Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean Read Free Book Online Page A

a bite more of Captain James Hook!’
    The very mention of Hook sent a thrilling shiver down their spines. Curly felt the curls in his curly hair tighten. For though they had witnessed the end with their own eyes—had seen the pirate captain leap to his death in the jaws of a gigantic crocodile, Captain Jas. Hook still had the power to haunt their dreams. They gazed down at the carcass in awe, and the jaws grinned smugly back at them.
    ‘So has anybody won my hand?’ moaned Princess Tootles, determined that someone must have.
    ‘I found a stone dragon!’ said John. ‘They’re the worst!’
    ‘I found a cloud dragon,’ said Slightly.
    ‘A water dragon, me,’ said Curly, unlacing his wet shoes.
    ‘Ours was made of wood,’ said the Twins, ‘and we killed it with fire!’
    ‘I found twelve lions,’ said Wendy mildly, ‘though I don’t suppose that counts.’
    Peter simply kicked the Crocodile. A hinge in the cheek broke, and the top jaw slowly lifted. It even seemed as if smoke coiled out, but it was only mist rolling off the Lagoon. The weather was certainly strange: it is rare to be dazzled by lightning and tickled by mist in the same night.
    ‘You all did very well,’ said Wendy, seeing trouble brewing. ‘Would you like to hear about my lions now? And the Circus?’
    ‘Well, we can’t share ,’ said Curly. ‘You can’t share a princess. How would you split her up?’
    Peter fingered his dagger, at which Tootles looked distinctly uneasy.
    ‘There are lots of different days in the week,’ said Wendy brightly. ‘Perhaps Tootles could lend you a hand on Wednesday, Slightly, and you a hand on Thursday …’
    ‘I’d rather have half a kingdom anyway,’ said Slightly.
    ‘Well, you can’t,’ said John, ‘because I quested best and killed a stone dragon and they’re the worst!’ The Boys began to bump and barge each other. Even the Twins started a fight over which of them had set light to the Forest Dragon.
    ‘Let’s have a story,’ said Wendy quickly.
    Peter leapt on to a big rock. ‘No! Let’s have a WAR!’
    This marvellous idea of his set Fireflyer whooping and wheeling in fits of delight. ‘ A war, yes! I never saw a war! ’ The fairy clung to Peter’s unkempt hair, like fire to a fuse.
    The Twins stopped fighting. John brushed sand off his sailor suit.
    ‘No,’ said Wendy. ‘Don’t let’s.’
    ‘No,’ said Curly. ‘Let’s not.’
    ‘No,’ said John. ‘Not a War.’
    Perhaps it was the clammy touch of the mist. Perhaps it was the ghost of a memory. Perhaps, in far off Fotheringdene someone leaned against the war memorial on the village green …
    ‘Done War,’ said one Twin.
    ‘Me too,’ said the other.
    ‘Michael wouldn’t like it,’ said Slightly.
    Peter stamped his foot in outrage. ‘And just who is Michael? ’
    John gave a gasp. Wendy turned away. Could Peter really have forgotten their brother? Their wonderful brother Michael? For a long time no one spoke. There was only the noise of Fireflyer fizzing and fretting around their heads.
    ‘Michael Darling went away to the Big War,’ said Slightly. ‘He was … Lost.’
    Peter stared at them, these mutineers, with their white faces, wet hair, sad eyes. Then he somersaulted carelessly off the rock. ‘Ah! One of the Lost Boys! Do you expect me to remember them all? There were so many!’
    No one tried to explain. They knew that Peter Pan (and foolish young fairies like Fireflyer) were much better off not knowing about the War. Besides, something else had put it quite out of their heads.
    Five large black bears, jaws agape and slavering, were leaping towards them over the rocks.

‘ Hup, cub-bages! ’ said a deep, imperious voice.
    The bears lurched up on to their haunches, roaring, rolling their black heads on their thick no-necks, drooling saliva and dancing in waltz-time: one-two-three; one-two-three.
    Peter Pan spread wide his arms: he would shield his League from harm or die in the attempt! Behind the