Serenity

(Josie Sayz: At the moment of posting this, I haven’t read it through a billion times and found all of the typos/mistakes yet. I just really wanted to post it as soon as I finished it. It may be 5,344 words of nothingness to anyone who reads this, but it is everything to me. I know it’s no where near the best thing I have ever written. It just helped me get some things off my chest. I didn’t want them to eat away at me anymore, especially not when my mental health really is the best it has ever been. I also felt like I wanted to write something with the mention of the current, global pandemic slotted in – I’m not sure why, but it just felt the right thing to do. Originally, I wanted to call this piece ‘Seren & T’, but when my phone autocorrected it to ‘Serenity’ as I was making notes, so I didn’t forget things, the piece kind of formed its own path. Wishing you well KB.)

The clip-clop of her heels echoed through the silent street. Holding her head up high, a smile etched on her face. Shoulders back, her arms swung at her sides, wafting against the billow of her dress. ‘Another good day,’ she beamed to herself. She had changed a lot in the last few months. Her usual hunched back and lowered head had been replaced with her new posture. Just months ago, her insides would have knotted at the thought of looking around at her surroundings. Wrapping her arms tight around herself, Seren’s sight would have shifted from the feet pacing around her. Even around the office, she would lower her head from her fellow colleagues and scoot out of the corridor as fast as she could, to avoid engaging in conversation. Now, she bounced down the road with a spring in her step, beaming back at the world.

Shuddering out of her daydream, reminiscing of how shy she used to be, and revering her newfound confidence, Seren gripped the heart shaped locket that hung from her neck. Her eyes widened. She stumbled to a halt as a person appeared from around the corner, jogging towards her. Edging towards the curb, Seren threw her head over her shoulder. Silence in both directions. No traffic to be seen, she stepped into the road and continued her walk. “Thank you,” nodded the jogger, wearing a facemask, as they passed.

“You’re welcome,” Seren sang back with a smile. Hopping back onto the pavement, a warm flutter tingled in Seren’s stomach. People were more polite of late. It was as though everyone had remembered their manners and all it took was a global pandemic.

Over the last couple of months, severe changes had occurred throughout the entire world, regarding how everyone socially interacted. The large crowds that caused Seren’s chest to tremble, as she clung to the side lines, with her eyes rapidly flickering as she scanned the mass of bodies for safe ways to pass, no longer congregated. Meetings of no more than two people from the same household were prohibited, unless social distancing of two metres was in place – and even then, you could only meet up with one person. The face mask that hooked over the ears of the jogger, who past her by, hiding their mouth and nose from view, had become the social norm. Protecting yourself and those around you from the spread of the virus had become the world’s number one priority.

Sliding her locket along her necklace chain, her brow furrowed. Vibration buzzed against her back. “Great,” she sighed aloud to herself. Slipping the strap off her right shoulder, she swung her backpack around to her left side. ‘If this is Carmen again, I already told her I’ve left the building,’ she fumed, returning her mind back to the office, as she rummaged in her bag for her phone. A puff of air escaped her as she grabbed her mobile, swinging her bag back onto her back. Pressing her thumb into her phone’s screen, her heart stopped. Her feet froze. Rooted to the spot, her stomach spiralled. It was text message from her ex-boyfriend: “Want to meet for a safe, social distancing walk around the park at 5pm? I’ll wait 5 minutes. T.” A tingle shuddered down her back. Her heart hammered at her chest. Her stomach spiralled in a circumbendibus.

‘Tommy?’ she frowned, her mouth open. ‘It’s been six months…’ Lowering her phone from her face, Seren’s mouth remained a gap as she continued her walk. ‘He’s ignored me for six months. I’m in a really good mindset and now this.’ Swinging her backpack around to her side, Seren stuffed her phone back inside. She sighed to herself as she readjusted her bag’s straps on her shoulders. Taking in a slow, deep breath, she straightened her back and her smile returned. ‘Maybe he’s finally returning the explosion photo box I made him.’ Her eyes dropped to the floor and she forced the right corner of her smile to prod into her cheek. ‘Or maybe he wants to tell me he and his new girlfriend are engaged already.’

Sighing, Seren gripped her biceps as her pace slowed. Images of Tommy pushed their way to the front of her mind. Her intestines knotted. A lump lodged in her throat. Her vision blurred. “You’re a nice girl, Seren,” he said, as he loomed over her. Lowering her sight from his, she gazed at his feet. “But I just don’t feel anything towards you.” His voice blunt, his words stung. Her heart crashed against her ribcage. He shrugged at her, as her sparkling eyes stared back at him.

Forcing a swallow, she shook her head in attempt to throw the memories from the front of her mind. She sniffed, her eyes stinging. Arching her head over her shoulder, she scanned her surroundings. The street was deserted. Slowing her walk to a halt, Seren closed her eyes, inhaling a shaky breath. Her shoulders relaxed. Releasing a blow of air, the thumping in her chest slowed. ‘Whatever he wants,’ she told herself as she inhaled another breath. ‘I won’t let him knock me back.’ Opening her eyes, she straightened her back and continued her clip-clop down the street.

*

Slamming the front door closed behind her, Seren’s mind buzzed as thoughts swirled around. A heavy weight hovered above her brow. She ignored it, as she locked her front door. Slipping her keys into her black and white, polka dot, mini satchel, Seren took a deep breath. Her heart thudded in her chest. Clasping a hand around her locket, her smile returned.

Clip-clopping down the road, her intestines swirled. Her palms grew sweaty. A lump lodged in her throat. ‘What’s the matter with me?’ Seren sighed. Huffing out a puff of air, she clenched her teeth. ‘Why am I so anxious all of a sudden?’ Taking in a shuddery breath, she slowed her pace. ‘And why now? Tommy broke up with me six months ago. He hasn’t spoken to me since… I’m finally feeling okay again.’ Seren fluttered her eyes closed as she inhaled a slow, deep breath. ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ she chuckled to herself with a shrug. ‘It’s not like he can break my heart again… and I know he’s with someone else. Whatever his reason,” she decided, “it’ll be nice to see him again.’

Reaching their usual meetup place, a smile prodded into the corner of her mouth. She gazed out over the sunlit park. Beams of light shone through gaps in the trees. As the wind blew, the light danced around her. She smirked, plonking herself down on the bench in the entrance way. Gazing out over the grass, the racing in her chest slowed. Blades of grass swayed in the gentle whistling of the wind. There was no litter in sight. No people. No dogs. As a bee buzzed nearby, branches rustled behind her in the breeze.

Popping open the flap of her polka dot bag, Seren dug out her phone. A soft hum escaped her as she reread through Tommy’s message. Her eyes flickered to the time, at the top of the screen. It was five o’clock. Glancing around, Seren’s sight skimmed her surroundings. She was alone. Prodding her thumbs into her screen, she typed, ‘Seren n T.’ Her brow puckered as it autocorrected to, ‘Serenity.’  Smirking to herself, Seren shook her head.

“Someone’s got you smiling,” sang a male voice to her left.

“Tommy!” she gasped, stuffing her phone into her bag, as her heart crashed against her ribcage. Letting out a nervous laugh, she bounced up from the bench as he approached her. “Hi.”

“You look really nice,” he told her with a soft smile, as he looked her up and down. Her black and white polka dot dress clung to her petite frame. Seren’s blushing hue brought a smile to Tommy, as her rosy cheeks brightened her complexion. “Then again, you always did dress nice.”

“Thanks,” she blushed with a giggle, shifting her sight to her shoes. A smirk prodded into the left corner of Tommy’s cheek.

“So, you wanna go for a walk?” he asked her, sliding his hands into his pockets. “The path’s three metres wide, so we can keep a safe distance,” he reassured her, as she returned her gaze to him. Pinching her lips in, Seren nodded. As Tommy nodded for Seren to lead the way, her heels made a slow clip-clop, clip-clop as they began their stroll.

