Planet Neverland: A Space Age Fairy Tale (Star-Crossed Tales) Read online

  Planet Neverland

  Star Crossed Tales

  By J. M. Page

  Copyright 2017 J. M. Page

  Copyright J. M. Page 2017

  Cover design by Covers by Christian

  This book is a work of fiction. All the characters in this book are fictitious and any similarity to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidence.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Dedication:

  For all the other little girls that had to grow up too fast. Don’t forget to let your hair down and have fun now and again ;)

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Epilogue

  Chapter One

  Wendy

  “Are you two sure you’ll be alright?” Wendy asked, pulling socks out of their drawer to refold and put away neatly. She frowned, looking around the cramped dorm room, searching for something else to straighten, but they’d spent all day unpacking — her following behind the twins to re-organize everything. She didn’t want to call it too soon, but it seemed like maybe her job was done. She rolled her neck, stiff from carrying boxes up four flights of stairs all day, and thought about a nice hot bath when she got home.

  “We’re fine, really,” John said, nudging her shoulder to push her toward the door.

  She narrowed her eyes, hands going to her hips. “What are you two planning?” she asked. They were far too eager to be rid of her.

  Michael sighed and stood from the creaky bed, his tall lanky frame dwarfing her with its shadow. “Nothing, dear sister,” he said, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. “It might be hard for you to understand, but we’re just really excited to be on our own finally.”

  Wendy offered her brother a smile. The reminder that the boys were on their own — that they wouldn’t be under her roof where she could watch over them anymore — was a knife straight to her heart. But she sucked back the tears, determined to not make a scene. She was happy for them. They were finally growing up and going out into the world. And she’d finally have some peace and quiet. As much as she loved her brothers, she didn’t love the chaos that seemed to follow in their wake.

  “We’re just going to chill, do some studying... Classes start on Monday, you know,” John said with a teasing lilt. She’d mentioned classes starting at least a dozen times while they unpacked throughout the day.

  This time, Wendy’s smile was genuine and she nudged John’s arm playfully. “Don’t sass me,” she said, wrapping him in a fierce hug, ignoring her aching body. “You guys may have grown like weeds in the last couple of years, but don’t forget I’m still your big sister.”

  “Never,” Michael said, taking his hug with a grin before gently herding Wendy toward the door.

  She looked around one last time, the sterile walls they couldn’t poke holes in, the generic college furniture and a window that didn’t even open. But there were signs of the twins everywhere now, too. Comics and figurines, science textbooks for courses far too advanced for typical freshmen, and a handful of framed pictures she’d made up just for the occasion. Wendy didn’t want them to forget how much she cared about them. They always had a place with her if college didn’t work out.

  “Go,” John said with a laugh. “You’ve got a newfound freedom, too, you know.”

  She gave them each another quick hug before they practically pushed her out of their dorm room.

  The whole way home, Wendy felt moderately guilty about the thought that wouldn’t leave her head — she almost hoped college wouldn’t work out. Then the twins would always be close-by where she could keep a watchful eye on them. She knew that was selfish and she should be happy for this new chapter of their lives.

  She was going to try to be happy for them, at least. And for herself.

  The townhouse seemed far too empty without them bickering and thundering down the stairs like elephants. How two teenaged boys sounded like a whole army, she’d never understand. It was quiet and dark and Wendy flipped on a light, soaking in the strangeness of it all.

  You’ve got a newfound freedom, too, you know.

  John was right, of course. John was always right, but Wendy didn’t know how to handle that. She’d never been free to do her own thing. It had always been her, taking care of the twins.

  She went to the kitchen to put the kettle on for tea. As the flames licked the underside of the pot and the water began to heat, she stared at the pictures on the fridge — the boys, so tiny and fragile, still with hospital bracelets on, then a bit older, in oversized lab coats and goggles, doing experiments in the kitchen. One of those experiments nearly burned down the house. There were still scorch marks on the ceiling if she looked in just the right spot.

  Wendy sighed. It seemed impossible that they were grown-up and off to college, living on their own already. Some people thought that day would never come — and for a while, it seemed very likely it wouldn’t — but the twins had tenacity and determination unlike anyone else Wendy had ever met. They were never going to accept defeat, even as kids.

  The kettle whistled and Wendy poured the hot water over her tea bag, leaving it to steep as she went to run a bath.

  She’d fantasized all day about what to do with her first night of freedom: a cup of tea, a hot bubble bath, and that book she’d been neglecting on her nightstand for four months. There would be no loud music, concerning bangs, or explosions to interrupt her relaxation — and honestly, after a day of moving and unpacking, her tired muscles could use the soak.

