Neverland's Key

by R. V. Bowman

  Rommy pushed her fist against her mouth and felt tears prick her eyes. Finally, the boots moved off in a different direction. She let out the breath she was holding.

  “Oh, Papa,” she whispered into the darkness, “If only I could trust you.”

  Chapter 3:

  Making Plans

  Over an hour later Rommy determined it was safe to crawl out from her hiding spot. She had a cramp in her left calf and a crick in her neck. Alice and Finn were waiting for her as she straightened.

  “I never thought he’d leave,” said Alice. “I’ll say this for yer old man, he’s as stubborn as a mule.”

  Rommy gave a half-smile. “Yes, James Cavendish is nothing if not persistent.” She motioned with her hand. “Come on, we need to talk to Little Owl.”

  The trio trooped back into Little Owl’s home. Rommy found she could hardly look at the older woman, remembering how her father had behaved. Little Owl seemed to read her mind and came to stand in front of the younger girl.

  “Do not worry, Child. I am well,” she said. She smoothed a hand over Rommy’s hair, pulling several leaves from it. “I see you have been communing with nature.” She chuckled.

  Rommy’s cheeks reddened, but she smiled back. “Yes, I did spend some quality time with some brush tonight.”

  Finn straightened from where he had been slouching by the door. “I know everyone’s tired, but we need to figure out how to get that key.”

  Little Owl shooed them toward the fire. “Sit. You all look like you are ready to fall over,” she said. She pulled a jar from a shelf and poured liquid into several wooden cups. “Here, drink this and refresh yourselves. Then we will plan.”

  The three sat down on the soft blankets that Little Owl had placed there for that purpose. Rommy sipped the drink and found it cool with a minty flavor. After several swallows, a bit of energy seeped back into her, and she was grateful.

  Alice leaned against her and yawned. “I’m so knackered, I could sleep standing up in a broom closet,” she said. Rommy understood how Alice felt, but she pushed her own exhaustion away. They couldn’t wait to begin this quest, and none of them would get much rest until they finished it.

  She looked up at Little Owl who was in her rocking chair. The fairies, who had scattered when Hook and his men had arrived, had settled around the older woman. They glowed with their individual tints of color—amber, lavender, ice blue, and palest green.

  “I believe you will find Tinkerbell on the far west side of the island,” said Little Owl.

  Alice scrunched up her nose. “If nobody’s seen this fairy, how do you know where she is?”

  Little Owl smiled. “That is a good question. When Rommy was describing the nest, she said there was copper-colored bark. There is only one tree on the island with that color bark, and that is the Old Willow. And the Old Willow is on the far west side of the island on a finger of land called the Salt Marshes that juts out into the sea.”

  Finn grimaced. “That’s not good news,” he said, his mouth tight.

  “What do you mean?” asked Rommy.

  Finn pushed to his feet and began to pace, his drink forgotten on the ground. “The Salt Marshes are dangerous,” he said. “Not only are there boggy areas where people just disappear, but that’s where the grommins live.”

  “Grommins?” Alice lifted her head from Rommy’s shoulder and stared at Finn. “Don’t tell me it’s some plant thing that’ll try to eat us!”

  One side of Finn’s mouth lifted. “No, they aren’t killer plants.” The smile slid from his face. “But they are just as dangerous.”

  “Well, what are they?” Rommy asked.

  “They’re swamp cats,” said Finn. “They’re not big, but they have poison in their claws and their teeth. It makes you hallucinate, and if they get you, you’re a goner out there in the marshes.”

  Balo let out a huff. “As usual, you are uninformed, Boy,” he said. “Grommins are only dangerous if you bother them. In fact, they can be quite useful, if they’re of a mind. They can sense where the bogs are, and they can chase off will-o-wisps.”

  Rommy let out a strangled sound. “Will-o-wisps—what in the world are those? They don’t sound very dangerous.”

  “How you have not died yet is a mystery,” said the small fairy, shaking his head. “Will-o-wisps lead the unsuspecting into the bogs where they are swallowed up. Every marsh has them. They’re how it feeds itself.”