Arching her head around to the trees they passed, Seren’s eyes wondered from the branches, to the bark, to the flowers at her feet. As her arms swung at her sides, brushing against the waft of her dress, a lump crept into her throat. A knot formed in her stomach, as they walked in silence. Tommy was looking at her, she knew he must be. She could feel it. Taking in a slow breath, she kept her focus on the flowers.

“So,” he asked, in a light, airy tone. “How’ve you been?”

“I’m good,” Seren told him with a grin, eyes still fixed on the passing wildflowers. “I’m doing really well. What about you?” She flickered a glance in his direction. He smiled back at her and she darted her vision back to her feet.

“Living the dream,” he beamed. “Couldn’t be better.” The knot in her intestine tugged tight, as Seren forced her biggest smile.

“That’s good,” she told him.

“Yeah,” he replied with a nod. “Things are finally settling down at work,” he told her. “It’s only taken – what, five years,” he added with a chuckle.

“That’s good,” Seren found herself saying again, as they turned a corner, deeper into the park.

Holding her right hand out, Seren trailed her fingers through the barnyard grass that lined their path. While Tommy went on about the events that had untangled over the last six months at work, Seren stayed quiet, offering a small hum and nod where necessary.

“Do you wanna sit?” Tommy asked as they approached a bench surrounded by daisies, nestled between an archway in the trees. “I’m sure sitting either end’ll be fine,” he added with a shrug. Seren agreed. Perching herself on the far-right side, her smile softened as she looked to the flowers at her feet. “I know you like daisies,” Tommy added with a nervous chuckle, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck.

“You… remember that?” whispered Seren as her brow creased. With blushing cheeks, Tommy shrugged.

“I always remember silly things,” he told her. “I can’t remember birthdays or special dates, but I always remembered that.” A silent chuckle escaped Seren, as she found herself smiling at him. “Oh, and erm… I got you something,” Tommy muttered, as he unzipped his jacket. Seren’s lips parted as her brow puckered. “Here,” he said passing her a thin, purple rectangle. “It’s a peace offering.” Stretching her arm out, Seren gasped and her eyes widened as she pulled a slab of chocolate towards herself. “I know it’s your favourite,” he added with a shrug as her smile grew.

“Tommy,” she breathed, feeling her cheeks tingle. “Thank you. You didn’t have to though.”

“Come on, it’s nothing,” he laughed. “It’s not a lot, but, you know,” muttered Tommy, lowering his head. “I had t’ get you something.”

Having slipped Tommy’s gift into her bag, Seren shifted herself away from him. The butterflies that fluttered into her stomach made her cheeks sting. ‘Stop it,’ she scolded herself. ‘Don’t get carried away.’ Closing her eyes, she inhaled a slow breath. A fresh mowed grass and sweet floral fragrance seeped into her nostrils. She allowed herself a hum as she exhaled. Crossing her right leg over her left knee, Seren nestled her hands in her lap.

“So, how are things at home?” Tommy asked. Scrunching his nose, he lowered his stare to the space on the bench between them. “Are things any better?”

“Yeah, it’s great,” she told him as she laced her fingers together. His brow slanted. His eyes widened as he twisted himself around to face her. “My brother’s girlfriend went back to her parents at the beginning of lockdown. It’s been amazing,” she told him with a chuckle, turning her head towards him. “He’s been a completely different person. He’s nice and we actually talk, like we used to before she showed up.” A soft smile formed on Tommy’s face, as Seren continued. “We’re getting along really well. Things are fine between me and my mum. My new neighbours are lovely. The house is tidy and it’s so much quieter.” Leaning back, she laughed. “Home’s the best it’s ever been.”

“That’s great,” he beamed back at her. “That’s all I ever wanted for you.”

“Work’s been great too,” she told him, as the knotting in her stomach slithered away. “Okay, so I’m the only one in my team, because they furloughed everyone else. And the office are all working from home, more or less, but I’m going in to run all of the errands. You know, post, scanning, printing, copying, sending out letters.”

“Sounds like you’re running the place,” Tommy chuckled.

“I pretty much am,” agreed Seren, laughing along with him. “I mean, it’s the busiest I’ve ever been, but with there been so few people in the building (we have a couple of people from each team come in a day) my anxiety’s not as bad, as there’s less people and less social interaction.” Flickering her sight towards Tommy, she held his gaze. “I do get on with everyone,” Seren went on, as she returned her attention to the daisies between them. “And I love helping people… I just cope better at a distance.”

“You sound like you’re doing really well,” he beamed at her.

“I am,” she grinned back with a nod. A tingling fluttered up in her stomach. “I think my mental health is the best it has ever been, ever,” she added with a laugh.

“I can tell,” he replied, as his smile stabbed into his cheeks. As Seren met his gaze, it was Tommy’s turn to shift his sight to his lap. “I’m really proud of you,” he told her with a nod. “I mean it, Seren.”

“Thank you,” she whispered back, feeling a lump in her throat. She forced a swallow, as he smiled back at her. A little giggle escaped her, as Seren realised the heavy pressure that was spinning in her head earlier was gone. She felt light. Her breathing calmed. Tilting her head towards Tommy, she gazed at him. He always had this effect on her. Her anxieties soothed. Her head felt as though a huge weight had been lifted. Relaxing her shoulders, she pinched her lips in.

Seren’s heart sank to her stomach. Stiffening her back, she daggered her nails into her palms as the inner corners of her eyes began to sting. A fluttering spiralled around in her stomach, as she flickered her sight to the trees in the distance. ‘What’s the point of this?’ she wondered, seeping in a breath. Focusing her attention on the dog walker in the distance, Seren sensed Tommy shuffling beside her.

“Seren…” he muttered, tapping his foot, as he scratched a hand to the back of his neck. “I… I’ve been seeing someone,” he confessed, as his forehead puckered.

“I know,” Seren sang a little higher than she wished, as she shrugged, smiling back at him.

“You know?” he muttered “How?”

“Baiden,” she replied with another shrug. When Tommy’s furrowed brow did not ease, Seren elaborated. “The guy I work with. I’ve told you about him before. He has some online business thing, where people pay him to spy people’s social media.” As Seren explained, Tommy opened his mouth to intervene. “I never paid him to do anything,” she sighed, folding her arms and flopping back against the bench. “I told you,” she grumbled, snarling her nose. “He’s the one who’s always telling me things about you. He’s part of your ‘YouTube’ community and what’s it called?” Seren sighed to herself, pressing her arms tight against her chest. “That thing,” she growled, “that encourages people to disagree… you’ve shown me. It has a dark screen and it looks like instant messenger.” Throwing Tommy a scowl, her intestines began to lather.

“You mean ‘Discord’?” he replied, his brow still lined with confusion.

“Yeah, that,” Seren muttered. “He’s spying on you. I didn’t tell him to or ask him to!” she exclaimed, shaking her head, as the knotting in her stomach squeezed her tight. “He’s been doing it for ages – even when we were together,” she went on as her eyebrows slanted together. “He’d know when we’d spent time together or he’d know things he couldn’t possibly know about you or us, because I’d never told him.”

Seeing Tommy’s daggered glare and flared nostrils sent a shudder down Seren’s spine. She sniffed. Her heart trembled in her chest. Her eyes stung. A shaky breath escaped her, as she clenched her fists. “Anyway,” she went on, staring at her shoes, shaking Tommy’s angered expression from the front of her mind. “He’s the one that told me you’re with someone else.” Seren’s attention flickered back towards her ex, as Tommy shuddered beside her. His mouth dropped. The colour drained from his face. Staring at a spot on the ground, he cursed under his breath. Seren flinched. Tommy’s eyes darted towards her.

“What else did he say?” Tommy muttered. Keeping his head low, he glared up at her. Forcing herself to swallow, Seren hunched her back. The knotting at her stomach squeezed her intestines tighter. Gripping her biceps, she clawed her nails into them.

