Six Points of Light:Hook's Origin Read online

  “Peter was smiling and had this huge branch with a knot on the end, swinging it about and screaming at us. He said that growing up was for cowards and doing grown-up things was the most cowardly thing of all. He told us that there was no going back, no leaving, and to think of it was treason. He said that Edward would be happy to see us all grow up. ‘Is that what you want?’ That’s what he kept asking, as if it was up to us, but it wasn’t.

  “We were so scared, we didn’t know what to do. Peter raised the branch up and brought it down on Edward’s head. It sounded like... Well, if you drop a brick on the pavement, something like that. Then Edward stopped moving. Andy stood up, and because only his hands were tied, he ran off. Peter screamed at us to go after him, but we were all so scared, we just stood there. Wendy couldn’t stop crying. Peter ran off after Andy but couldn’t find him. That’s what happens when you don’t go along with what Pan wants. That’s why most of us stayed. We just didn’t have another choice, if we wanted to live.”

  James was sickened by Michael’s revelation that Peter was now a murderous dictator ruling over these wayward Lost Boys. O’Malley looked absolutely stunned, and Tigerlilly hung her head.

  “What happened to Andy?” asked James.

  “Pan never got his hands on him. A group of boys said they wanted to go after him, and Pan allowed it. They never came back. Peter sent out a few scouts to track them, and it seems they’ve taken up sailing a skiff close to the coast. No one was allowed to go out for a long time after all of that.”

  James knew in his heart that every word Michael said was true. He pictured Wendy sobbing over Edward’s lifeless body and quickly turned his thoughts to other matters, lest he spring from the window and ring Peter’s neck with his bare hand… and hook.

  “We should probably rest before night falls,” he said.

  “That’s a very good idea,” agreed Tigerlilly.

  They all managed to find enough space in the cramped room to lie down, and, as they drifted off to sleep one by one, James thought about how that very night might bring with it the answers to his questions and maybe even an end to his pain.

  CHAPTER 19

  A REUNION

  James awoke before the others. It was almost time for the night watchers to come. He stood and walked to the open window where the viewing scope was perched. He steadied it and looked into the Lost Boys’ camp, which was now aflutter with torch lights. He saw boys milling around and noticed the steep drop off at the rear of the camp. A gray mist crept up from the void, and, judging by the salty smell in the air, he figured that was where the cove was located.

  He scanned the camp and saw that most of the boys were carrying bladed weapons tucked in their waists. They were all dirty, and none of them wore shoes. James tilted the scope to look up towards Peter’s quarters and what he saw nearly stopped his heart.

  There, in the open window, with the soft glow of candlelight outlining her familiar features, sat Wendy. She was looking out over the camp, her long black hair loose and wild. Her face was the picture of sadness, though not otherwise changed from the last time James had seen her.

  She sat with her chin resting on her open hand, and her eyes glistened in the light. She had been crying. James gripped the viewing scope’s barrel and tried to steady himself. She seemed like a dream come to life, even more beautiful than that image of her his memory held. He remembered how her hair smelled and the way her mouth turned up on one side when she was trying not to show him how happy she was to see him. He loved her, and she had loved him. He felt certain that those tears were not for him. Ten long years had passed, and it seemed as if time dragged on and on in this place. Did Wendy know it had been ten years? Had it seemed like that long, or had it seemed longer for her in this place where she was a prisoner?

  James stared at her lovely face through the scope. He would save her from Peter if he had to die trying, and he would not seek anything in return. Perhaps the sun had set on their opportunity to be together. He would give her back her life, even if it was a life in which there was no room for him. He turned and looked upon the sleeping figures of Tigerlilly and O’Malley. They had love; they had found each other again after a lifetime apart, and their love seemed strong. They had given him a home among their people there in Neverland, and James was thankful for that. If they made it through this, he decided in that moment to see Wendy off and make his life with the tribe. He couldn’t bear the thought of going back without her, and so Neverland would be his home.

