I: Bedtime Stories

"And they all lived happily ever after," Alisa ended, tucking in her younger brother in his bed.

"That was a great story," her brother's friend Katie awed, clinging to her teddy bear.

"That story was girly," whined her brother's other young friend Sean.

"Yeah ‘Lisa." Said Alisa's brother Zeke, "tell us the Peter Pan story."

She smiled. "But you've heard that story a thousand times."

"But Sean and Katie haven't heard it. Tell it again." His big brown puppy dog eyes glistened. "Please?"

Alisa giggled; her 8 year old brother always knew how to butter her up. "Okay, one more story."

"Tell us, tell us!" Katie said excitedly, bouncing up and down in her sleeping bag.

"This isn't another girl story is it?" Sean asked.

"No way Sean! Alisa always tells me this story, she's the best story teller ever!" Zeke exclaimed.

"Well I wouldn't say the best," Alisa said to them, "but...this story is full of magic, adventure, pirates..."

"Pirates?!" Sean yelled, "Okay tell it! Go on."

"Okay, okay," Alisa began. "Once upon a time...there was a young boy, only a little bit older than all of you...named Peter Pan. Now what was special about Peter...was that he never grew up!"

"Never?" Katie asked.

"Never." Alisa whispered. "Peter lived in a magical place...called Neverland. And Neverland had magical powers; no matter what age you were, you wouldn't grow up. But Peter wasn't the only one on Neverland, no, he had friends. The Lost Boys they were called. But his best friend...was a fairy,"

Katie gasped in amazement. "A fairy?"

Alisa smiled to the seven year old girl. "A fairy," she raised up her index finger, "Just a bit bigger than my finger. And her name was TinkerBell; she gave Peter pixie dust...so he could fly, just like her!"

"He can fly too?" Katie asked.

Alisa nodded. "But...Peter also had enemies. Pirates!" the kids gasped, "And their captain Hook...who's left hand was replaced...with a shiny, silver hook."

"W-what happened to his hand?" Sean asked.

"It...was eaten...by a crocodile!" The kids gasped again, "And with his hand, he also ate a clock. Every time he came around, you could hear a soft...tick...tock...tick...tock..." Her soft ticking gave them chills. "Now one night, Peter and the Lost Boys stole Captain Hook's ship right from under his nose!"

"No!" Katie said shocked.

"Yes!" Alisa replied, just as excited, "it was a late, misty evening..."

The kids were all sucked into Alisa's storytelling. Even Zeke, who'd heard the story since he was very young, was once again pulled into the adventures of the boy who never grew up.

"Hook was sure once again, that he'd found Peter's hideout on Neverland. So he and his bloodthirsty crew went ashore, leaving their ship, the Jolly Roger, unguarded. And that's when Peter arrived! He and the boys slipped onto the ship...and there they found it...Hook's remarkable treasure!"

"Wow..." Sean muttered to himself.

"Peter told the Lost Boys they'd hide it," Alisa went on, "And Hook would have to hunt them down to get it back. But suddenly, from out of the mist...he was there; the evil Captain Hook! The pirates hopped back on the ship and began a fierce, ferocious swordfight! Peter fought Hook to the end of the ship's mast, but he tripped," the kids gasp, "and dropped his sword. Hook had him cornered...

"Give up boy," he says...but Peter stands his ground. "Never!" he says. And before Hook can attack him, a shimmering magic covers the ship-

"TinkerBell!" Zeke exclaimed.

"Yes! And the Jolly Roger lifts into the sky as Peter and the boys escape with the treasure. "You haven't seen the last of me Peter Pan!" Hook yelled from the ship, "I'll get you for this! If it's the last thing I do!" But Peter and the boys waved goodbye as the ship disappeared into the night sky." Alisa finishes her story, leaving the kids awestruck.

"That was awesome!" Sean yells.

"Told you she was a good storyteller," Zeke said.

"I want to be like Peter! I never want to grow up!"

"I do, I want to grow up, like ‘Lisa." Zeke said confidently to his friend.