“Only that she stays over at your house almost every night,” Seren muttered with a sniff. Gazing at the grass, her vision blurred. “I guess she moved in for lockdown.” Twisting herself away from him, Seren exhaled a shaky breath as her chest trembled. “Oh, and congratulations by the way,” she sniffed, her voice a squeak. “Baiden said you got engaged. I know it was weeks ago now.”

“Wait! What?!” he fumed. “No!” he spat. “No! No! And no!” he raged, balling his hands into fists. “I’m not engaged,” he declared. “Who the,” he cursed through his teeth, “is this guy? What’s his username?” Tommy demanded. Hunching forward, he jabbed his elbows into his knees

“I don’t know,” Seren squealed, shaking. “He must have hundreds – he catfishes people all the time.” Her chest trembled. Sniffing, a squeak escaped her.

The colour drained from Tommy’s face as he swore under his breath. Clawing his hands through his hair, he cursed again. “Seren,” he sighed, flopping back against the bench. “I’m sorry you’ve had t’ put up with this,” another swear word left his mouth. “And for my language,” he added, turning towards her. “I know you hate it.” Poking the right corner of her mouth up, Seren shrugged at him. Twisting his body around to face her, Tommy jabbed his right elbow into the back of the bench and gripped his wrist with his left hand. “Look…” he went on. “I wanted to tell you,” he confessed with a swallow. “I thought you had the right to know.” His right foot tapped an agitated bounce, as he stared at the space between them. “But I wanted to wait… until I was sure. I owe you that much.” Pinching her lips in, Seren nodded. “Her name’s Aayizah. She’s amazing,” Tommy let out a long, happy sigh. Tightening her grip around her arms, Seren shimmied herself out of Tommy’s line of sight as her bottom lip trembled. “I met her at work. She’s got a heart of gold,” he went on. “She’s so kind to everyone. She goes out of her way to help people. She’ll speak to anyone.” Seren shuddered as her heart sank to her stomach. Pinching her eyes tight, she sniffed. “She’s fallen out with her family and hasn’t got many friends,” Tommy told her, as if this justified his reason for breaking her heart. “We just clicked straight away. She makes me want to do things with my life and go places.”

The excitement and warmth in Tommy’s voice, caused another squeak to escape Seren as she sniffed. Her vision blurred. A salty sting filtered into her eyes. Stiffening her shoulders, she arched her head in Tommy’s direction, bearing a big smile. ‘He really likes her,’ she realised. ‘He’s so happy.’ She gripped a hand to her stomach as the knotting returned.

“Aayizah met my family yesterday too,” Tommy told her, as a smile prodded into the left corner of his mouth. Feeling her heart flop to her stomach, Seren’s brown puckered. “My brother held a family barbeque in his garden. You know, with social distancing and everything,” he told her, seeing Seren’s frown.

“Wow,” Seren muttered, staring at a cluster of daisies. “That must have been nice. Did they all really like her?” she asked through sparkling eyes, as she turned her head to face him.

“They did,” he beamed, grinning back at her. Flickering her sight back to the daisies, Seren forced a swallow. “It’s great to finally meet someone I can introduce to my mum and dad.”

“She must be really special,” Seren murmured, her chest trembling.

“Yeah,” agreed Tommy with a dreamy sigh. “She is.”

With a shudder, Tommy turned his attention back to Seren. Hunched up on the edge of the bench, she had twisted herself away from him. He flickered his sight to the space on the bench between them, before returning his eyes back to her. A sad smile prodded into his cheek. “What about you, Seren?” he asked her. “I hate to think of you being alone. Are you seeing anyone?” Pinching her lips in, Seren shook her head, keeping her stare fixed on the daisies. “Seren,” he sighed, as his shoulders sunk. “I don’t want you to dwell on us forever.”

“I’m not,” she replied, her voice quieter than she had hoped. Shrugging, she prodded her smile from the right corner of her mouth to the left, as she turned towards him. “I was kind of seeing someone,” Seren told him. Tommy’s eyes widened as his back shot up straight. “We only spoke online, but I do know him though,” Seren added. “Our paths have crossed a few times, at uni and work.” Returning her gaze to the daisies, her heart gave a twinge “I don’t know,” she sighed, gripping her left elbow with her right hand as she stiffened her shoulders. “We started talking online every day. He’d ask how my day was and he’d try and make me laugh… and we have a lot in common. I dunno,” she shrugged, scrunching up her nose. “I just didn’t feel anything towards him…if anything I felt stressed thinking that I had to talk to him and then I’d feel guilty,” she muttered as her brow puckered. “Then he brought up his illness and I started to panic.” The drumming in her chest beat louder. “I was scared that if I kept it going any longer and he got sicker that I’d look like a monster for leaving him or people would think I only left him because he was sick… so I’d end out stuck with him… and that made me feel even worse.” Sinking down the bench, Seren lowered her chin to her chest. Her pulse pounded. Her insides swirled. She forced another swallow. To mask the pain, she folded her arms, pressing them tight into her stomach. “I pictured myself being with him and feeling miserable, but faking everything was fine, whilst I waited and waited for him to… to die.” Forcing a swallow, Seren shuddered. “And that sounds horrible!” she cried. “I didn’t want that – and it wouldn’t be fair on him.” The crashing in her chest shuddered to a deep thud. Thumping her palms into the seat of the bench, she pushed herself back up. With a straight posture, she seeped in a shaky breath. “I just told him I needed some time alone, because of lockdowns stuff – which was true,” she added as her eyes widened. “We haven’t spoken since,” she muttered with a shrug. “But I feel so much better for it.” A laugh escaped her, and a smile prodded itself into the right corner of her mouth.

Stretching a hand out along the bench, Tommy’s sad smile remained, as he asked her, “How long did it last?”

“A couple of months,” Seren muttered with a shrug. “I was in a really bad, needy, clingy place,” Seren confessed as she stared at his hand. “I craved attention from anyone… and he gave it to me, but as I started to feel better,” swallowing she shrugged. “It just didn’t feel right.”

Flickering her sight to Tommy, Seren felt their eyes lock. The drumming inside her stopped. The tightness in her stomach recoiled. Shaking her head at his pity smile, she found her strength again. Shifting her sight from his, her smile returned. “I’m in a really strong, confident place right now,” she told him with a nod, as she stared at the ground. “I don’t need anyone to make me feel wanted or special or whatever. I’m perfectly happy as I am.” She giggled, hearing herself say this out loud. “I don’t need anyone to help me feel good about myself, because I already feel it.” As Seren’s giggling smile caught Tommy’s eye, he grinned back at her.

“You’re always surprising me, Seren,” he beamed at her. Blushing, she shifted her focus back to the daisies.

Fidgeting, Seren tugged at the heart pendant that hung from her necklace chain. “You still have the locket I gave you,” Tommy smiled, seeing Seren drag the heart back and forth.

“I’m sorry,” Seren muttered, clasping the locket tight. “I haven’t worn it since you broke up with me, I promise.” Her brow slanted. The thumping at her chest returned. Her stomach swirled. Straightening her back, she turned towards him and confessed, “I don’t know what possessed me to put it on this morning,” shaking her head, a nervous laugh escaped her. “I haven’t looked inside it. I promise I haven’t.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he told her with a shrug. “It suits you.”

“Thank you,” she muttered, dropping her sight to her lap. “But I shouldn’t have put it on.” Her chest shuddered. “I need to give it you back,” she told him with a sudden shudder. Reaching her trembling hands behind her neck, Seren’s fingers fumbled with the clasp.

“No, don’t be silly, Seren,” Tommy told her with a smile.

“You gave it me so whenever I felt lonely, I just had to look inside, and I’d have you with me,” she said, staring at her lap, as her eyes sparkled. “I can’t have this anymore,” she told him shaking her head.

