Giving Fantasia: The Taking Fantasia Sequel

Chapter 63: Stranger with a Scimitar

Chapter 63: Stranger with a Scimitar

"Shadow please come out."

Jim listened to Wendy from the hall. Following their pirate misadventure, Peter's shadow had cried itself under the bed and out of Wendy's reach. Hiding in the darkness, it hissed angrily whenever she ventured underneath to apologize. Once it stung her with an unhappy memory – the unhappy memory that Jim glimpsed at sea.

The unhappy memory, Jim dreaded, that involved Peter.

As Wendy called the shadow, Jim stewed outside her door. Long, orange sunrays burned the hallway. It was late afternoon and Jim's third attempt to approach Wendy since their return home. Upon arrival, Wendy had chased the shadow to her room. Jim had followed her with the intent of interrogation but Wendy had closed the door, making clear talking was not an option.

Wendy was in fragile spirits. Jim was sure  further confrontation would make her cry, so he had begrudgingly postponed the discussion in favor of controlling his own emotions.

Controlling his emotions. Yeah. Right. It had been a day-long endeavor, and Jim was losing.

He'd tried everything to keep calm. But nothing worked. He kept thinking. He couldn't stop thinking.

There were so many problems on his mind but not one had a solution. Jim could only fixate on one dilemma, then switch to the next when it became too exhausting.

It was excruciating. Jim worried about the Vikings – what were they scheming?  He worried about his mother – after tomorrow would he ever see her again? He worried about Ariel – were they being reckless trying to fulfill her wish? He worried about Peter -- what did that stupid jerk want with Wendy? He worried about Wendy – what for the love of god was she keeping a secret ?

And he worried about Sinbad.

Jim tensed. The mere thought of his father was poisonous. It made him sick.

Why? Why the Hell had Sinbad returned? He left once. Why didn't the son of a bitch just keep the fuck away?

Jim fumed inside his memories. Ransacking Sinbad's boat had felt awesome. Jim had never been so emotionally stimulated. But...

But when Peter's shadow attacked and Jim relived the memory of Sinbad's abandonment...it was like Sinbad had the last word. It wouldn't have mattered if The Princess sunk. It wouldn't have even mattered if Wendy knocked Sinbad cold with her 'left hook.' 

Sinbad was inside Jim's head. And he would always be his father.

Heavily, Jim turned inside Wendy's room. Earlier, Ariel had criticized him for acting like Admiral Triton. She'd advised him to be Wendy's friend, not her father. 

Well, Jim had met Wendy's father, and Mr. Darling was filthy as Sinbad.

In fact, of all the fathers Jim knew, Admiral Triton was the best. Jim didn't like the admiral but he did respect him. Personal conflicts aside, Admiral Triton was a good father. He did everything to keep Ariel safe.

Drearily, Jim joined Wendy. As he watched her implore the shadow, he had to admit: he and Admiral Triton weren't that different. They were actually quite similar. Damn it.

"Shadow please." Wendy adjusted on her side. Nosing under the bed she probed a dark corner, feeling for the shadow. "I am so sorry. But the scars won't heal if you don't let me – ouch!"

Jim heard the shadow hiss. Jumping in pain, Wendy yelped as her head wacked the wooden bedframe.

Jim reached.