you doing today?” Callie didn’t really want to ask; she could see plainly that Emma was doing terribly.
The girl blinked slowly and managed to barely roll her eyes. “I’ve… been better.” She answered quietly. “Don’t let this… bother you. I know… I look awful. It’s always… like this… after a treatment. I’ll be much better… in a couple of… days.”
Callie nodded, unable to say anything for a moment. She forced an encouraging smile. “Good! That’s good. I want you to be better. We all do.”
“I know. I’m… getting there.” Emma sighed softly. Then she turned her head some and looked anxiously at her friend.
“Callie, I have to… get back… to Neverland. I have to help save… Britely. It’s not… doing very well… and it needs… my help. I have to save the baby star… before it’s too late.” She struggled to speak, and Callie waited patiently until all of the words were said.
She nodded at Emma. “Sure, we can do that. Whatever you want to do, sweetie.” She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and tried to make her voice sound as normal and positive as she could, though her heart was breaking in two seeing Emma that way.
“Do you have your compass?” Callie asked as lightly as she could.
“No. I gave it to you… when I went in… for the treatment.”
Callie nodded. “Oh, yes. You did. That’s right. That’s okay, I have it right here.” Grateful that she had worn the same cardigan two days in a row, she reached into her pocket and pulled the Neverland Compass out, and then leaned forward and gently set it around Emma’s neck.
“There you go. Now, close your eyes and let’s get you back there.” Callie felt her chest tighten, but she took in a big breath, and began.
“Just close your eyes…”
Emma opened her eyes and found herself hovering far above London, and it took a moment for her to realize that she was at the edge of the city, she was much further than the window of her hospital room.
Grinning with delight, she checked her Neverland Compass and stretched out her arms, feeling light as a feather and stronger than the ocean. Quick as a flash, she darted off, heading straight for the second star to the right.
She was surprised that it took much less time for her to get to the Neverland, and when she arrived, she dove down from the clouds at a sharp angle, headed directly for the shores and the forest to see if she could find her friends.
It didn’t take long. Emma saw them soon enough, marching along in single file, heading south along the western beaches.
She decided to play a fun little trick on them, and as silently as she could, she touched down softly into the sand; her bare feet sinking into the blue and purple grains as she grinned and lowered her arms to her sides.
Emma stepped along just behind Shortly for a few minutes before she leaned forward and tapped him on the shoulder.
“Where are we going?” She asked interestedly.
He looked over his shoulder at her. “Oh! Well we’re going to find the Jolly Roger, and you, because when we woke up this morning, you were gone again!”
“Oh, all right.” Emma nodded and Shortly kept on walking for a minute before he stopped suddenly and turned smack around, staring at her.
He gaped and clapped his hands to his chubby cheeks. “We found you! You’re here! Where did you come from?”
The other boys heard him and turned to see what he was talking about. All of them jumped with a happy cheer to see her, crowding around her and giving her hearty pats on the back, save for Shortly and Bandit, who both hugged her around the waist.
“I had to go to the netherworld for a bit, but I’m back now. So, we’re looking for Hook’s ship?” She asked, gazing about at all of them.
“Yes! And we’re so glad that you’re back! We need you here!” Pip shook his head and sighed with relief.
“How is our little Britely?” She searched their faces.
Pockets reached into one of the pockets on his shirt and gingerly pulled the baby star from it, showing it to Emma.
“It’s much dimmer. I’m not sure if that’s because it’s daytime now, or if it’s feeling worse, but I don’t think it’s because of daytime.” Pockets told her with a sad, quiet voice.
Emma cried out gently and patted the star. “You’d better put it back in your pocket for safe keeping. Thank you.”
“We need to find that nasty Captain Hook at once!” She asserted staunchly.
Pockets put Britely away back in the pocket he had pulled it from, and he reached into another pocket on his pants, and pulled out Peter’s pipes. He handed them to Emma, and she took them with a serious glint in her eyes.
“Right, then it’s off we go to find the Jolly Roger and the abominable Captain Hook!” Emma began to walk, and the boys all fell in line directly behind her, following her lead.
They marched in the early morning light until midday, and by then they were no longer marching, but instead dragging a bit, feeling somewhat down as they had found nothing and been going for hours.
“Let’s take a break!” Emma called out and all of the boys sighed with relief. They were most of the way down the coast and had not found so much as a hint of the ship or its crew.
When each of them were seated on the sand, Bandit took a spot beside Emma and looked up at her. “We can’t find the ship! What will we do?”
Emma pressed her lips together tightly and thought. The boys watched her and waited.
“I know!” She jumped up suddenly from the sand, as if she had been hit with a lightning bolt of energy.
She faced them all with bright eyes. “We’ll go to the mermaids! They live in the sea! They are certain to know where Hook’s ship is!”
“How will we find the merma
ids?” Patches asked worriedly.
Emma grinned and planted her hands on her hips in a very Peter Pan-like way. “The mermaids love to bask on Marooner’s Rock. I’m certain we’ll find them there! We’re not far at all from Mermaid Lagoon. Let’s go! Up! Come on!” She insisted excitedly.
The boys pushed themselves up off of the sand with a renewed sense of purpose and some direction in mind. Together they headed south once again, over two more beaches until they got to Mermaid Lagoon.
Marooner’s Rock was sitting far out in the lagoon, surrounded by water, and covered in playful mermaids of every color and size, from small to large and thin to round. The boys and Emma were especially thrilled to find several mermaids lounging on the beach, which meant that they didn’t have to try to wave down any of the mermaids on the rock that was so far out in the water.
“Pardon me, miss!” Emma said with a smile as she approached the first mermaid nearest to them. She was lovely, with orange and yellow hair, and a golden and bronze tail that grew darker toward her fins until it was chocolate brown at the tips.
The mermaid flipped her long, sea-tangled hair over her back and looked at Emma. It was the first time she had been so close to a mermaid, and it was the first time she had gotten a good look at their eyes.
The creatures eyes were wide and black, very wide, and unblinking, like the fish in the sea. From somewhere far back in her memory, Emma recalled learning that fish had wide black eyes so that they could see in dark places where there was little or no light, like deep in the water where the light rarely reached. She realized that a sea creature like a mermaid would also have to have the same sort of eyes. Big, black, glossy, staring eyes.
“Hello, Emma.” The mermaid spoke in a sing-song kind of haunting melodic voice.
Emma blinked. She hadn’t considered that mermaids probably didn’t speak the same way that humans do. Not wanting to seem rude, she sank into the sand beside the creature, admiring her long tail and glancing for a moment at her sparkling seashell bra. The mermaid had another shell in her hair for decoration; a kind of flat, colorful fan.