  Rommy made a face. “That’s... that’s horrible.” She shivered. “I never knew something like a marsh could be so...so...blood thirsty.”

  Balo rolled his eyes. “And I suppose you never eat meat?” He huffed out a breath. “Humans! They conveniently forget they are carnivores, too.”

  Heat climbed up Rommy’s neck. She’d never thought of it that way before. Alice poked Rommy’s arm.

  “This ain’t helping us find that key, and I can’t knock off till we figure things out.”

  “You’re right, Alice,” said Rommy. She turned toward Little Owl. “So, this Old Willow is in the Salt Marshes? If Tinkerbell has the key, and she’s as crazy and dangerous as everyone thinks she is, how in the world do we get her to give it to us?”

  “Tinkerbell left her fairy community because her heart was broken,” said Little Owl. “Peter Pan chose a human girl over Tinkerbell, and fairies can become very,” she glanced at the four fairies, “attached.”

  Nissa spoke up from her perch on the back of Little Owl’s chair. “Sometimes, a fairy will form a heart bond with a human. I believe this is what happened between Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. When Peter chose someone else over her, he broke that bond. This is a very serious injury to a fairy, one that can be healed, but only within the fairy community.” Nissa shook her head, sending her silvery lavender hair flying around her tiny face. “I fear what we will find in the Old Willow.”

  Rommy leaned toward the tiny creature. “How can we get Tinkerbell to help us? Or, if she won’t help us, how can we get the key away from her?”

  “It is a difficult task,” said Nissa. Her face creased in a frown. She looked toward Balo. “Do you have any ideas?”

  Balo shrugged. “Crazy fairies aren’t my speciality,” he said.

  Little Owl rose from her chair and went to a shelf on the far side of the room. She pulled down a box, rummaged around, and then pulled out something. When she had seated herself again, she opened her hand. In her palm were several sparkling beads in a rainbow of colors. “Perhaps Tinkerbell will be willing to trade,” she said.

  Little Owl dropped the sparkling stones into Rommy’s hand, who turned them over several times before pushing them into her pocket. As she shoved them down, her fingers brushed something crinkly. Frowning, she wiggled her hand a little deeper and touched what felt like leaves.

  Confusion clouded Rommy’s mind until suddenly, an icy wave of realization washed over her. They were the leaves Unilisi had given her when Rommy had been in the grove. She had had to run to get out before opening into the grove had closed back up. In her panic, she had shoved the leaves into her pocket. She hadn’t thought of them since.

  The room wavered in front of her, and she closed her eyes. Lobo’s last moments of life flashed in front of her. She could have used one of those leaves to save him, and she hadn’t.

  Her forgetfulness had cost Lobo his life.

  Chapter 4:

  Nighttime Conversations

  Rommy felt a touch on her arm, and her eyes flew open. Finn was looking at her with concern.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  Rommy jerked her hand out of her pocket and dropped her eyes, afraid Finn would see her secret.

  “Um, no, I’m fine,” she said. She gave a small smile. “I guess I’m just tired.”

  Finn gave her shoulder a squeeze. “We’ll be able to rest soon,” he said.

  He nodded toward Little Owl who had drawn a map that would show them where the Old Willow was located. They decided to leave at dawn after they all got some
much needed sleep.

  It didn’t take long until Little Owl had brought out more blankets for them and banked the fire. Alice’s head had barely touched the pillow before she was asleep. Finn’s soft snores weren’t far behind.

  But despite the exhaustion that seemed like a physical weight, Rommy’s eyes were wide open because every time she closed them, she saw Lobo dying. Her hand strayed back to her pocket, and she fingered the leaves again. A tear leaked out and traced a slow path down her cheek.

  My fault. Lobo is dead because of me. That thought kept running through her mind on an endless loop.

  In the dim light, she could see Little Owl moving around. She forced her eyes closed but her thoughts wouldn’t stop whirring. Her eyes opened again, and she let out a sigh.

  “Can’t you find sleep, Child?” Little Owl asked.

  “No,” said Rommy, sitting up, careful not to disturb Alice or Finn.

