Second Star

Another Adventure...

Second star to the right and straight on til morning...

As Wendy sat in the window seat staring out at the London skyline, her head leaned back against the sill staring out at the midnight sky she often imagined what it would be like to be anywhere but here. Her brothers John and Michael came bursting through the connecting door which lead to the nursery that she had recently moved from the week prior. "Wendy! Wendy! Tell us a story please." She didn't turn her head. Like always her parents were out at some social event, leaving her and their dog Nana in charge of her younger siblings. "Not tonight Michael. I'm far too tired, perhaps tomorrow." John placed his arm behind Michael leading him back towards the nursery, "Come Michael, we mustn't bother Wendy she is far too busy and far too old to remember any interesting tales that might intrigue us." Wendy smiled, still not looking back at her brothers so they wouldn't see her smile. She knew what John was doing, he was trying to convince her without actually coming out and saying it. Wendy wouldn't fall for it this time. "Goodnight boys." John's smirk faded from his rose colored face, feeling defeated as he thought his plan hadn't worked this time. "John she didn't fall for it. Your plans always work, why isn't Wendy going to tell us a story?" She slightly turned her head intrigued to know what his answer was, "Well Michael my plans don't always work out so it seems. Guess we'll try again tomorrow night." Wendy turned around in her seat and faced them as Michael let out a heavy sigh. "Would you prefer indians or pirates?" Both boys turned around quickly with cheesy grins on both their faces, "Pirates!" As they gathered at her feet near the window seat that was still left open, Wendy began to think of an adventure to entertain her brothers. "Very well, I suppose you all know Captain Hook. Have you heard about the time he lost his hand to the crocodile?" They shook their heads no, Wendy smiled knowing they were lying, they had heard the tale a million times. "Well it was a bright day just like any other," she began. "Wait!" shouted Michael. "The shadow isn't here yet, we can't start the story." Wendy looked at her younger brother confused, "The shadow?" "Yes, he comes here every night to listen to story time, but tonight he isn't here. So we have to wait." Wendy shook her head disapprovingly, "Michael I didn't want to tell you both a story tonight to begin with, so either we start the story now or I won't be telling one at all. I simply do not have time for us to wait for your imaginary friend to arrive." Michael got up from his seat, storming off back into the nursery; "Then I guess we won't be getting a story, because it won't be the same without him." Wendy considered going after him, but decided perhaps this was something her younger brother needed to go through in order to grow up. "Why couldn't you just wait for his imaginary shadow friend Wendy?" She turned her attention to John, "Because Mother and Father will be home in an hour if not sooner, and they expect the two of you to be in your nursery asleep." John nodded, "Well I better go check on him and head to bed then. Thank you for the beginning of the story Wendy." Once more she nodded as she got up from her seat leading him back to the nursery leaning against the doorway as John climbed into bed, and Michael pouted into his pillow. "Goodnight John. Goodnight Michael." "Goodnight Wendy," John responded before turning to Michael to see if he would say something before Wendy left, giving his sister a half smile after a moment or two of silence. Wendy closed the door, heading to her book shelf to pick up a copy of her favorite book to read in the window before bed.

"You mustn't be so hard on them Wendy, having an imagination is an extraordinary thing to have. As I recall it wasn't too long ago my beautiful daughter came bursting into my room each night to tell me tales from extraordinary places that no one has ever been." Wendy sighed closing her book partially as her fingers held her place, "Yes but I never spoke of shadows listening to bedtime stories Mother." Her mother walked in the rest of the way into her room sitting opposite of her daughter on the window seat moving her gown to cover both their feet, "That's true. You never spoke to me of shadows, but you did have a fairy friend. Bell I believe her name was, and you always insisted that she lived in your doll house when she came to visit." Wendy smiled, "Bell always did love my stories. But eventually she did stop coming to see me and listening to my stories." "Fairies always do tend to disappear once you start to grow up. Just remember my darling, sometimes its alright to stay a child, even if its just for a little while longer." She nodded considering what her mother was telling her, "Yes well tell that to Father next time the boys want a story and he hears about it." Her mother got up from the window placing a kiss on Wendy's forehead, "Well we'll leave your father to me, shall we?" She winked leaning against the doorway upon exiting, "Get some sleep my darling, we have tea with your Father's mother tomorrow at Brunch." With that her mother was gone, and Wendy got up putting her book on her bedside table climbing into her big canopy bed sliding beneath the covers, letting herself slowly drift into a deep sleep.