“Seren,” Tommy sighed. “I don’t want it back.” Meeting his gaze, her bottom lip quivered. “And it really does look nice on you.”

His kind words caused her stomach to lather. Pinching her lips in, she closed her eyes, inhaling a shaky breath. “Tommy,” she squeaked. “Thank you for everything you ever did for me,” she told him with a sniff. “I really mean it.” She nodded, pinching her lips in as she smiled. “I wouldn’t be who I am right now if it wasn’t for you. You taught me to be brave… and stand up for myself. You gave me confidence and made me feel good about myself.”

“Don’t be silly, Seren,” he warned her, as he gave a slight shake of his head. “You did all that yourself,” he told her, as he pointed at her. “Don’t go giving me the credit; we both know I don’t deserve it.”

“But I wouldn’t have known where to start if it wasn’t for all of the kindness you showed me,” she told him. “You made me see that I could do these things and I wouldn’t have had a clue where to start without you.” Clasping her locket, she squeezed her eyes tight. “For the first time ever, I’m strong, confident, brave… well, except for right now, I’m a babbling mess,” Seren squeaked. She let out a nervous laugh as her cheeks dampened. She sniffed. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, running a shaky hand under her eye. “I didn’t mean to get upset… I just wanted you to know that I’m grateful for the four years you put up with me.”

“Oowh,” he sighed. “I wish I could hug you,” Tommy muttered, seeing Seren’s eyes sparkle. His mouth prodded down in the corners as he gazed back at her.

Seren’s heart leapt, crashing against her ribcage. A warmth engulfed her, as the memory of Tommy scooping her up and holding her tight on his lap tingled to the front of her mind. Embracing the memory of his hugs, the safety and comfort she used to feel as she cuddled up against him washed over her. Her anxiety drained. The heavy pressure, that was a constant weight on her head, lifted. She was light. She was free. Pinching her eyes tight, she trembled. Clawing her nails into her palms, she wished with all her might that this memory could manifest itself. A shudder crept down her spine and a sigh escaped her as the rules of social distancing flashed to the front of her mind. ‘He has a girlfriend,’ she scolded herself. ‘Stop being silly!’ Her chest jittered as she turned to face him.

“I wish I could hug you too,” she squeaked, rubbing a hand to her eye. “Everything always feels calmer, whenever I’m with you,” she confessed. “Even today. It’s like you carry a sense of serenity with you,” she laughed with a sniff. He forced a smile at her. Flickering his sight to his lap, he shrugged.

Allowing a silent pause to pass between them, Seren sucked in a shaky breath. “I know this sounds stupid,” Seren told him with a nervous giggle, “but I wished on a star last night.”

“If anyone’s allowed to wish on stars, it’s you, Seren,” he chuckled. Tilting her head to the side, her brow puckered. “Seren means star, doesn’t it? See, I remember things,” he grinned. She allowed herself another giggle as she smiled back at him. “Did your wish come true?” he asked.

“I think so,” she muttered, fiddling with the hem of her dress. Prodding the right corner of her mouth up, Seren gazed at Tommy. Her stomach fluttered with an explosion on butterflies. ‘I wished to see you again,’ her mind squeaked.

*

On the stroll back through the park, Seren and Tommy walked in silence. The twisting and knotting in Seren’s stomach was gone. With her straightened posture returned, her arms swung at her sides once more. Approaching the entrance, Tommy slowed his pace to a stop and turning towards Seren told her, “I really enjoyed that.”

“Me too,” she whispered with a nod.

“Sorry I left it so long,” he muttered with a shrug. “Maybe we can do this again sometimes?” he suggested. “Soon?”

“We’ll see,” Seren mumbled as her heart panged. She dropped her sight to her shoes.

“I’d like to Seren,” Tommy told her, as his voice box croaked. “You mean a lot to me.”

“We’ll see,” she whispered through teary eyes, staring back at him. Her chest trembled as she forced a swallow.

“Okay,” he whispered back with a nod. “Take care.”

“You too,” she beamed. With one final nod, Tommy gave a wave, before departing through the park entrance, turning left. As Seren turned right, the heavy pressure in her head returned. The weight flickered at her eyelids. A thumping inside her ribcage tugged at her heart. She sniffed in an attempt to shake it off. A smile prodded into her right cheek, as she arched her head over her shoulder. Spinning on her toes, she turned back, watching as Tommy’s silhouette grew smaller. “Thank you,” she whispered, clasping her locket tight.

- Josie -

Saving Neverland - Ch 14 - Never Forgetting

(Josie Sayz: This is a story that I began working on several years ago. I am finally reading through it/editing it. This is a fanfiction piece of what would happen if two of my favourite characters Peter Pan (from J M Barrie’s book) and Jack Frost (from ‘Rise of the Guardians’) met, why and what adventure would they go on. I originally wrote this story as a present for a friend. I have decided to dig it out and plan to release each chapter as I edit it. This is Chapter One: ‘Just Keep Reading’.

Note: I do not own Peter Pan or any of the relating characters or places to the story; these are all owned by J M Barrie and ‘Disney’. I do not own Jack Frost or any of the relating characters or places to the story; these are all owned by William Joyce and ‘DreamWorks’.

Chapter One: ‘Just Keep Reading’ can be found here: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2019/06/saving-neverland-just-keep-reading.html

Chapter Two: ‘Meeting and Greeting’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2019/08/saving-neverland-meeting-and-greeting.html

Chapter Three: ‘I Still Believe…’:https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2019/08/saving-neverland-i-still-believe.html

Chapter Four: ‘Only In My Dreams’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2019/08/saving-neverland-only-in-my-dreams.html

Chapter Five: ‘Chasing Rainbows’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2020/04/saving-neverland-chasing-rainbows.html

Chapter Six: ‘A smile can make a big difference’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2020/04/saving-neverland-smile-can-make-big.html

Chapter Seven: ‘Feast, Fight, Farewell’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2020/04/saving-neverland-feast-fight-farewell.html

Chapter Eight: ‘What are friends for?’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2020/05/saving-neverland-what-are-friends-for.html

Chapter Nine: ‘The Black Castle’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2020/05/saving-neverland-black-castle.html

Chapter Ten: ‘Life can by cruel if you’re a dreamer’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2020/05/saving-neverland-life-can-be-cruel-if.html

Chapter Eleven: ‘In Hook do we trust?’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2020/05/saving-neverland-in-hook-do-we-trust.html

Chapter Twelve: ‘Whose side are you on?’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2020/06/saving-neverland-whose-side-are-you-on.html

Chapter Thirteen: ‘It’s my time to shine’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2020/06/saving-neverland-its-my-time-to-shine.html.)

Never Forgetting

Punching his fist into the air, following his throaty rooster cry, Peter turned to Izz. Seeing her giggle at him, he flung his arms around her, squeezing her tight. She held her arms around his shoulders, a grin growing across her face. “I knew you wouldn’t betray us and side with Hook,” he told her, as he loosened his grip. Izz pinched her lips inward, concealing another giggle.

“I’d never do that to you Peter,” she told him, as he pulled away from their embrace.

Leaning towards them, Jack held a fist up to his mouth and cleared his throat. Izz flinched, edging herself away from Peter. Stepping to the side, Peter clawed a hand across the back of his neck. “Don’t mind me,” Jack said. “It’s not like I’m invisible, or I didn’t do anything… anything at all.”

“Oh Jack,” Izz laughed. Nearing him, she hooked her arms around his shoulders. Jack held his breath and bent his left elbow, tapping Izz on the back, as Peter watched him. Giving Jack a tight squeeze, Izz rested her chin on his shoulder. Feeling her grip, Jack exhaled, allowing his arms to relax, as closed his eyes and he hugged her back.