  “You carry a heavy burden on your shoulders. It is not surprising that sleep flees from you. Come, sit by me for a little while.”

  Little Owl sat on her own bed and patted a spot next to her. Rommy rose to her feet, tiptoed over, and plopped down. Little Owl put an arm around Rommy, drawing her head onto her bony shoulder, her hand smoothing the girl’s brown sugar-colored hair.

  “Now, what is weighing on you?” said Little Owl after a moment of silence.

  For a moment, Rommy was tempted to tell the older woman her secret. Surely, if anyone would understand, it would Little Owl. But fear clawed up and closed off the words.

  Rommy shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know,” she said. “I suppose it’s a lot of things, and I’m just so tired.” That, at least, was the truth. She looked into Little Owl’s kind eyes, and words flooded out. “When I came to Neverland, I just wanted to find my father. I didn’t expect all this.” She threw out her hand. “Now we must do this dangerous thing, and I can’t help but worry about Francie. If anything happens to her...or any of the others...I’ll never forgive myself.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “What if I can’t do it? What if... someone gets trapped here or someone else gets killed, like Lobo? It’ll be all my fault.“ A soft sob escaped.

  For a moment, Little Owl simply rubbed Rommy’s back. When she spoke, Rommy could hear the smile in her voice. “It’s not all up to you,” said Little Owl. “Whether the others choose to take the risk and come with you is their choice. You are not responsible for anyone’s death.”

  A fresh wave of tears spilled out. Little Owl didn’t know how wrong she was. The older woman hugged her close and continued speaking. “You will accomplish your goal. I have not met a young girl so strong and determined in my many years.”

  “But I don’t feel strong,” said Rommy, her voice catching. “I feel like I don’t have any idea what I’m doing, and I’m putting my friends into danger.” She swiped at the tears running down her face. “What if...what if I make a terrible mistake? What if I can’t do this?”

  “Oh, Child, we all make mistakes,” said the older woman. She clasped one of Rommy’s hands in her gnarled ones. “Don’t you see? Yes, you are leading this quest, and that has its own burdens, but you aren’t doing this alone. Your friends are with you, and when each of you fall down—which happens to us all—you will help each other back up. You are right. Alone you wouldn’t be able to do this, but you are not alone.” A soft, surprisingly young gurgle of laughter left Little Owl’s lips. “Unilisi would not have shown you how to close that passage if she did not believe you could accomplish it. And she believed that, not just because of the fierce warrior you are in here,” Little Owl pointed a bent finger at Rommy’s chest, “but because she saw the strength and bond between you and Alice and Finn and the fairies. I dare say she also saw the deep love you have for your father and the love he has for you—even if he struggles to show it in the way you need.”

  Guilt threatened to overwhelm Rommy, and she opened her mouth to confess, to tell Little Owl how mistaken Unilisi was, how some mistakes weren’t fixable. Then the thought of the older woman’s expression turning into horror trapped the words once more in Rommy’s throat.

  Little Owl cupped her cheek, a soft smile on her face. “I can see you doubt,” she said, “but you will see. You will see that Unilisi was right to choose you and your friends to fulfill this quest.”

  Rommy squeezed her eyes shut and hung onto those words, desperately wishing they were true. She wasn’t sure why Little Owl’s answer meant so much, but the older woman’s words felt like an anchor in a very choppy sea. The idea of leaving her behind when the time came made Rommy’s heart ache.

  Squeezing Little Owl’s hand, she blurted out, “You have to come with us. Don’t stay on this cursed island. Come back with us.”

  Little Owl pushed a lock of hair off of Rommy’s face, her smile sweet. “No, I am too old to leave this island now, and there is no place for me in your world.”

  “That’s not true,” Rommy said, shaking her head.

  “It is true. Do native peoples such as I and my son have a place in your society?” Little Owl’s tone was gentle, but her words were like sharp pricks.

  “Well...I don’t...that is... no, but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t have a place with us,” said Rommy, her words faltering.

  “I know you mean well, but there is no place for me as I am in your world, and I am too old to learn a new way,” Little Owl said.

