by Vera Strange
Bright sunlight glared down, momentarily blinding him. He struggled to catch his breath and blinked to clear his vision, then skated away from the school in a panic. He didn’t know why Hook’s ghost had vanished back there. The last thing he remembered was backing up against the wall under that clock. Then when he turned back, the pirate was gone.
But he didn’t plan to stick around to find out if Hook was coming back.
As he skated away from the school cutting back toward his cul-de-sac, the horror of what he’d found in the library rushed through him—the school pictures of him as a fifth grader, year after year after year. When he’d made his wish to stay a kid forever, that wasn’t what he’d meant.
Even worse, Hook’s ghost was still after him and wanted revenge. Clearly, he was growing more impatient, too. This time, Hook came after him in broad daylight in a public place. That meant that Barrie didn’t have much time left. It kept getting worse.
He had to find a way to make it stop. He had to reverse his wish.
But how was he going to do that?
He felt completely alone and lost. Usually, whenever he had a problem, he would talk to Michael and John. They were the Lost Boys. They always helped him, no matter what. Even in his books, the brothers solved mysteries together. They each had different skills and abilities. They needed each other to solve the cases. They couldn’t do it alone.
That’s when Barrie realized—I need my friends to help me.
Even if they don’t remember me.
Barrie cut back through the skate park, but his friends were gone. He hopped on his skateboard, heading for their cul-de-sac. He rode up to Michael’s two-story redbrick house, then slipped around back through the backyard, peering through his bedroom window.
Just as expected, Michael and John were hunched on the bed playing a video game, having sought refuge from the afternoon heat in the air-conditioning. Their skateboards lay abandoned by the door, along with their Vans. Candy wrappers littered the bedspread. Usually, Barrie would be there with them, and he felt a sharp pang over being left out.
I’m going to fix this, he thought. I just need to convince them to help.
With a deep breath, Barrie reached out and rapped on the door. Tat-tat-tat-tat-a-tat. He used their “secret code.”
Michael and John both startled. They paused the game and padded over to the window. Their eyes landed on Barrie. They didn’t look happy to see him.
“It’s that weird kid from the park,” John whispered. Michael slid the window partway open.
“How do you know the secret Lost Boys code?” Michael demanded.
“Yeah, have you been spying on us?” John added, his eyes narrowed.
Barrie took a deep breath.
“I know the code because I’m your best friend,” he said firmly. “I’m one of the Lost Boys, too. The code was my idea. I helped invent it.”
“What do you mean?” Michael said, glancing uneasily at John.
“Oh, please. Don’t start listening to him,” John scoffed. Then he scowled at Barrie. “Nice try, dude. But we don’t even know you—”
“Yeah, but you did know me,” Barrie said, plowing forward. “We used to do everything together! Only I made a terrible mistake. That’s why I’m here. I need your help. I don’t know where else to turn. You’re my only chance.”
“Come on, shut the window,” John said, rolling his eyes. “I wanna beat my high score.”
But Michael hesitated. His eyes darted to Barrie. “But he did know the code.”
“Yeah—and it’s not all I know,” Barrie said, seizing on the opening. “Remember how in kindergarten, you lost your first tooth during recess on the very first day of school? And I helped you find it?”
“That could’ve happened to anyone,” Michael said. “Just a good guess—”
“It was under the monkey bars,” Barrie went on, searching his memory for every detail. “We’d been playing chicken, trying to knock each other off. And when you fell, it popped right out of your mouth.”
John snickered. “He’s right. That was classic. I can’t believe we found it.”
“Yeah, but it was just us,” Michael said, nodding to John. “You weren’t there.”
“But I was there,” Barrie insisted. “You just don’t remember me. The tooth fairy brought you a whole ten bucks for your tooth. It was like a tooth fairy record. We spent it all on candy and comics. We were on a sugar-and-superhero high like all week.”
“Wait, how’d you know about that?” Michael said.