A collective jingle of bells rang out. A whoosh of air accompanied it, as North’s sleigh swept beside them. “Woo-hoo!” North sang, as he pulled on the reins. Izz and Jack both jumped. Turning to face North, Jack kept a hand around Izz’s waist. “Jack,” gasped North, as the sleigh stopped beside them. “You guys were brilliant. Pitch is gone.”

“Great show guys,” cheered the Easter Bunny. Sat beside North, the Easter Bunny leant over his friend and slapped a hand on Jack’s back.

“Hey, thanks,” Jack smiled back.

“An’ you even get the girl too,” said the Easter Bunny giving Jack a wink. “Crikey, it really is your day.”

“No!” Jack and Izz both shouted. “No…” they said with nervous laughs. Jack slipped his arm out from around Izz’s waist and rubbed the back of his neck. Izz sidestepped away, gripping her right elbow with her left hand. Feeling her cheeks heat up, she lowered her head and shrugged up her right shoulder, trying to hide her face behind it.

“Jack!” came a squeak from Tooth as she and the Sandman flew towards them. She threw her arms around Jack, knocking him back. “Oh Jack,” she said leaning out of their embrace to look at him. “I’m so glad you’re safe. You were amazing, fighting Pitch alone.”

“Hey,” Jack said with a grin. “I had a little help from my friends.” With a nod he gestured a hand towards Peter and Izz. Tooth turned around and smiled at them. As the Sandman came beside Tooth, he smiled at Jack and stuck up both of his thumbs. Jack grinned back and nodded. “Thanks Sandy.” Turning to Peter and Izz, the Sandman gave them a thumbs up too and a pair of applauding hands, made of golden sand, appeared above his head.

“Wow,” Peter exclaimed. “I wish I could do that.”

“You all deserve a big reward,” said North, holding his arms out wide.

“Nah,” said Peter, wafting an arm across his face. “Saving Neverland’s reward enough.”

“Yeah,” Izz agreed with a nod and a smile.

“An’ all of the dreams of children,” Jack added. North’s grin grew, as he looked at the three heroes. He tapped a hand to his left arm, tattooed with the word ‘Nice’, and winked at Jack.

Hearing shouts and cheers from the evergreen hill, Peter gazed up. He could see Curly running around with his club in the air chasing the twins. Slightly had a hand gripped to his stomach and was pointing and laughing at Curly. Nibs appeared to be searching for something on the ground and picking things up as he wondered, while Tootles began climbing a tree. Flashes of light from the fairies whizzed around them. Peter looked back at Izz and the guardians, then to the Lost Boys again. “I’m gonna go check on the Lost Boys,” Peter told them.

“I’ll come with you,” Izz added. She had been holding her breath, sensing the silence that was building up around the group. ‘The other guardians probably want to talk to Jack alone,’ she realised. “If that’s okay with you, Peter,” she added.

“Sure,” he replied.

“I think I’ve got a little pixie dust left,” she said with a giggle. “Will you be okay?” she asked Jack, turning towards him, brushing a hand against his arm.

“Sure,” he said poking the right corner of his mouth into a smile. “I’ll be fine.” She smiled back at him and nodded, before turning towards the evergreen hill and waving her arms by her sides.

Watching them go, North smirked at Jack and gave him a nudge. “Hmm, aye,” he muttered, jerking his head in Izz’s direction.

“What?” Jack replied, his voice a high squeak. He shrugged, sensing his cheeks turn red.

“Jack…” said Tooth as she hovered to his side. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she told him, “I’m so sorry we didn’t believe you about Pitch,” looking him in the eye.

“We all are,” North said.

“Yeah mate,” added the Easter Bunny. The Sandman nodded.

“We had no idea Pitch had been planning something so horrible,” Tooth said as she turned away from Jack. “When did it all start? Why didn’t you get us then? We could have helped you sooner.” She turned her head over her shoulder. Jack shrugged letting out a breath.

“It was last night,” Jack told her, staring at his feet and shoving a hand in his hoodie’s pocket. “We heard Pitch and Hook talking about destroying Neverland – the place of children’s hopes, wishes and dreams… I knew I had to help save it,” he admitted. He looked up to North and the Easter Bunny and swallowed. “After last time…” his voice trailed as he shifted his sight back to his feet and the Babbling Brook below. He sighed. Returning his sight back to the Easter Bunny and North he said, “You guys were all so mad… I couldn’t face troubling you again.” He turned to Tooth, then the Sandman and gave a weak smile. “I guess I just thought you guys only saw me as just some kid who causes disaster wherever I go.”

“We don’t think that Jack,” said North reaching a hand out towards him. Jack turned to face him and smiled. “We never thought that.”

“You know we care about you,” Tooth told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. The Sandman nodded.

“We were way outta line before mate,” said the Easter Bunny. “I was way out of line…” he corrected, as North, Tooth and the Sandman glared at him. “I’m sorry.” Smiling, Jack turned to him and nodded.

“So,” said North. “What d’ya say, Jack. Are we forgiven?”

“Sure,” Jack replied.

*

Having made up, the group dispersed to help the Neverlanders try and restore normality back to their home land. Tooth and the Sandman flew towards the Never Peak where they had been helping the redskins to battle Pitch Black’s nightmares. Now that most of the natives were gathering belongings and seeing to the injured, the Tooth Fairy and the Sandman tried all that they could to help out.

North and the Easter Bunny travelled in North’s sleigh to Peter, Izz and the Lost Boys. Arriving on an edge of the evergreen hill, North leapt out of his sleigh. Spotting a couple of pirates that had hung around to finish what they had started, he swiped his swords from their sheaths on his belt and charged at them. Seeing the large bellied, red coated man run towards them, the two bloodied buccaneers bolted down the hill screaming. Spotting another band of pirates huddled behind a group of trees not too far away from Peter and his crew, the Easter Bunny tapped the ground with his foot. A hole emerged. He dropped into it. It closed behind him, leaving behind a small, orange flower. Another hole opened up a few steps behind the gathering of the four pirates. The Easter Bunny hopped out. With both hands full of pastel coloured Easter eggs he sneered at the buccaneers, “You’re not the only ones who know how to sneak up on people.” Turning to face the Easter Bunny, the pirates shouted out with alarm. The Easter Bunny laughed, before flinging his eggs towards them. Screaming, the pirates ran. The Easter eggs turned to powder upon impact. This caused two of the pirates to drop to the ground, drowsed by the eggs sweet aroma. The other two managed to escape. The Easter Bunny chased after them. Yanking out his boomerangs, he swung them at the fleeing men. Swinging at the pirates’ sides, the boomerangs knocked the two men into each other. They bashed heads before clonking to the ground.

After rounding up the last of the pirates, Peter ordered for them to be pushed off the side of the hill. Down the bodies rolled, picking up speed as the hill turned to a steep descent. The Lost Boys cheered, throwing stones down as the pirates rolled by.

Jack flew towards Mermaid Lagoon. Once he let the mermaids know that the battle with Captain Hook and Pitch Black was over, he wanted to ask them whether they knew how many of Hook’s crew had managed to escape back onto the Jolly Roger. However, as he approached the lagoon, he saw a huge ball of fire floating in the sky. “The ship,” Jack breathed as he stared. The sails glowed, roaring with flames. The ship’s central mast snapped. It crashed down onto the body of the ship. Wood splintered to ashes. Smoke clouded into the air. Jack’s eyes widened as he looked down below. Mermaid Lagoon was directly beneath where the burning ship hovered. The ship’s altitude dropped. The front mast cracked. The boat tipped forwards. Swinging his staff back, Jack charged towards the ship. He gave a shout and threw his arms out in front of him. Icy blue shards of frost shot out. The ship crackled upon impact. Spirals froze into the ship’s body, as the flames began to extinguish. The boat jolted down. Jack heard gasps from the mermaids below. He flew down after it. Throwing his staff behind his head, Jack gave a shout as he flung his arms in front of him. His staff crashed into the ship. Shards of ice sparked into the sky. The ship flew through the air. Passing the edges of Mermaid Lagoon in plummeted into the sea. Water exploded. The waves engulfed its entire body, dragging the ship to the bottom of the sea.

