Noah, age 13, was a finalist in our Twists & Turns contest.
Wendy was soaring through the sky as she approached the island. Peter turned his head as they neared the shore. “That’s Neverland!” Wendy smiled as did her brothers. As the four of them flew lower Michael spotted a cove, and a ship with black sails in the cove. Michael however, had seen ships before and although it didn’t seem to be an S.S. he mentioned nothing of it.
A bang rang out and a large black sphere whizzed past. Suddenly everyone was taking notice of the ship, where the cannonball came from. “Pirates!” Peter yelled, “quick get to land!” Wendy, John, and Michael flew toward the beach. Another boom sounded, alarming the siblings. Wendy turned and saw Peter taunting the pirates.
“C’mon Hook,” Peter laughed, “surely you can do better.” A crack cut off Peters sentence, not as loud as the cannons though. Wendy, John, and Michael all turned to the ship. A man in a red feathered hat and coat stood proudly on deck. He had an ornate steel hock on his left arm instead of a hand, his right hand was raised. It held a pistol, smoke still slowly rising from the barrel of the gun.
Peter wasn’t laughing anymore. Wendy turned to him, her eyes full of concern. He began to fall toward the island, clutching his chest. Wendy gasped as the darling children changed course heading toward Peter. They soon spotted him, lying face up in the sand. Wendy, John, and Michael rushed to his side.
“Peter, Peter!” Wendy cried as she bent down beside him. Wendy gasped as she saw the gaping hole in his chest, blood stained his vest and streamed down into the sand. John held little Michael away from the scene. “Wendy, Hook he’s-” Peter coughed violently and blood dripped from his bottom lip. He stared at the darlings, out of breath.
The sand crunched loudly behind them as the pirate ship ran aground. A ladder was lowered down. Peter coughed again as John and Michael began backing up towards the forest. Peter then coughed up his last word, “run.” His glazed eyes remained on Wendy as he stopped breathing. Pirate boots crunched on the shore as the captain stepped toward his fallen foe.
