Can You Fly?

Chapter One

Wendy Moira Angela Darling had always had a taste for adventure. She was one of those girls who always wandered just a bit too close to the edge of the window, just a bit too far out into the street, and just a bit too loud during church.

Her younger brothers, while not so adventurous, wished themselves to be just like her. They stood on the edge of the window, but not too far out. They never wandered into the street, and they hardly ever raised their voices during church.

Naturally, being as adventurous as she was, when a strange boy's shadow flew into her nursery, she hardly flinched. She simply tucked it away in a drawer and waited for the owner to come claim it.

A few nights later, the owner did come. A boy by the name of Peter Pan, with his loyal companion Tinker Bell by his side.

"Tink, you look around in here and I'll go find something to stick the shadow with." Tink nodded, always dutiful to her beloved Peter.

Upon the sound of Tink's chiming, Wendy sat up in bed. Seeing a stranger in her room did not frighten her, for she rightly assumed that he was the owner of the shadow.

"Hello, boy. I kept your shadow safe in the drawer for you."

Peter froze when he saw she had awoken, and dropped the soap he was holding. Wendy laughed, the sound almost identical to Tink's bells.

"Were you going to try to stick your shadow back on with soap? Why, that's silly. It'll need sewing. You wait here."

She didn't have to tell him twice, for he was petrified. He had never met a girl before, aside from Tink and...

"I'm back! Thank goodness mother keeps the sewing supplies so close. Now you sit down." When he didn't move, she crossed her arms and looked down her nose at him, the same way her mother did when she wasn't doing as she was told. "I said sit down, young man."

Peter blinked away his fear and sat down, muttering to himself.

"I'm not a man. I'm a boy."

"I'm afraid I can't understand you when you mutter like that. Mother says a true gentleman and a true lady should always enunciate their words. It makes it easier to understand what we're saying. She also says that ladies should be quiet and demure, so I'm not sure which is true."

"Well I'm not a gentleman. And you talk too much." Peter muttered again, slightly louder now. Wendy scoffed.

"I would assume you'd be politer, since I did keep your shadow safe and am sewing it back on for you. By the way, I'm done."

Peter stood up and tested it out. It was perfect! His shadow stuck to his feet and didn't even think about budging. He was so busy being happy that he almost forgot about Wendy.

"How does one manage to lose their shadow, if I may ask?"

Peter crossed his arms and put on a smug look.

"I did not lose my shadow. I simply... misplaced it."

He began to fly around the room, testing the limits of this new method of keeping his shadow on. Wendy gasped.

"You can fly? Could you teach me how to fly?"

Peter landed softly and looked into Wendy's eyes. He stood so close to her that her breath caught in her throat. He had the most beautiful green eyes, and a shock of red hair stood out beneath his green cap.

Peter looked straight into Wendy's eyes, and his breath caught in his throat. In her eyes he saw something of which he had looked for so long, he almost forgot he was looking for it. He knew that she had to be the one, the one who could save them.

"I'll teach you to fly." He whispered, "But only if you promise to come home with me. To Neverland."

Wendy didn't need to think twice about it. For once, she would wander right off the window ledge, she would raise her voice as much as she wanted without a scolding from mother, and she would fly, really fly!

"I'll come with you." She said. Peter grinned, and she noticed a gap between his two front teeth.

"Alright. All you need to do is think of the happiest thought you can think of. Concentrate on that one thought, the happiest thought that has ever been thunk."

"I'll think of when you first flew in through my window."

She thought so hard about that one thought, and though she didn't feel it, Peter saw it. Her feet lifted just the slightest bit above the ground. His face lit up. She truly was the one.

His cries of glee woke Wendy's brothers, Michael and John. Sleepily, they blinked and saw the strange boy. They were scared for only a moment, until they saw their sister was as brave as always.

"Oh, Peter, can Michael and John come with us, too?" Wendy pleaded. Peter hesitated. He didn't see in their eyes what he had seen in Wendy's, but he was desperate to get Wendy to Neverland. He would do anything.

"Alright. But you must hold on to their hands tightly."

Wendy nodded eagerly.

"Do you understand, Wendy? Do not let go of their hands, no matter what."

Peter led the children, hand in hand, to the window ledge. Tink, knowing what could happen, hovered just outside, covering her eyes with her tiny hands. Peter hovered just next to her, watching intently.

"Alright boys. Focus on your happiest thought." Wendy instructed. Then, with no fear, and holding her brothers tightly, she took a step off of the window ledge.

For just a moment, she thought she was falling, and for the first time in her life, she was afraid. But she did not open her eyes.

After a moment of falling, she soared, hand in hand with her brothers.