“Because I told you already…I’m your best friend,” Barrie said. Before they could doubt him, he recounted other memories from their years of friendship—secrets and details about their lives—things that only the Lost Boys knew.
John started to look afraid. “But how…is this possible? I’ve never even seen you before today.”
“Yeah, how can you know all of that?” Michael went on with a frown.
“Secret handshake?” Barrie said, reaching his hand out.
He knew this would seal the deal.
They hesitated, but then John shrugged, and Barrie’s heart leaped. They executed their secret handshake to perfection. “Lost Boys forever!” they chanted together. As Barrie slid his hands from Michael’s and John’s grips, he could tell that he’d won them over.
For now.
They all grinned, and if felt like old times. But then they fell more serious.
“But why don’t we remember you?” John said. “If you’re our best friend?”
Barrie unzipped his backpack and showed them the hook. It glinted in the fading daylight. “Because I stole this from the pirate ship at the maritime museum and made a wish to never grow up, and it worked…only it was a huge mistake.”
“Whoa,” John said, his eyes wide as he checked out the hook. “Pirate magic?”
“You didn’t want to grow up?” Michael asked.
“Well, I thought staying a kid sounded great—until it actually happened,” Barrie said. “Now everybody is growing up without me, and I’m stuck as a kid forever.”
“What do you mean?” Michael said. “Is that why we can’t remember you?”
Barrie nodded. “That’s what I think. Let me in, and I’ll explain everything. I have to find a way to make it stop.”
Michael hesitated. John looked worried. For a second, Barrie thought he’d lost them. He knew how crazy it all sounded, and he hadn’t even told them about Captain Hook’s ghost haunting him and wanting revenge.
But then Michael slid the window open and gestured for Barrie to climb in.
“Lost Boys don’t forget their friends,” Michael said in a firm voice. “If we can find a way to help you, then we’ll do it.”
“Yeah, if anyone can fix it,” John chimed in, “it’s the Lost Boys, right?”
As Barrie climbed through the window and joined his friends inside, one thought shot through his head: I just hope it’s true.
“It’s a long story,” Barrie said, settling onto Michael’s outer space comforter. Everything in this bedroom felt as familiar as his own house because he’d practically grown up here.
The paused video game flickered on the screen and lit up the room as the sun began its lazy summer descent outside, painting the sky bright pink.
John furrowed his brow. “Just start at the beginning,” he said slowly. “And don’t leave anything out. You never know when some detail ends up being important.”
“Okay, it all started right before my birthday,” Barrie said. “When my family took me to the maritime museum.”
“Your birthday?” Michael said.
“Yeah, the one you both forgot,” Barrie said, feeling a fresh wave of sadness. “But I’ll get to that part later.”
Then, before they could interrupt him again, Barrie told his friends everything, trying not to leave out any details. He told them about the trip to the museum and the boring tour of the pirate ship. How he’d thought it was like his mystery books, and he
’d snuck off and discovered the secret compartment with the hook and letter.
He told them about making his wish to never grow up and how it seemed great at first, even though everyone forgot about his birthday. But then his wish backfired horribly. He even told them about the yearbooks, and how he always stayed in fifth grade.
“Ugh, that does sound horrible!” John said. “Having Mr. Bates for eternity?”
“Yeah, one school year was bad enough,” Michael agreed with a shudder. “But staying in his class forever?”
“Yeah, I thought staying a kid forever would be great—but it’s a curse,” Barrie said. “I didn’t graduate. My best friends have forgotten me. And who knows what will happen next if I don’t stop it?”
Michael picked the rusty hook up off the bed. He ran his fingers over it, wincing when he touched the razor-sharp tip.
“So, you’re saying that this hook belonged to…Captain Hook,” Michael said. “Like the Captain James Hook.”
“Yes, I found it in his captain’s cabin,” Barrie said with a nod. “And the letter is signed by him…” he added, running his fingertip over the signature line on the parchment letter.