She laughed. "Well, you have a long time before then. Cherish childhood Z, it's the most precious thing in the world. I wish I could be young again..."

"Why would you want to be young again?" Sean asked, "you can't do anything when you're a kid."

"Au contraire little one. When you're young, you can do anything. Trust me when I say that childhood is one of the most valuable treasures on this earth. Sadly, we all seem to lose that treasure when we grow up."

"'Lisa, is Neverland real?" Sean asked.

"Oh absolutely," she assured him, "but you must believe."

"I believe!" He said.

"Me too!" Zeke added.

"Me three!" Katie exclaimed.

"Well then...follow me," Alisa stepped over to the window and the kids followed close by. She opened it, looking out in the starry sky.

"You see those two stars there?" She asks pointing. "Second star to the right; straight on ‘till morning, and you'll reach Neverland."

"That looks like Michael's lucky star!" Katie says happily.

"Shh! His star is supposed to be secret!" Sean whispered, hitting her on her shoulder. Alisa's eyebrows rise in confusion.

"Who's Michael?" Alisa asked curiously.

"He's our friend." Zeke said.

"Oh?" She said, "You've never mentioned him to me before. What's he like?"

"He's...special." Zeke described, "Magic. Like Peter Pan!"

"Oh is he? With a lucky star too?"

"Yeah! It's like...like TinkerBell!"

Alisa giggled at her brother's childlike imagination. She thought it was exaggerated of course, but in a child's mind anything was possible. She was just like Zeke at his age; an imagination was important in a young child's life and she wouldn't dare take that away from her brother.

"You should bring him by sometime," She suggested, "I would love to meet this magical friend of yours."

 "'Lisa?" Katie called.

"Yes sweetie?"

"Are there any girls in Neverland?" Alisa's blue eyes looked down at the teddy bear-cuddling girl and smiled.

"Of course there are! There are mermaids and Princess Tiger Lily...oh and there's Wendy."

"Tell us another one..." Katie requested. "Please?"

"I think two bedtime stories are enough for one night. I promise to tell you another Peter Pan story tomorrow. One with a girl," Katie smiles, shutting her eyes and slowly falling asleep. Alisa tucked her in, putting her sleeping bag cover over her to keep warm. She then checked on Sean, who was also asleep, took off his hat and set it next to his sleeping bag. She tucked Zeke back into his bed softly, kissing his forehead.

"Goodnight little brother." She whispered; she closed the door, letting the kids finally get some rest. Going through the apartment, she straightened up the clutter of trash her father left behind during his drunken stupor, thinking more about how excited her brother was when he spoke about his friend Michael. Alisa was curious to meet this mystery friend; her brother did relate him to Peter Pan, after all. What about him was so magical? She wondered.

She paused at the hall, a frown appearing on her face. Her father was asleep in front of the TV again. Or at least he looked asleep, she was too afraid to find out. She slowly backed away from the entrance of the living room, but as she turned her back she heard him say,

"Don't forget to clean them dishes." She slowly turned back and saw him twisted in his chair staring right back at her. Calmly, Alisa passed him and walked straight into the kitchen, cleaning the small amount of dishes in the sink and putting them away.

"And the boy's room." He said groggily, looking in the refrigerator.

"I already did."

"What?" He said, approaching her. Her heartbeat grew faster at his approach.

"I-I already cleaned Zeke's room." Alisa's fears soon came true as she felt him strike her cheek; she could feel the burn rising. Her cheek was probably red as a tomato now. But she didn't once touch it, never looked at him. She just stood there, stiff as a board.

"What did I tell you about talking back?" Another slap. He slurred, "I don't care what it is, you keep your mouth shut, you hear me?"

She nodded. "Yes Dad."

With that, he was gone; off to sleep off the rest of that hideous stupor. The tears fell freely as she could no longer feel his presence. Silently, they fell. She finished putting the dishes away and scurried off to her safe haven, her room. She wrapped her arms around herself as she curled up on her bed.

 That night, Alisa wished Neverland was real, so Peter Pan may take her far, far away.