Hearing the mermaids gasp, Jack flew down to check on them. “Ooow!” they squealed upon his arrival. “That was so brave of you.”

He flicked his hair to the side as he asked them, “Are you okay? Are any of you hurt?”

“No,” said Gabriella as she swam towards him. “We’re all alright sugar, thanks to you.” Several of the other mermaids neared him, fluttering their eyelashes and curling their hair behind their ears. Clearing his throat, Jack brushed a hand through his hair.

“Erm, thanks,” he muttered. “I came to let you girls know that we’ve put a stop to Pitch Black and Captain Hook’s fled. He’s being chased around Neverland by a crocodile.”

“We could see the fight from here,” Gabriella told him with a smile. “You were so brave.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled again, poking at the sand with his toe. “So, I guess there’s no point me askin’ you if any of Hook’s crew managed to escape onto the ship then?”

“No,” Gabriella replied. “They all fled the ship with Hook.”

“No one could have survived those flames,” added another mermaid.

“But what about Izz?” asked a blonde mermaid, pushing past the others to get to Jack’s side. “Is she okay? Did she make it? What about the Deathly Antidote?”

“Make it?” Jack repeated with a frown. “Make it where? What antidote?”

*

The meadow of pastel flowers surrounding the Babbling Brook began to bloom again. Blues, yellows, oranges and pinks opened up, covering the ground in colour. The Easter Bunny, Peter, Slightly and Nibs were stood on the edge of the bay, as Tinker Bell and a few of her fairy friends zoomed around them. “Hey, cut it out Tink,” Slightly laughed, as Tinker Bell tickled a piece of dandelion fluff under his chin. “That tickles!” Nibs began sniggering at him, but as he did, another fairy appeared at his side and stroked his face with a feather. Nibs squirmed away laughing and bumped into Peter who laughed along with them.

Flying towards them from the Never Peak, Tooth cried, “The redskins won’t let us help.” Peter stopped laughing and turned towards her. “Sandy and I tried everything, but they just kept turning us away,” she told him. “We didn’t offend them, did we?”

“Don’t worry,” Peter told her. “I’ve spoken to their chief, Flying Eagle and they’re very grateful of your help.” Tooth looked towards the Sandman who shrugged and a question mark of gold sand appeared above his head.

Turning back to Peter, Tooth asked, “So why won’t they let us help them?”

“The redskins are very territorial,” he told her. “They don’t like accepting help, especially from strangers. But also,” he added. “They fear flying.”

“They fear flying?” the Easter Bunny repeated, his eyebrows raised. “‘Ow can someone named Flyin’ Eagle fear flying?”

“Bunny!” Tooth hissed, turning towards him, her hands in fists.

“What?” he said back with a shrug. Tooth sighed, lowered her shoulders and turned back to Peter.

“Well, so longs as we managed to help them during the fight,” she said. “I suppose that’s what really matters, right?”

“Right,” said Peter with a nod hearing the jingling bells of North’s sleigh return. North had already been to drop the Easter Bunny, Peter, Slightly and Nibs back at the Babbling Brook and had gone back to collect Izz, Curly, the twins and Tootles. Peter could have flown back down from the hill and allowed North to have carried another of the Lost Boys, but having watched the sleigh zoom around in battle, he had begged North for a ride.

As North arrived with Izz and the remaining Lost Boys, Jack arrived back from Mermaid Lagoon with all of the mermaids following him in the waters below. The sky began to darken. Although the clouds had almost all evaporated from the sky, the sun began its descent. With everyone nearby, Peter announced that the fairies had arranged to perform a special evening dance for them, to say thank you for protecting the island’s core and for saving Neverland from being destroyed. “Wow!” Izz squeaked, as she pulled on Peter’s sleeve. “A real fairy dance. I’ve read about them. Fairies only perform those on really, really special occasions.”

“I know,” said Peter with a grin.

“For us to even hear about one, let alone see one is magical in itself,” Izz gasped.

 As word spread that the fairies were going to perform their special light dance over the Babbling Brook, creatures from around the island began to gather. The group of mermaids that had followed Jack to the Babbling Brook now gathered to the water’s far right. Some of the monkeys who the twins were fighting over bananas with, as well as some of the exotic birds that Izz had spotted on their traverse through the Neverwood, also perched in trees around the edge of the meadow to enjoy the show. Even some of the fleeing pirates had crept back and hid amongst the bushes, just so that they could catch a glimpse of the fairies dance. Perching on the top of a mound of rocks to the far left of Neverland, a large scruff of a sandy-yellow mane could be seen shaking its head. Seeing the flickering lights of the fairies come into view it gave an almighty roar. The Lost Boys flinched and surrounded Peter. “Leonard,” he breathed. Turning around, Peter levitated into the air to look for the beast. Seeing him in the far distance, Peter raised his hat and saluted him. The lion roared back. Satisfied, Peter returned his hat to his head and returned to the group.

Peter, Izz, the Lost Boys, Jack and the guardians stood at the edge of the sandy bay looking out at the fairies flickering lights as they fluttered around in the air. Weaving in and out of one another, their colourful glows bounced off the edges of the mountains, lighting the ivy and blossoms as it crept back up the rocky wall.

Staring up, Izz gasped, before letting out a, “Wow,” as over thirty fairies ascended into sky, spiralling around. All in time with one another, they drifted their arms out in arches as they glided in and out of each other. They separated, before coming together to form the outline of a daisy. The flower spun around clockwise, its petals rotating like the blades of a windmill. The fairies disbanded. They twisted and spiralled around the on looking group. Tinker Bell came to rest on Peter’s shoulder and stroked a hand to his cheek, before jumping back up to join her fellow fairies. Their twinkling lights flickered in the ripples of the water. Fluttering around, the collection of jingles rang out, reminding Izz of a familiar seasonal tune. The fairies came together again, this time in two groups. The group to the left formed the outline of a pirates ship, whilst the other a skull and cross bones. Drifting apart and swishing around, the fairies created many images, all relating to the battle that they had just faced. There was a sword, a gun, a hook, a silhouette of Pitch and one of Captain Hook, a band of pirates, Pitch’s nightmares, the fighting redskins, reindeer pulling a sleigh, an outline of Peter, Izz and Jack, Peter’s panpipes, a collections of shells, a bottle, Jack’s staff, Easter eggs, bowed presents, representations of teeth and the silhouette of the Sandman waving. The fairies came together once more, this time tight and close together, before zooming out into an explosion of sparkles.

Her heart racing and her eyes wide, Izz felt her cheeks tingle from smiling so much, as she joined in the applause with everyone else. As the fairies came down and landed amongst the onlookers, Izz cupped her hands together and pulled them tight towards her chest. She glanced over at the mermaids to her far right, who were still clapping and cheering, before turning to look down the row of those surrounding her. Beside her, Peter held a hand out as Tinker Bell came to land in it. He rubbed a finger to tinker fairy’s head and Izz watched her scrunch her eyes tight, shrug her shoulders and bear a huge smile. Looking further down the line she watched the Lost Boys running around, trying to chase some of the fairies. Beyond the Lost Boys stood the guardians, who appeared just as excited to see the fairies as Izz was herself, gazing at them with wide eyes as they came to land nearby. Izz leaned forwards, around Peter as he conversed with Tinker Bell, and frowned. Jack was not there. She stretched back and squinted. She could see the Sandman, North, Tooth and the Easter Bunny, but no Jack. Arching her head further she held her breath. Standing away from the others, to the left of the Babbling Brook, near the edge of Crocodile Creek, she saw a blue figure, alone. Looking back at the fairies fluttering around her, her smile faded, as she turned back to Jack.