Michael cracked open his laptop and tapped on the keys, bringing up a portrait of Captain Hook. It was the same one displayed in the Jolly Roger. A fresh rush of fear crashed through Barrie’s chest at the sight of it. Hook’s beady eyes bore into him as if accusing him.
Bloody thief, I’ll have my revenge!
“That’s who it belonged to?” John said, flinching back from the screen. “Dude, bad life choice stealing from a scary pirate captain.”
Hook’s visage was terrifying even when rendered in a painting.
“Yeah, it says here that he was one of the most bloodthirsty pirates in history,” Michael said, reading off the website. “His exploits on the high seas were legendary.”
“Yup, I’m sure it’s him,” Barrie said, his voice wavering. He took a deep breath, knowing the next part was going to sound truly insane. “The thing is…he’s been haunting me.”
Michael looked up in surprise. “Like a ghost?”
“Yes, that’s what I think,” Barrie said. “I mean, he must have died a long time ago. His pirate ship is in a history museum. But I know I’m not imagining it. He’s really after me.”
“But ghosts aren’t real,” Michael said, biting his lower lip. “Plus, you said he can, like, affect things in the real world. He scratched your floor. He left that message on your door.”
“Yeah, that’s not very ghostly,” John agreed. “Sounds like a real pirate dude.”
Barrie shook his head. “But he’s hundreds of years old. There’s no way he could still be alive…he has to be a ghost. That’s the only possible explanation for what’s happening.”
“Unless…” Michael said, reaching for the parchment letter.
“Unless…what?” Barrie said, studying his friend’s face. He knew how Michael got when he’d hit upon a brilliant idea. He turned all quiet and pensive, just like right now.
Michael looked up from the letter. “Unless…he is still alive.”
“Wait, what do you mean?” Barrie said with a start. “That’s impossible.”
“Look here,” Michael said, pointing to the letter’s cursive script. “This letter you found says that the hook grants whoever possesses it the power to never grow up.”
“That’s right,” Barrie said. “And it works, too.”
Michael nodded. “Right, so what if it did the same thing to Captain Hook?”
“You mean, it made it so he stopped aging?” John said, catching on. “Interesting theory, Sherlock. That would explain how he could still be alive after all this time.”
“Yeah, and it would also explain why he’s so angry that Barrie stole his hook,” Michael went on. “I mean, aside from the poor aesthetics of walking around with a bloody stump.”
John snorted a laugh. “Not sure a hook is exactly fashionable.”
“Uh, it is if you’re a freaky pirate captain,” Michael said. “It’s practically required. Anyway, if Captain Hook doesn’t get that hook back, then he could grow old and die.”
“And soon,” John added. “That’s probably why he’s growing more impatient and attacking Barrie in public in the middle of the day. I bet his life is literally ticking away.”
“So, you think if I give the hook back,” Barrie said, processing it all and tapping the letter, “then Captain Hook will leave me alone—and it will also reverse the curse?”
Michael nodded. “Yeah, I think you have only one choice—you have to return the hook to Captain Hook’s ship. And you have to do it tonight. You can’t wait much longer. Not only is Hook growing bolder, but the curse also seems to be growing stronger, too.”
“Right, you don’t have much time left,” John added. “Who knows what could happen next? You could wake up tomorrow and your parents wouldn’t even remember you.”
“Yeah, and Rita,” Barrie said. They looked at him blankly. “My evil sister,” he reminded them. “Though, that might not be the worst thing.”
They all cracked up. Barrie’s eyes flicked over the letter and rusty hook, then back to his friends. Captain Hook seemed to stare at them from the laptop. Barrie shuddered.
“Think it’ll work?” he said, feeling the first flicker of hope in a long time.
“Well, what other choice do you have?” John pointed out.
“Yeah, exactly,” Michael agreed. His eyes darted to the hook lying on the bedspread. “The power to not grow up will leave you, just like it left Hook when you stole it.”
“You’re right,” Barrie said. “Also, if I give Hook what he wants, then hopefully he’ll leave me alone.”
