Besides the brilliant light, the first thing to hit her was the smell. Unusually tropical and heady, Wendy felt that if she stuck her tongue out she'd be able to taste the air. A flurry of birds flew through the opening, circled the cavern, and flew back out. Some were real and some were machines, and they were not unlike the birds she had just seen on the screens. As the wall opened to its full extent, Wendy found herself peering down at the most incredible view she had ever seen.
Dramatic silver mountains rose up in defined layers, cradling the other features below them. The trees were unreal. They were every color, shape, and height imaginable, and they swayed gently in the impossible breeze. A magnificent lagoon shimmered below, reflecting some unknown light source, and a tantalizing mist rose up from it, playing tricks on her senses. In fact, everything was expanding and challenging her senses, daring her to believe that there could be such sights and smells, such sounds and flavors.
She instinctively walked to the edge of the opening, hungrily taking it all in.
"Who are you?"
"Um…"
"Oh, that's Wendy!" Peter shouted from the back of the cavern. Wendy turned and saw him taking off his gear and smiling at her.
The boy next to her just stared, mouth open. Wendy wasn't sure how to respond, so she stepped away and continued to study the world below.
It was huge. She guessed that it stretched on for at least 100 kilometers, although even with that estimation she couldn't see where it ended. Maybe it was a trick, an illusion. Maybe she was dreaming. She had been extraordinarily tired and stressed. It just wasn't possible that something this marvelous was hiding underground.
"Curly! Will you release the pixie dust?"
"I'm on it!"
One of the boys ran to the side and pulled a lever. Instantly, fine dust began to rain down on them, clinging to their suits.
Wendy sneezed as it tickled her nose, and while she blinked it out of her eyes, a boy leaped off the ledge and plummeted down through the air. Before she could scream a warning, two more boys jumped over the edge.
"What are they doing?" She cried, watching their falling figures. The drop to the ground had to be over 200 kilometers.
"Here, let me show you," Peter said calmly, appearing at her side.
In the split second after mischief entered his eyes, Wendy discerned what he was going to do, but the realization came too late. Her protest was cut short as he wrapped his arms around her waist and flung them both into the air.
The scream caught in her throat as the wind rushed against them. We're going to die, she thought. What a waste. All this beautiful earth, and these boys were all just on a ludicrous suicide mission. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to think of how it would feel when she hit the ground, her bones crushed by the immense fall. Her only comfort was that death would be instant, there would be no suffering. Her thoughts became woozy, and the last image that flickered into her head before she passed out was her mother lying pale and alone in a hospital bed.
*****
"What happened to her?"
"Peter, did you kill her?"
"No, she's still alive, probably just knocked out from the fall."
"Can I touch her? I've never touched a girl before. Well, except for Tink, but that doesn't really count."
"You never touch a lady when she's asleep. You'll be cursed for 11 years."
"Back up, I think she's opening her eyes."
Wendy blinked a few times, trying to process her surroundings and failing spectacularly. She shut her eyes again. Am I dead? She thought. If I were dead, I wouldn't have this headache. She peeked out again and was met by bright green eyes, laced with concern and a touch of exuberance.
"Wendy, wake up," he urged. "I have so much to show you."
Her thoughts cleared. She was with Peter, that strange boy who had kidnapped her. They had fallen down hundreds of kilometers into this new and exotic world, and somehow they had not been killed. As fascinating as it all was, she couldn't shake the image of her mother. She had to get back, she had to get home. She had to go to work. Mrs. Nancy would go berserk if she didn't show up, especially with all the stress of possibly having the home shut down. She had to be with her mother. What if she had woken up already?
Wendy sat upright, fighting the urge to lie down again. The circle of boys around her drew back, their expressions a mixture of fear and fascination.
"I don't know what just happened or where we are, but I need to go home," she pleaded. "My mother is in a coma and I have to get to work."
They eyed her curiously, and then one tall boy stepped forward.
"She's speaking gibberish," he declared. "Give her some medicine, that will clear her up."
They all scattered in different directions, then came back and pressed in on her, all attempting to put a flask to her lips. Alarmed, Wendy tried to back away, but they were relentless. She pushed their hands away from her face, but one broke through and suddenly a trickle of liquid was running into her mouth.
She froze as she processed the taste. It was indescribably delicious, and almost immediately she felt calm and content. She exhaled happily as the taste and sensations ran through her body. She looked back at the boys and smiled. What had she been saying? What had she been so worried about?
"See, there's nothing this medicine can't fix," a young boy announced proudly and put the stopper back into his flask.
Peter strode forward and helped Wendy to her feet. Now that her head was cleared, she couldn't help noticing how good looking he was.
"Boys," Peter said authoritatively, "This is Wendy."
"Hello, Wendy lady!" The boys sang out.
"Wendy, these are the lost boys." Peter crossed to the boys and started with the tallest. "This is Slightly, he takes care of the security."
"And I do a lot of building and cooking," the gangly boy added defensively.
Peter moved on to a bulky boy with a kind face. "This here is Curly. He keeps track of measurements and proportions, and chronicles the changes in Essentia." The boy gave her a shy smile and ducked his head.
"Nibs is in charge of battle tactics and defenses," Peter continued, gesturing to the shortest, but probably not the youngest, boy. He saluted her solemnly.
"And the twins are in charge of developing food and animals." Wendy could almost see the mischievousness bouncing between them. Except for their different colored vests, she couldn't tell them apart.
"It's very nice to meet all of you," Wendy said tentatively, not sure how she should act. Almost all of the boys beamed back at her. She glanced around. They appeared to be in some sort of house, but even that definition seemed inadequate. She was fairly certain that they were underground, that is, underneath the underground world she had seen from the cavern. The dwelling was made entirely of tree roots, some real and some fabricated. The floor was covered in various fur rugs, and in each corner there were huge beds. There were tunnels and trap doors leading to who knows where, and Wendy wondered what adventure lie behind each one. It was lit by dozens of turtles with brightly glowing shells crawling around on the floor, and curiously, up the walls and on the ceiling. The walls were adorned with screens resembling windows that displayed what Wendy assumed were scenes from around Neverland.
Wendy turned her attention to Peter, who had been giving assignments while she was studying the house.
"After the tiger mice are rebooted, we all need to reconfigure our shadows..."
"What is she going to do?" Nibs interrupted, gazing at Wendy.
"That's not your problem, Nibs."
"Well, it is if I have to share my resources with her. We're already low on tokens, and if she's not earning her own-"
"Can she code?" Curly piped up. "I could really use some help translating the Essentia archives."
"Ooh, can she sew?" Slightly inquired. "I always thought we should have a fashion designer."
"Stop!" Shouted Peter. "Right now she's helping me and we'll figure out her contribution later."
The boys held their breath and stared at Wendy. Finally, one of the twins spoke up.
"So, she hasn't been authorized?"
"Not yet."
The boys shuffled uncomfortably and a ripple of fear passed through Wendy's body. She wasn't supposed to be here.
"Don't worry about it," Peter said, a smile tugging at his mouth. "I'll take all responsibility for her right now. Now let's see if we can be fully functional again by the time I get back."
"Where are you going?" Asked Nibs, his eyes squinting suspiciously.
"I'm taking Wendy to the lagoon with me to retrieve our tokens."