*

Leaning against his staff, Jack bent down and scooped a few pebbles into his hand. He gave a flick of his wrist and one of the stones skipped twice across the water, before landing with a splash. He sighed and tried again. He snapped at his wrist harder. This time the pebble bounced across the water’s surface four times. “Pretty impressive,” Izz said, standing behind him. He flinched turning around to face her.

“What are you doing here?” he asked her. “Shouldn’t you be with the others?”

“I was going to ask you the same question,” Izz told him as she took a step closer, gazing out over the water at the forest of trees on the other side. “I came to see you,” she said. “I wanted to see if you were okay.” She faced him, waiting for his response.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled. Her eyebrows rose. “Really,” he told her. “I am… I just…” He turned away from her, staring at the trees opposite them. “Came to think.”

“Oh sorry, d’you want me to leave?” Izz asked, pointing back to the others.

“No,” Jack blurted out as he spun around to her. “Well, I mean, you can go if you want to, I just,” he said rather fast. “I… I wouldn’t mind if you stayed.” He let out a breath and his brow puckered as he rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. Izz smiled back and held a hand to her mouth, trying to hide a giggle.

Izz turned from Jack to the stream in front of them. She gave a sigh as she stared up at the sky. The glowing arch of the sun peered over the horizon. Deep reds and oranges broke across the sky, reflecting off the remaining lavender coloured clouds. “It’s beautiful, don’t you think?” she asked, turning her head towards him.

“Yeah,” he whispered in reply, as he stood at her side. “Pretty perfect.” He smiled, staring into her eyes. Izz pinched in her lips and hid another giggle, before turning back to gaze at the sky. Biting the edge of her bottom lip, she felt her heart twinge as her blood rushed to her cheeks.

Feeling Jack’s eyes still upon her, Izz waited for him to stare back up at the sky, before saying, “Thanks Jack.” Her eyes dropped from the clouds and rested upon the ground at their feet.

“For what?” he mumbled as he looked back at her. She gave a shrug and stared up at him.

“For believing in me,” she said, before looking down at her fiddling fingers at her chest. She swallowed. “You and Peter have both been so nice to me for the moment we first met. Everything you’ve done and said, it’s made me feel so happy… it’s like I actually have friends.” She glanced up at him, but feeling water creep into the edges of her eyes and seeing him looking back, she shifted her gaze to her hands again. She blinked hard several times and sniffed. “No one’s ever done that before,” she murmured, shaking her head. “Especially not and meant it.” Her fingers shaking, she dragged a thumb under her eye, feeling a tear peer out of her eye’s corner. “I’m sorry,” she said with a nervous laugh. “You must think I’m a right idiot.”

“No I don’t,” Jack told her, dipping his head and tilting it towards her to try and catch her attention. She looked up at him, her bottom lip quivering, her chest shaking. “Come here,” he said holding out his arms. Holding her hands to her chin, Izz stepped into Jack’s embrace, resting her head on his shoulder. Holding his arms around her, he rested his head against hers and gave her a comforting rub on the back. “Listen,” he whispered. “You’re not an idiot. You’re the nicest, kindest and smartest girl I have ever met.” As he spoke, Izz felt her eyes dampen Jack’s shoulder. “You knew what Pitch and Hook were up to, you managed to find the Black Castle, you got Mr. Smee to tell you where the keys were in his sleep, you figured out the secret passage out of the castle, you tricked Captain Hook into thinking that you were on his side, you managed to warn us about the bomb and wind it on to give us more time. You found the antidote recipe to Hook’s poison, jump out of a burning ship and into the water from over sixty feet in the air and manage to find the heart of Neverland to pour the antidote into.”

“How did you know all that?” she whispered, looking up at Jack as she leaned out of his embrace.

“The mermaids told me,” he said with a smile, poking his hands into his hoodie’s pouch. “What you did was so brave. I bet there isn’t a girl that goes to your school that could have done what you just did.” Looking at the ground, Izz sniffed and wiped her eyes on the cuffs of her top. She thought about what Jack said and all of the accomplishments that he listed. Her shallow breathing slowed, as she sniffed again. She shifted her sight to his and pulled the ends of her sleeves tight around her palms.

“I like what the mermaids did to your hair too,” Jack said gesturing at the seashells. “It suits you and it stops your hair from covering your pretty face.”

“Stop it,” she mumbled rolling her eyes, feeling her cheeks turn red.

“What?” he said with a shrug and a cheeky smile. “It’s true.” Gazing back into his eyes she smiled. “I like it when you smile.” Leaning towards him, Izz rested her head on Jack’s shoulder.

“You know,” she said, as she gazed at the rippling water. “I’ll never forget today.”

“Me either,” Jack replied, as he rest a hand on her shoulder.

“And not just because of the battle,” she told him. “But because of the friendships we made.” Lifting her head from his shoulder, she faced him. “You’ll always be in here,” she said placing a hand upon her heart.

“And you mine,” he told her.

“Now, no matter how far apart we are,” she said with a smile. “I know I’ll never feel alone again.” They turned back to face the warming glows of the sky, watching the sun makes its final decent.

A collection of bangs sounded behind them. Jack and Izz jumped, throwing their heads towards the noise. Above the Babbling Brook, explosions of colour flashed into the sky. “The fireworks,” Izz whispered, as she took a step closer. “Peter mentioned something to do with fireworks when he was talking to Tinker Bell,” she said as she watched them.

“Fireworks?” Jack said with a puckered brow. “How can you get fireworks out here?”

“The fairies make them,” said Izz as she arched her head over her shoulder to face him. “With light crystals and flower pigments.” She turned herself around and smiled at Jack, before holding her left arm out towards him. His gaze dropped from her to her hand. With her palm facing down, the three charms of her bracelet lay on the back of her hand, gazing at him. He stared, feeling the pulse pounding in his ears, thumping in chest and tingling in his fingers. She stretched her arm further, the acorn, star and snowflake jangling together. He swallowed and looked up at her. As she gazed back, his lips parted. He held his right hand out towards her and she cupped it in hers. His stomach spiralled upon their touch. “Come on,” she said smiling, jerking her head towards the fireworks.

The sky flashed red, blue, green and gold as two of the fairies catapulted small pouches of coloured crystals and flower segments into the air. Sparkles danced, twirling around in the air, before fizzling out and falling to the water below.  “Wow,” Izz breathed, along with many of the others, as they gazed up at the colourful explosions.

As the last of the fireworks exploded, everyone burst into applause. The fairies leapt back into the air and flew around their audience. Nibs and the twins jumped up and down clapping as hard as they could. Having become distracted by the floating fairies, Tootles stopped applauding and tried to catch one of the fairies as it flew by. Throwing his hands together, Tootles was too slow and made random claps as he missed. Noticing that Peter had more of the fairies attention, Curly and Slightly copied him. They watched as he stood with his back straight and clapped with his arms held out. Fairies came to land on his hat, arms and shoulders. Keeping their eyes on Peter, Slightly and Curly held their shoulders back and pressed their stomachs out. They clapped hard and loud, smiling all the while. As a couple of fairies drifted past them to Peter, Curly elbowed Slightly in the stomach. Scrunching up his face, Slightly clenched a hand into a fist and thumped Curly on the top of the head.

Tooth flew out towards the two fairies that had created the fireworks. Excited by what she had seen, she began pestering them with hundreds of questions, speaking as fast as she could. The Sandman moved his hands fast together and a pair of golden applauding sand hands appeared above his head. North beat his hands together hard, making sure that it was he who clapped the loudest. “Bravo, bravo!” he cheered. The Easter Bunny took a step back and smiled, watching the happiness amongst the group spread. He and Jack (who was at his side) turned towards each other. The Easter Bunny grinned and nodded his head towards Izz on Jack’s right. Jack smiled back, rolling his eyes and felt his cheeks turning pink.