  Tigerlilly stirred, and as she wiped the sleep from her eyes, she glanced at the sky.

  “Wake up, old man,” she whispered to O’Malley. He sat up groggily. “It’s almost time.”

  James tucked his trousers into his boots and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

  “You look like a proper pirate,” said Michael, who was also readying himself.

  “A pirate?” James thought about all of the paintings and etchings he’d seen of pirates in the countless books he’d read. He guessed Michael might be right, although he’d never heard of a pirate with a hook for a hand.

  O’Malley and Tigerlilly readied themselves, and as the sun dipped below the horizon, a long ear-piercing noise emanated from somewhere in the darkness.

  “They’re coming. When they get to the bottom, they will knock on the tree trunk. We must wait until one of them comes up. When he does, we will subdue him and then go down and take care of the other one.”

  James nodded, and they all crouched low in opposite corners of the room where the shadows were deepest and darkest. Their prisoner, still bound and gagged, lay on the floor.

  James pressed his back against the wall, and Michael took up a spot beside him. Quite suddenly, James heard the deafening sound of a stick colliding with the side of the tree. The sound reverberated up the trunk, and he clenched his jaw to steady the vibration that shook his entire body. There was a pause. Then came three more knocks.

  “You sleeping up there?” a voice called out.

  James felt Michael stiffen beside him.

  “What’s wrong?” James whispered.

  Before Michael could answer, he heard the sound of someone scurrying up the side of the tree. In the darkness, James saw a figure appear from the hatch on the floor and stand up in the darkened room. In the shadows, it was hard to make out his features. He turned quickly to one side and locked eyes with James immediately. James stood up and stepped forward. A strong sense of apprehension filled him, but he pushed it aside and reminded himself of why he was there. Tigerlilly sprang forward and clubbed the boy on the back of the head, knocking him out cold. As he lay sprawled out on the ground, James got a good look at him. It was John.

  James turned and looked at Michael, who seemed to be fighting back tears.

  “I’m sorry, Michael. I had to do it,” whispered Tigerlilly. She and O’Malley quickly bound John’s hands and feet and put a small piece of cloth over his mouth. “He will be all right. He’ll have a headache, but he’ll be okay.”

  Michael nodded but said nothing.

  O’Malley slid though the opening in the floor, and Tigerlilly slipped out after him. James heard a loud thump and then a high whistle. It was clear for him and Michael to descend. He lowered himself into the hatch and watched as Michael walked past his brother’s unconscious body. He kicked John’s outstretched legs, wiped the tears from his eyes, and followed James into the darkness below.

  At the bottom of the tree, a boy was gagged and hogtied with O’Malley standing over him menacingly.

  “Never thought I’d see this brute again,” said O’Malley. Clearly there was some history between him and the now-unconscious young man.

  “Let’s go,” said Tigerlilly.

  James and his companions set off into the woods. A rustling ahead caused James’s pulse to sputter.

  “It’s Quip. We’ll catch up with Katnai a little further ahead,” said Tigerlilly. As the two groups rejoined one another, James saw that one of the young men in Qu
ip’s group was bleeding from a large gash on his forehead.

  They traipsed through the undergrowth and joined up with Katnai’s group, staying absolutely silent as they approached the entrance to the camp.

  “When we get inside, stay close to the perimeter. We will work around to the rear of the camp and enter Pan’s quarters from the back,” said Tigerlilly.

  When they came to the fence, James saw that torches were alight every three meters on its uppermost edge. Tigerlilly held up four fingers in a signal to the other groups who then went in the opposite direction.

  Staying close to the fence and using the shadows as cover, James and his group made their way around to the rear edge of the fence which ended abruptly at the cliff face. He looked over the edge and saw a small cove below. The water was black and murky, and a mist crept up the cliff’s walls. In the water, James thought he saw something move: a quick flash of yellow and then green.