  As the water filled the tub and the bubbles grew, Wendy decided to treat herself, lighting a few scented candles and turning on some soft soothing music. Medicine for the soul.

  Sure, not having the twins around would be hard and lonely sometimes, but she was bound and determined to explore the bonuses of living alone. It might be bitter, the boys moving out of the house, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be sweet too.

  She grabbed her mug of tea and walked toward the bathroom, book in her other hand, her chest already loosening from the stress of the day. But as she walked by her computer, Wendy paused, hovering behind the desk in an intense debate with herself.

  I shouldn’t...

  Just a little peace of mind, though...

  But you should trust them!

  One little peek won’t hurt.

  If
the twins were really studying like they said they were, then there wasn’t any harm in checking in on them. Wendy opened the lid of her laptop and moved the mouse to wake up the screen. Then she stared at the wallpaper — a picture of Hong Kong at night, lit up like a carnival — for a long moment, steam from her tea wafting upwards as she debated this serious breach of trust.

  She was only doing it to look out for them, she rationalized, pulling up the Track My Phone app on her computer. The twins didn’t know she’d installed the app, it was all very discreet from what the guy at the phone store told her. At first, he thought she was trying to catch a philandering husband, but Wendy quickly laughed that off. There had never been any romantic prospects — let alone something serious enough to lead to a husband. She’d always had her hands full trying to make sure the twins didn’t singe off each other’s’ eyebrows or steal junk from the neighbor’s garage for their latest contraption.

  She smiled, thinking about the robot they’d built with Mr. Carruthers’ scrap — it was meant to be a butlerbot, one that could bring her tea and soup while she was under the weather. Of course, thirteen-year-old boys — geniuses though they may be — were not always good at thinking things all the way through.

  Wendy had been a snotty sniffling mess when they introduced the uncoordinated butlerbot and not two minutes later, she had hot soup in her lap and an angry neighbor threatening to have her brothers locked up and sent away for their delinquency.

  She sighed. They always had good intentions, but they needed her to provide perspective. They needed her to watch out for them. No matter how old they got, they were still her baby brothers.

  Without debating it anymore, Wendy opened the app and pulled up their phone locations, lifting the mug to her lips as it loaded.

  Her mug clattered to the desktop, sloshing hot liquid over her hand and making Wendy hiss as her eyes narrowed in on the map.

  They weren’t at the dorm. She absently wiped the desktop with a tissue from the nearby box, frowning at the screen while cleaning the mess.

  Maybe they just went to get some food... she thought to herself, trying to give her brothers the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they wanted to explore campus, she reasoned.

  Before doing anything rash, she whipped out her own phone to text them. Still settling in okay? Find anything we forgot yet?

  Michael texted back first: You? Forget something? Not likely. We’re fine, really.

  Then John: Hitting the books hard. Wouldn’t want to be unprepared the first day of class. Stop worrying.

  Yeah right, Wendy thought with a scowl. They were up to something. They clearly weren’t home studying and they were lying about it.

  She stared at the screen for a long time, watching the dots of their phones move down the map, turning a corner and heading to a seedy part of town. Wendy pursed her lips and pushed her mug away, standing to go drain the tub and blow out the scented candles, killing the warm glow she’d created.

  So much for relaxation.

  Without answering them, Wendy put on a sweater, grabbed her keys and locked the door behind her. She was going to keep her brothers safe if it was the last thing she did — even if she was only protecting them from themselves.

  Chapter Two

  Peter

  “That no-good dirty, rotten scoundrel!” Peter cursed, slamming his fist on the table as the newest advertisement for The Jolly Roger Resort and Casino played merrily on the screen in front of him.

  Tink sent him a questioning look, one eyebrow raised, her lips pulled into a frown of boredom.

  “Did you see this?” he asked, gesturing wildly at the screen as she filed her nails. Tink shrugged.

  Peter enlarged the screen and restarted the advertisement for Tink’s benefit, but she seemed even less interested as it played on.

  “The greatest show in all of Neverland can only be found at the Jolly Roger!” the narrator of the ad said as it drew to a close.

  Tink looked up from her nails, scowling, her face turning crimson. “What did that say?”

  Peter rolled his eyes. “You missed the important part again,” he said, rewinding back thirty seconds to a clip of the show. “There, you see?” He pointed, jabbing his finger at the screen like it was the cause of his torment.

  Tink stood and sauntered over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders as she leaned over his back and squinted at the screen. “Is that Curly?” she asked, her eyes growing wider.

  “And Slim, and Monroe,” Peter said, pointing to them each in turn.

  He watched as his old friends performed their familiar tricks — Slim and Monroe taking turns in a death-defying spinning wheel that rotated high above the stage. A short clip of Curly showed him juggling balls of plasma, the energy glowing hot and blue in his hands. Peter gritted his teeth as the images twisted the knife in his gut.