Reaching a hand to her mouth, Izz yawned. Rubbing a hand across her eyes she said, “It’s got to be getting late back home too,” to no one in particular.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed. “We should probably head back. Who knows how long we’ve been.” Izz hummed back, before yawning again.

“You want me to take you back?” asked Peter appearing at Izz’s side.

“I wouldn’t want you to miss anything,” she said pointing towards the Lost Boys chasing the fairies.

“I won’t,” Peter said with a shrug. “Besides I can’t let you leave without one last fly, can I?” Izz giggled at him. “What d’ya say, Jack?” Peter asked, turning to him. “Wanna take turns carrying Izz back?”

“Sure,” he replied with a smile. “So longs that’s okay with you,” he said to Izz.

Smiling, she turned from Jack to Peter and said, “With my two best friends, how can I say no?”

North offered to take Izz back himself in his sleigh, but Peter and Jack assured him that they would be fine. As North began to object, Tooth placed a hand to his arm. North gave a sigh, before agreeing to let them go. Izz and Jack waved goodbye to the mermaids and the Lost Boys, with Tootles begging Izz for a hug before she departed. “And I won’t forget you either,” she said poking Tootles on the nose. “Any of you,” she added looking at each of the Lost Boys in turn.

“You promise…?” sobbed Curly, rubbing his arm across his face.

“I cross my heart,” she told him, tracing an ‘x’ over her chest. They said their final farewells, waving all the while. As Izz’s pixie dust had worn away and she could no longer fly, Peter agreed to carry her for the first half of their flight. She gripped her arms around Peter’s shoulders and he leapt into the air. Jack flew up alongside them. They took one last look back and waved, before soaring higher into the sky.

*

Everywhere was dark. The streets were still. Faded glows from various lampposts lighted their way. Houses were left in darkness. Every curtain was drawn closed and every light was turned off. The moon shone between the clouds. Clusters of snow, still clinging to trees, glistened under the moon’s glow. Clumps of snow lined the edges of driveways and the entrances to gardens. As they passed over the gardens, many of them had a snowmen with stones for eyes, a carrot for a nose and branches for arms. Some gardens even had a family of snowmen; one had even built an igloo.

Reaching the street where they had been just over twenty-four hours ago, Peter flew on ahead. Jack followed close behind with Izz in his arms. Asleep, she lay against him, with her head pressed into his chest. Jack held his right arm around her waist and hooked his left beneath her knees, with his staff in his hand. Izz groaned. Her eyelids fluttered as she nuzzled her head deeper into his chest. Looking down at her, Jack smirked.

“It’s this one,” Peter called out, as he hovered beside an open window. Jack nodded and flew towards him. Clawing his fingers around the edge of the window’s frame, Peter pulled it open. They slipped inside. Jack lay Izz down on her bed and pulled the covers over her. He curled a piece of fallen hair behind her ear and smiled at her. “You’re gonna miss her, aren’t you?” Peter whispered. Pushing himself away from the bed, Jack turned to Peter and nodded. As he arched his head over his shoulder to look at Izz once more, Peter placed a hand upon his shoulder. “Me too.”

“We’ll always have the memories,” Jack told him. Peter nodded.

“I suppose.” A floorboard creaked on the other side of Izz’s bedroom door. The boys gasped.

“We’d better go,” said Jack, with wide eyes. Peter jerked his head towards the window.

“After you.” Clambering onto Izz’s desk, Jack gripped a hand to the window frame. He took one last look back at Izz and then jumped outside. Peter followed after him, pushing the window to behind them.

*

Light shone against her face. She threw a hand over her eyes and groaned. She shuffled over, onto her left, and pulled the covers over her head. Footsteps thudded about in the distance. “Izz!” she heard her mother shout from the bottom of the stairs. “Breakfast’s ready.”

Pushing herself up to sit Izz groaned, before shouting back, “Okay. Be down in a sec.” As she rubbed her eyes, her forehead puckered. ‘Did Mom just call me Izz?’ she realised. ‘And not Mim?’ She blinked her eyes several times, adjusting her vision to the bookcase on the other side of the room. She rubbed a hand to her head and groaned again. “Stupid,” she muttered to herself. ‘I’ve slept in my contacts again.’

Throwing the covers off herself, Izz slid out of bed. Her frown returned as she stared down at her feet. ‘And I slept in my slippers.’ She sighed and turned towards the window. She tilted her head to the side and ran her right hand over her mouth. The curtain was already open. ‘I coulda swore I closed it,’ she told herself as she wandered around the bed to the window. Looking outside she stared at the roof of the house opposite. Snow clung to its guttering. An image of flying over the village whilst snow was falling against her face appeared at the front of her mind. Then she saw herself with Jack Frost and Peter Pan in Neverland, they were running through the woods. Next she was watching the Lost Boys fight over piles of fruit. Then she was surrounded by an entire camp of redskins, while they initiated her into their tribe. She was paddling in a small row boat, when it got attacked by a crocodile. Then Pitch Black and Captain Hook appeared in a dark room. There were others too, Mr. Smee and Starkey. Then there was fighting – a battle taking place, herself, Peter Pan and Jack Frost against Captain Hook and Pitch Black. Next she was alone with the captain, his face close to hers as her drew a finger down the side of her face. She shuddered. Now she was swimming through a very tight tunnel. There were swords clashing, onyxes made of black sand charging. There was a sleigh and gold glowing lights. A flash of bright blue light swept across her face. She recalled black sand falling from the sky and looking down to the clear blue water below as she floated in the air.

Pinching her eyes shut, Izz shook her head. She looked over towards her bedside table and smirked. ‘That’s the last time I read before I go to bed,’ she told herself. Brushing a hand through her hair, she stopped and frowned as her hand met a cold, jagged lump to the right of her scalp. She moved her hand further across her head; there was another and another. Five round, rigged lumps arched from the top of her scalp around to the tip of her right ear. She turned to her bedside table and pulled open the drawer. Rummaging around inside, she pulled out her mirror and held it up to her face. “Seashells?” she murmured, running her hand along the ribbed ark shells and yellow prickly cockles that pulled her hair back from her face. ‘The mermaids,’ she thought.

Izz shook her head and returned the mirror to her drawer. Closing the drawer she felt something tap against her left wrist. She brought her hand up to her face. She gasped, holding her right hand to her mouth. “The bracelet,” she breathed, as she gazed down at her wrist. Tilting it from left to right, three pieces of wood clattered against each other. Looking at the acorn she thought of Peter Pan, leading her by the hand out across a flower filled meadow, edged with a brook of sparkling blue, Peter smiling at her all the while. Izz felt her cheeks tingle and looked from the acorn to the star. The map of Neverland came to the front of her mind, except it was not block colour, like the one in her book. It was full of swaying trees, travelling creatures and waving seas. It appeared so vivid and real. She turned her attention to the snowflake. “Jack,” she whispered. She closed her eyes, picturing it snowing around her as they flew over her hometown. She saw his cheeky smile as they sat at the top of a tree. She imagined his touch icy as he wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. She inhaled, gazing down at her wrist. Tracing the fingers of her right hand over the charms, Izz’s eyes narrowed. “But that was from-” she murmured. Her bottom lip froze open as she stared down at her left hand. “Neverland,” she breathed, feeling her eyes prickle. “But that means-”

“Izz!” her mother shouted from the stairs. “Come on or you’ll be late for school. The snow’s cleared; you can’t spend another day cooped up in your room.”

“Coming!” Izz called back. She ran a hand across the shells in her hair and looked down at her bracelet. A smile broke out on her face and she turned to her window. Leaning across her desk she gazed out at the rooftops of the houses opposite and pinched her lips together. “It was real,” she whispered, her pulse pounding around her body. “It was all real.” She giggled and bit the edge of her bottom lip as she looked up to the sky, thinking about how she helped to save Neverland.

The End

- Josie -