Except One

To those who had never been to Neverland, and only visited it in their dreams, it was beautiful. It was an island where all your childhood fantasies could come true. It was on those beaches you could reinvent yourself and be whoever you wanted to be in that moment of time. But nothing would ever be able to prepare a person embracing their inner child for the utter beauty and adventure a first glimpse of Neverland could bring. The clouds that swirled around the colourful island were light and so fluffy they looked like you could eat them like candy floss. The sea that surrounded the land was a crystal blue and the white sun shone magic ripples over the surface and the waved tumbled against the beach with a series of whispers that were soft and delightful, full of promise and fulfilment

The joy of that first glimpse was denied for Regan as she lay limp and almost lifeless in Peter‘s strong arms as he flew carefully around the clouds and towards his home. Her damp dress was pressed around her body and she would shiver now and again as a chill ran through her frail form.

He landed as light as always, his mud splattered feet padded as light as a cat’s across the wooden floors of his tree house. He placed her as carefully as if she were made of china on his soft feathered bed.

He watched her a moment, resting his head on his hands, his head cocked to one side like an inquisitive puppy. His eyes raked down her form, light and innocent, hoping she would stay and be his new Wendy.

She was different than Wendy, who had been tall and strong. This girl, was smaller than he, as thin as a baby sapling and as pale as the morning swans that he plucked the feathers from for his bed. Her hair was ragged, and hung down her back in silvery waves that reminded him of mermaids under water.

She murmured something in her confused sleep, her tiny fists clenching and unclenching as if she were fighting someone off. Peter ran his hand down her cheek, brushing a piece of stray hair behind her ear and sat down to wait for her to wake.

~

It did not take her long. Regan rose from a dream consisting of her golden haired angel and blinked several times. Her fingers were clutched around the edge of a very soft pillow. Her throat hurt and her mouth was dry. She shivered, hoping he would not come for her tonight.

And then her vision cleared and she looked up at the room she was laying in. It was a circular room, made completely of a light wood. There were several trinkets, feathers and bells hanging from the ceiling and dream catchers hung above her head, slightly tickling her skin.

She shifted and then felt a heavy object beside her. She jumped, turning to see a boy her own age stir from her sleep, raising his head adorned with delicious gold curls where it had been resting close to her hand.

He smiled, and a lightness filled Regan’s heavy heart, as if that smile could erase all her worries, heal all her hidden pain. A light shone around the boy, as if he were an angel created by God himself. His blue eyes were clear, sparkling and full of innocence that proved his life had been good and just.

“W..who are you?” she whispered, her voice cracking.

The boy laughed in delight, shocking Regan. Happiness radiated off the boy, and it ran through her, like a strange bubble floating around her body.

The boy stood up, proving himself to be dressed in a strange tunic like top made of…leaves?
Regan frowned but the boy seemed not to notice, bowing slightly “My name is Peter Pan…”

Regan snorted loudly and scrambled from the bed “Nice joke…”

“Peter” frowned and he scratched his head “But I’m not joking…”

Regan gazed into his eyes, circling him, her bare feet slapping hard against the smooth floor “Then you are saying you’re Peter Pan…”

The boy nodded “Of course! Who else would I be…a codfish?”

Regan didn’t answer and gazed around the room, she drew closer to a table where a map had been drawn on a worn piece of parchment. She ran her hand over it, reading the name places, Mermaid lagoon, Hangman’s Tree, Indian Creek, Cannibal Cove….and in bold letters scrawled across the top was Neverland.

Regan stumbled back and shook her head “No…this isn’t real”

“Maybe you need to start believing” his voice spoke close to her ear, raising the hair on the back of her neck and she shrieked, turning around.

Peter floated in the air in front of her, looking like he was standing on an invisible chair. She looked wildly around for wires and then a small light flickered in front of her.

Tinkerbell came into view and gazed into the shocked girl’s eyes. She could see the hurt that lay in Regan’s soul, the invisible tear marks that tracked down her cheeks from all the times she’d cried, the countless bruises that had been inflicted upon her. This girl needed Neverland and Peter more than any Lost Boy ever had.

She tinkled softly, watching with small amusement as belief began to replace shock and she patted Regan’s nose with her miniscule hand. Tinkerbell led Peter out of the tree house, understanding Regan’s need to be alone and as his chatter faded away, Regan sank to the ground.

The sky darkened and as twilight descended, Regan shook her head softly. Surely her dreams hadn’t been answered, she hadn’t really been taken to Neverland. Regan looked out the window, towards the trees that surrounded her, and listened to the silence of the night.

She smiled slowly, she had been saved…