That night she dreamed as though she could feel her body soaring through the London air, landing on the small hand of Big Ben before locating the second star and flying onward to Neverland. All she could see was the vast ocean and the smell of salt tickled her nose. Mermaids playing games in Mermaid Lagoon laughing as they splashed each other with their tails. The Indians roasting fresh meat from their recent hunt, while others danced around the camp fire chanting in thanks to whatever Gods they believed in. Finally she came upon the big oak tree where the lost boys made their home, she wondered if they could see her or even sense that she was nearby. Each lost boy was curled up in their bunks snoring lightly as Peter played his flute as if entrancing them into a peaceful slumber. Wendy perched on a nearby bed watching as Peter continued to play. He had grown up so much in the past few years, but then again so had she. His green/hazel eyes held sparks as as the fire danced to his music. Wendy never understood how they maintained a fire pit in their hiding place, but she also never questioned the way things worked in Neverland when she was younger. No Wendy had no problem believing when she was a few years younger, in fact she held onto Peter's words as if nothing else mattered. Wendy watched as his lips pressed softly onto the flute and blew a bit before an elegant melody came out filling the air around him. It wasn't long before Wendy noticed her eyes drifting close as the music danced in the air to her ears and placed her into a deep slumber once more.

She awoke to being smothered by Nana's wet tongue across her face, as if giving her a wake up call. Normally she wasn't so startled as this was an every morning routine, but seeing as Wendy didn't get the best sleep the night before due to a light shining in her window. She assumed that light came from her neighbor across the way who decided to stay up for some late night reading. On top of that England must've experienced large gusts of winds as her windows shook for a decent amount of time as well.

Breakfast in the Darling household was the same as it always was; Mr. Darling read the morning paper, while Mrs. Darling fussed over feeding John and Michael, and Wendy sat at her normal place secretly sneaking strips of bacon beneath the table to the ever doting Nana. As Mr. Darling flipped the page of the Sunday Paper, he glanced over to see Wendy's hand underneath the table before redirecting his attention back to the business section. "Wendy do not feed the dog from the table," quickly she withdrew her hand from Nana sliding back on top of the table where her parents could see them. "Did you mention to the children the plans for their education, Mrs. Darling?" Mrs. Darling turned from facing Michael placing her napkin on her lap, fixing her own posture, "Not yet dear I was waiting until we were together to mention it to them." Mr. Darling folded his paper, taking his napkin to wipe his heavily mustached face before clearing his throat; "Right, well we have decided that come next term, that Wendy will be sent to St. Agatha's School for Girls. There she will get herself an education that will be suitable for her to run her own household one day whenever she decides to marry. Aside from that, the boys will be moved into separate bedrooms and receive tutors for their own education."

His words were like a slap to a face, honestly Wendy couldn't find the words to describe how she felt, let alone words that could find the strength or courage to come out. Before the words could form into a sentence, John stood up abruptly, "And when did you both think this would be a good idea? I like sharing a room with Michael, and when exactly is the next term? Why does Wendy have to be sent away, all she does it is take care of us while you and mother gallivant  around town at various banking events." Mr. Darling's expression turned serious as he placed his napkin upon his lap, "John you are out of turn young man. The idea of you children's education is very important to your mother and I and we took a great deal of time and effort to find reasonable yet suitable accommodations for each of you children. It has come time that you boys start behaving like young man, no more tales of far away lands, and non-sense places, like pirates and Indians. As for Wendy, school will begin for her in two weeks time, til then she can spend her days packing her belongings and helping move you out of the nursery." Michael threw back his chair darting from the room as he wiped his tear stained cheeks. Mr. and Mrs. Darling did not leave from their spots as if they had already knew something like this was going to happen. With that being said Wendy gently pushed back her chair placing the napkin on the plate, "May I be excused?" Mr. Darling nodded in approval allowing Wendy to make her leave and go check on her baby brother.

When Wendy found Michael, he was laying on under his bed on his stomach crying into his teddy bear that he had always been attached to. "Wanna talk about how you're feeling?" she asked. He shook his head. "Well I know that change isn't always fun and games, but Father is only doing what he thinks is best for each of us. You honestly think I'm happy about going to St. Agatha's?" Michael looked down at the carpet in the nursery shaking his head once more, "No I don't think you're happy about it. Maybe if you didn't act like an adult all the time, Father wouldn't try to send everyone away and change everything for all of us." His words hurt. Wendy didn't try to act like an adult, just as she turned 15 years old she had certain tasks and obligations that she was expected to uphold, but of course she didn't expect John or Michael to understand that. At least not at their age. "Well I guess I will leave you be, but if you need to talk then you know where to find me." Michael sighed, "Yea at least for another two weeks." Wendy lowered her head as she left the nursery closing the door behind her slumping down to the floor, and leaning her head back against the wood trying not to cry. She simply didn't know what to do.