  “I thought they went missing?” Tink said, pulling back from the screen, her hands still on his shoulders, sliding down toward his chest. Peter shook her off, standing and pacing.

  “Clearly they’re not lost anymore. Hook’s got them at his casino — in his show!” Peter thrust his fingers through his hair, letting out a groan.

  “My best performers, poached right out from under my nose!” he roared, circling the empty green room. Their show was failing with one performer after another disappearing and now this. They weren’t disappearing, they were going to greener pastures. Because of him.

  Tink’s eyes went wide, her face reddening again as she folded her arms and pouted.

  Peter sighed, his head drooping. “Come on, now. You know I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, a pleading note in his voice. “You’ll always be my star, Tink, but amazing as you are, you’re not a one-woman show.”

  She turned her nose up at him, huffing.

  “It’s not personal, Tink, but we need more performers, you know that. We’re barely paying our bills as it is and we haven’t sold out in ages.”

  Her eyes still blazed, but she dropped her arms. “What’s your plan?”

  Peter frowned, going back to the screen where Hook’s advertisement waited to be played again. “We’ve gotta beat Hook at his own game,” he said. “We’ve gotta get some new talent and pack the house again.”

  He waited for Tink’s inevitable question — what’s in it for me? — but it didn’t come.

  “Fine,” she gritted out. “But only because he had the nerve to say they have the best show in Neverland. Can’t have the best show without me,” she grumbled, her cheeks still pink.

  Peter grinned. “Most certainly not.”

  “But he’s been snatching up all the talent in Neverland. You’re not going to find anyone here,” she added, her resolve fading.

  Peter nodded. “You’re right. We’re going to have to go somewhere else — and I think I know just the place.” A sly grin spread across his face and as it did, Tinkerbell’s eyes narrowed, her lips pursing.

  “Why do I have a feeling I’m going to hate this idea?”

  “Showtime in five,” Peter said, peeking his head behind the flimsy curtain that cordoned off a changing spot for Tink.

  “What are you doing? You’re not even in costume!” he said, bustling in and thrusting her outfit toward her. “Come on, no time to waste.”

  “I’m not going out there,” she said stomping her heel with a pout.

  Peter sighed. Of all the days for her to be a diva...

  “Alright, I’ll bite. Why not?”

  Tink stood and examined herself in the full-length mirror, running her hands over her hips and backside. “Look at me!” she cried.

  Peter said nothing, having long ago learned not to take the bait in these situations.

  “I hate this planet. I’m so heavy and I feel bloated and I just can’t do it,” she said, scowling at her butt in the mirror. “I won’t.”

  Peter resisted the urge to bury his head in his hands. He also resisted the need to shout at her, to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense
into her. He couldn’t risk Tink — she was all he had left. The rest of his troupe had either disappeared or gone to Hook’s show voluntarily and now he was out of options. If they couldn’t pick up some new recruits after this show, there wasn’t much hope for them.

  Still, Tink was difficult and delicate all at the same time. He had to maneuver this minefield carefully.

  “You look fantastic,” he said, catching her eyes in the mirror. “And the crowd is going to love you. Don’t you want to hear them all cheering and clapping for you?”

  He saw the spark in her eyes at the mention of applause and knew he had her hooked.

  “And don’t you want to go back to Neverland and perform in packed houses and see Hook’s second-rate show go out of business?”

  Tink spun around facing him, her eyes searching his face as she seemed to war with herself internally. Finally, she nodded.

  “Fine. But next time pick a planet with less gravity. I can hardly pick up my feet here,” she pouted.

  “And such dainty little feet they are,” he said with a smile, knowing he had a chance now. If Tink went out there and performed the way she always did, surely people would want to join them. Theirs was a life free from responsibility and the oppression of everyday life. Who wouldn’t want that?

  “Now you’re just buttering me up,” Tink said, a little grin playing on her lips.

  “Is it working?”

  She sighed. “You know it is.”

  Peter laughed. “Good, now go get dressed. You’re supposed to be on stage in two minutes.”

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, tonight, you’re going to see a show unlike any other!” Peter boasted to the rather modest crowd. He’d hoped more people would show up, but when you’re asking for a miracle, you couldn’t exactly be picky about what you got. Still, one never knew. The next biggest star of Neverland could be in his audience and not even know it.

  “We’ve come from a planet far from your own, seeking new members to join our troupe. But first, a little taste of our show,” he said with a grin, his eyes searching the crowd for interest. There were a few people watching with glazed, wandering eyes. There were small children, drawn in by the bright lights and exciting music, clutching the hands of their bored-looking parents.