  “Whatever you do, do not go into the water,” said Tigerlilly. Her tone was ominous, and James had the distinct feeling that the height of the cliff had nothing to do with her warning.

  O’Malley looked up and surveyed the height of the wall. He then took from his satchel a length of rope, which he knotted on one end. He swung it round his head several time before releasing it. It flew up and was caught between two planks near the top of the fence. He pulled it to test its strength and seemed satisfied with it. Then he reached up and began to pull himself upwards, clenching the rope between his feet and shimmying his way to the top. He signaled for them to follow, and they each ascended the rope. Michael seemed to struggle a bit, so James followed him and gave him a boost. Once they sat atop the wooden fence, they repositioned the rope so that they could slide down on the opposite side. O’Malley climbed down first, and Tigerlilly followed.

  James grasped the rope and made his way down next, threading it through his hook to control his descent. It surprised him how helpful this new apparatus was. He’d thought at one point that it would be more trouble than it was worth, but each time he found a new use for the gleaming hook, he was certain that he had made the right decision.

  As James planted his feet silently on the ground, he looked up to see how Michael was coming along. Tigerlilly and O’Malley were pressed tightly against the wall. James watched Michael shimmy down the rope at a slow pace. Quite suddenly, he heard the clanging of a bell. It rang out in the relative quiet of the night, and he froze, holding his breath. Tigerlilly and O’Malley stiffened. Michael scrambled down the rope and joined James and the others on the ground. They heard hurried footsteps in the distance, and for a moment, James thought they’d been spotted. Tigerlilly drew a short blade from a holster on her hip and held it tightly.

  “They are headed away from us,” she said in a voice just above a whisper.

  The group swiftly made their way to the rear of the camp, walking single file along the fence. They crept up behind the gargantuan tree that held Pan’s quarters. As they approached its base, they saw that the boys who had been guarding the tree had left their posts. Tigerlilly hesitated.

  “What’s wrong?” James was eager to ascend the ramshackle staircase that ran up the length of the tree.

  “That bell is still clanging.” Her face was a mask of seriousness.

  James leaned in close to her ear. “Go see what is going on. I will get Wendy and meet you back at the fence where we came in.”

  Tigerlilly nodded and silently disappeared into the shadows in the direction of the clanging bell. O’Malley watched her until he couldn’t see her anymore.

  “Won’t you go with her?” asked James.

  “No,” said O’Malley. “She asked me to stay with you no matter what happens.”

  James began climbing the rickety staircase. It was constructed of odd boards and planks. Some of the steps were completely missing, and he had to push off one foot with a fair amount of force in order to propel himself over the gaps. It seemed as if the Lost Boys were gathering in the center of the camp, but James couldn’t be sure, as most of his view was blocked by the mammoth tree trunk.

  Finally, the three of them reached the top. A small bridge made from wooden planks spanned a gap in the branches and led to the door of Pan’s treetop abode. James felt his heart pounding. He had no idea if Wendy or Peter or anyone else would be inside. He turned his wrist so that the razor-sharp tip of the hook was poised to strike.

  He drew close to the doorway that was covered by a thick piece of cloth and pushed it aside, then he, Michael, and O’Malley entered the darkened room as stealthily as they could manage. O’Malley moved around to James’s left side and unsheathed his sword. Michael stayed behind James with his dagger at the ready, as well.

  The room was dark and silent. It was a good size, and, in the darkness, James could make out two hammocks slung between the exposed tree branches that ran through the room, a long wooden table, and shelves full of knick-knacks, jars, and books. The open window where James saw Wendy was now empty.

  “She’s not here,” said Michael, who was now choking back tears. James put his hand on Michael’s back.

  “We will find her I swear—” James was interrupted by a rustling noise at the rear of the room, near a towering bookshelf.

  He turned and drew up his hook, then he and O’Malley approached the bookshelf cautiously. Someone was in the room with them.

  “Who’s there?” asked James sternly. Could Pan be such a coward that he would hide in the darkness, hoping that no one would see him? Could he have known that James and the others were in his camp at this very moment?

