Keeping Fantasia: The Third Book of the Fantasia Series

Chapter 54: Neverland Misadventures - The End of Time

Chapter 54: Neverland Misadventures – The End of Time

(When: Somewhere in Time)

Wendy was crying when Jim clambered onto the Second Star. The sound cut him to the bone. It was unforgiving that a child could feel such pain.

Wendy was fighting Peter, trying to get away. She started pulling so forcibly, Peter eventually let go, unable to maintain his hold without hurting her. Still crying, Wendy ran towards the bulwark. Jim intercepted, but Wendy backtracked, stumbling into Ariel.

Ariel stopped Wendy before she fell. Terrified, Wendy looked up. Then she curled into Ariel's embrace, sobbing for her mother.

Ariel was surprised, but she hugged Wendy back.

"Wendy?" Ariel stroked Wendy's hair. "Honey it's okay. You're safe now, we're going home! Jim knows how to get us through the Black Hole. We're going home, we're –"

Ariel looked helplessly at Peter and Jim. Wendy was holding her for dear life, but otherwise, she was inconsolable.

"Wendy?" Ariel ventured, "Sweetheart, please stop crying. Tell me, what's wrong?"

"She doesn't remember anything!" Peter hovered over Wendy, shielding her from the snow. "She only remembers bits and pieces, but she thinks the memories are bad dreams!"

"But Peter, she's sobbing! What happened back there? Is she hurt?"

Peter was grim. "Hook just killed her mother."

Wendy shook her head against Ariel's chest. Choking on tears, she wished over and over again for her mother.

Jim knelt. Wendy recoiled as he took her hand.

"Wen," he said, "Wendy listen to me –"

"Jimbo!" Silver shouted over the whistling snow. He pointed wildly toward the mainland. "Hook! Maleficent! They're comin'! Get yer sorry bum over here before they reach the Jolly Roger and release all Hell upon us!"

Jim peered through the snow. He saw two smudges on the shoreline – Captain Hook and Maleficent morphing into a dragon. 

"Shit!" he breathed, racing towards the helm. The Second Star pitched as he ran. "Peter set the sails! Get ready to gun the engines! Ariel stay with Wendy, don't let her out of your sight! Maleficent is alive, she might try to pick us off! Silver, where's the Jolly Roger?"

"Two points abaft the beam, starboard side!"

"How far?"

"A nautical mile if it's any, but a dragon will fly faster than a galleon Jim!"

"Doesn't matter." Jim seized the helm. "We've got the windward advantage. Okay Peter, PUNCH IT!"

Peter dove down the mast, snapping open the sails then drawing them tight. As the sails filled with wind, he swept under the pixie dust engines and wrenched the throttles to full power.

The Second Star roared into the sky. Maleficent and Hook followed from the shore, and the Jolly Roger followed from the sea, but the Second Star caught the wind for a faster launch.

However, their advantage was short-lived. The snow turned into a blizzard. Within seconds, the Second Star was lost in a silver storm.

"We're going nowhere Rattail!" Peter braced the wheel, helping Jim control the flailing ship. "This storm is turning us in circles! Eventually, we're going to ram into Maleficent or Captain Hook!"