  “But why did you come here to begin with? How did you ever learn about Neverland?” Rommy’s eyebrows lowered, her forehead wrinkling.

  “My father’s grandfather saw a wave of water, white as milk, crash across our lands. It swept away all of our villages, and our people disappeared under that relentless water. It is why our tribe came here, to save us and to preserve our way of life.” Little Owl shook her head, the smile replaced by a frown. “But as you can see, that only lasted so long. Unlike the children here, we age—more slowly, but we grow old. We get sick. We die. This is all that is left of my people, and we grow fewer every year. It is why Tiger Lily is so restless and her heart so willing to follow Peter Pan.”

  “But...but...I don’t understand,” Rommy said.

  Little Owl’s eyes were sad, and she shook her head. “None of the other tribes would listen to my great-grandfather.” She looked past Rommy. “My grandmother told me her father and the other tribes did not get along, and they did not trust him.” She shook her head again. “It is as my great-grandfather saw—all the people swept under that wave.”

  Rommy put her hand over Little Owl’s. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “But I wish you’d reconsider and come with us. We can make a place for you, and for Chief Hawk Eye. Surely people would come to look past the differences and learn how wonderful you both are.”

  “You are very young still,” said Little Owl. “People see what they want to see, and not always what is right in front of them.”

  Rommy threw her arms around the older woman who patted her back. Rommy noticed the pause before Little Owl spoke again. “Perhaps, though, my granddaughter is not too old to forge a new life, even in a difficult place.”

  Rommy drew back. “Tiger Lily?” she asked, her eyes wide. “Of course, she could come with us, I think. But...but...I don’t...well, that is I doubt she’d want to. Would she?”

  The smile was back on Little Owl’s face. “We shall see.”

  The older woman pushed to her feet and looked down at Rommy. “You should try to sleep now,” she said. “Morning will come too early, and you have a difficult task in front of you.” Seeing Rommy’s frown, she smiled. “But do not forget—you are not alone, and it is your bond that will give you all strength.”

  Rommy stood, and with a last hug for Little Owl, made her way back to her spot on the floor. She pulled the blanket up around her chin and determinedly pushed the guilt down deep. This quest was bigger than she was, and they needed to work together. That was why nobody could know about the leaves. She’d make sure she wouldn’t let anyone down again.<
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  Chapter 5:

  On Their Way

  FINN, ALICE, AND ROMMY alighted onto the scrubby grass, the fairies coming to hover around them. They were standing on the edge of the Salt Marshes, and the sun cast long shadows along the glistening ground.

  The group had left as the first rays of dawn streaked across the sky, coloring it in pinks and yellows. Little Owl had made sure they were well-supplied, and even Chief Hawk Eye had come to see them off.

  Their flight to the west side of the island had been uneventful but had taken much of the day. Rommy had spent most of the flight pushing away all thoughts of the silvery leaves that now felt as heavy as rocks in her pocket.

  To distract herself she had watched the landscape which changed the further west they flew. The tall, waving grasses gradually gave way to rockier soil covered in short scrubby grass with an occasional twisted pine tree poking toward the sky. The river that ran so straight and strong on the east end of the island began to slow as they got closer to the opposite coast. It branched off into small channels until it disappeared into the marshes in front of them.

  The group stared out across the boggy ground. Even with the sun still shining, there seemed to be a perpetual cloud of gloom that hung over the area. Rommy wasn’t sure what she expected, but she saw no sign of a copper-colored willow tree, and a trickle of unease crept up her spine. Just how big were the Salt Marshes, and what was in there?

  “Are we going to stand here all day, staring at a bunch of grass and water?” Alice asked. “I’m so hungry, my ribs is talkin’ to my back.”

  The spell of the marshes was broken, and Finn laughed. He reached out and yanked on one of Alice’s braids. “Leave it to you to think about food,” he said.

  “Well, ain’t you hungry?” asked Alice.

  “Yep, I sure am,” he said. “And we may as well eat while we talk about how we’re going to get to Tinkerbell.”