Barrie stared at his friends in gratitude. He’d known he needed their help. He just couldn’t believe that he had waited so long to trust them with his problems. Despite all the terrible things that had happened to him since he stole the hook, Barrie felt almost normal sitting with his best friends, trying to solve a problem. This was what friends were for, right?
Not just the good times, but also the bad ones.
“Okay, that means I have to sneak back onto the Jolly Roger somehow,” Barrie said, thinking aloud. “I’ll have to get past the guards. It’ll be dangerous. If I get caught, then I could be in big trouble. I mean, I stole an artifact from a museum—”
“Don’t you mean…we?” Michael cut him off. “We could get in a lot of trouble.”
“Uh, yeah,” John added. “We’re not letting you go alone.”
“No way,” Barrie said, shaking his head. “It’s way too dangerous. Didn’t you hear what I said? I could get arrested. Not to mention Captain Hook is after me. I’d hate it if you got into trouble because of my bad decisions. Or worse…” He trailed off, feeling a stab of guilt.
But then Michael grinned and thrust his hand in the air.
“Aye, matey, sounds like an adventure,” he said in a cockney accent. “I’m in!”
“Lost Boys forever,” John added. But then he frowned. “But how are we going to get there? The maritime museum is all the way out at the marina. We don’t have much time left.”
“Yeah, we can’t exactly skate there,” Michael said. “It would take forever.”
Barrie frowned, racking his brain. He stared at the hook, remembering that one moment on the pirate ship—the moment he and his sister had bonded.
“Right, I’ve got an idea,” Barrie said in a determined voice. “Let’s meet in front of my house in an hour.” Michael and John shared a look.
“Ummm…where’s that?”
* * *
Barrie rode his skateboard home. His Vans scuffed the pavement, propelling him ahead. The sun was slipping below the horizon, casting his quaint cul-de-sac in shadows. All he heard was the faint call of the cicadas’ summer song and the familiar sound of his skateboard wheels.
But then, something else.
Thump. Thump.
Heavy footsteps. Coming f
rom the shadows.
Hook was coming for him.
Feeling a jolt of adrenaline, Barrie tensed up and skated faster. He sped across the cul-de-sac. The shadows cast by the fading sunlight seemed to stretch as if to grab him, but then their dark tendrils passed over him harmlessly. He strained his ears for those heavy footsteps.
A few minutes later—but what felt like an eternity—he pulled up in front of his house, then kicked up his board, snagging it by the end. His backpack hung on his shoulders. The hook was nestled inside, as always.
He hurried up to the front door, but then he reeled back in shock. A dagger stuck out of the wood panel in the center of the door, spearing an old piece of parchment paper.
His eyes scanned the letter. It was printed with jagged cursive.
Return my hook—or your family will perish!
Barrie tore the parchment down, his hands shaking. The dagger remained stuck in the front door. It looked ancient, like something that would’ve belonged to a pirate.
Barrie stared at the jagged cursive. He knew one thing with certainty.
It wasn’t just about him anymore. Now his family was in danger, too.
He didn’t have much time left.
“No way, Goober,” Rita said, not even looking up from her SAT prep workbook. “Carpool is torture enough.”
“Pretty please?” Barrie begged. “With a cherry on top? Just this one time. I need your help. I need a lift out to the marina to meet my friends.”
He wrung his hands. He’d stuffed the parchment letter in his pocket, but the words were seared into his brain.
“It’s late,” Rita said with a sigh. “Mom and Dad are working late. That means I’m in charge, and I’m not budging. I gotta finish this stupid exercise.”
“But I really need a ride,” Barrie said, trying to think fast. “I’ll make it up to you. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
Finally, she lifted her head. She frowned when she actually saw him.
“What’s got you so jumpy? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”
“Uh, I just really need a ride,” he said. “Come on, please just help me out.”
He couldn’t tell her about Captain Hook. There was no way that she’d believe him. He remembered his mom’s reaction at the museum. Rita would be worse.