  A soft whimpering came out of the darkness, and James felt his heart skip. Michael scooted around him and called out the word he himself wanted to say.

  “Wendy?”

  A figure stood up, still cloaked in shadow, and moved forward. The open window was illuminated only by the light of the moon, whose silvery slivers shone through. The figure stepped forward, and one of those slivers of light washed across her face.

  Her eyes were green like the frothy foam that sometimes floated atop the sea. Her black hair blended in seamlessly with the night air, and her dressing gown was tattered, her bare arms hugging her waist. Wendy.

  “Michael?” her voice rang out.

  James could not speak as he watched brother and sister embrace in a hail of tears and kisses. Wendy pulled Michael close and stroked his hair, breathing him in.

  “How did you get up here? Pan will kill us! We must leave now,” she said.

  Sad as she’d seemed, James saw that familiar fiery spark. It was still burning bright within her, despite all she’d been through. James still hadn’t said a word.

  “This is O’Malley. He’s helping us,” said Michael. Wendy threw her arms around O’Malley and hugged him tightly.

  “Thank you, thank you…” She trailed off, gently released O’Malley, and walked towards James. She stood in front of him, still as a statue.

  James had dreamed of this moment. There were times over the years when he had convinced himself it would never happen, and yet now, here they were. Standing less than a foot away from each other. James slowly raised his head. He looked into her eyes, and she inhaled slowly.

  “Can it be? Can it really be you?” she said quietly. Her voice was mellifluous, and James could scarce find words that seemed adequate.

  “Wendy, I—I’m so sorry,” he finally managed to say.

  Her entire frame was set aquiver as she stood before him. She raised a trembling hand and ran her fingers over the silvery scar on his cheek.

  “James…,” she said softly. Her voice was like the breeze on a warm summer’s day, and it breathed new life into James. He reached up and placed his hand over her fingers.

  He opened his mouth to speak to her, but before he could begin, her lips were on his, and she kissed him gently and wound her arms around his neck.

  All of the fears James had been harboring melted away, for in that kiss there was love and limerence and, most im
portantly, there was hope. He held her face in his hand and breathed her in.

  He was lost in her hair and her skin, and he felt the tears spill down his cheeks. Wendy turned her head and pressed her cheek into his chest. He clung tightly to her.

  “How long has it been, my love?” she asked.

  James hesitated. It was clear that he had aged and she had not, and so James was afraid to tell her the truth. “A very long time.”

  She lifted her head and studied his beard, the lines of his face. She then reached down and scooped up his hooked wrist.

  “And this?” she asked.

  James managed to smile effortlessly for the first time in what seemed like forever.

  “James, we must go,” said O’Malley.

  Just then, a small light zipped through the open window and flew directly into Wendy’s face. She batted the light away, but it returned and appeared to grab a bit of her hair, yanking it forcefully. Wendy cried out in pain.

  “Get off of her!” Michael hissed. He swatted at the light. It zig-zagged left and ran full force into Michael’s chest, knocking him back. He fell into the bookshelf, sending books and jars clamoring to the floor.

  The light zipped up and fluttered in front of James’s face. He saw that it was a fairy not unlike his red-headed friend. This fairy, however, had hair so blonde, it was almost white, and she was outfitted in a little green dress that looked as if it was stitched together from bits of different fabric.

  She flew into James's face in a blinding fury and then turned and set to pulling on Wendy’s hair again. James reached up and felt that his lower lip had been sliced open and was now bleeding quite profusely. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

  Suddenly, James heard shouting and running from somewhere below. He rushed to the window and saw a crowd gathering at the base of the tree.

  “They’re coming!” said James. He looked around desperately, trying to find another way out.

  Michael swatted the blonde fairy away from Wendy again, and it flew backwards, hitting the wall with a thud. It zipped up awkwardly and flew out of the open window. Wendy pulled Michael close.