The steady hum of the airship’s engines filled the sky, like the contented purr of a great mechanical cat, a sound that had become as familiar to Wendy as her own heartbeat. High above the endless blue of the ocean, the Darlings’ airship sailed gracefully, its canvas wings stretching wide, shimmering in the sunlight. The ship was a marvel of brass and wood, its polished deck gleaming underfoot as the warm sun bathed its copper pipes, which wound intricately along the ship's frame like golden veins. Gauges and dials lined the walls of the control panel, ticking softly, while delicate gears whirred and clicked, keeping the ship in perfect balance as it glided on the wind.
Each puff of steam that rose from the ship’s engine reminded Wendy of how long they had been in the air, suspended between worlds. The coastline had disappeared hours ago, leaving them in the vastness of the open ocean, nothing but shimmering blue stretching endlessly below. Occasionally, a gust of wind would catch the wings just right, and the ship would tip slightly, only for the gears to adjust with a soft clink, steadying them. Wendy rested her hands on the smooth railing, her fingers tracing the wood grain absentmindedly as she looked out at the sky. It felt as if they were drifting toward a different kind of reality altogether.
The air here felt charged, as if the very atmosphere knew they were nearing a place that wasn’t quite part of their world. Wendy could almost feel it—a subtle hum in the breeze, an unplaceable energy. Every so often, she thought she saw flickers of light dancing just at the edges of her vision, like daylight fireflies, only to vanish when she tried to focus.
Life aboard the airship had fallen into a rhythm. The sound of the engines, the soft chatter of the boys, the occasional creak of the ship’s joints had become part of the background—a peaceful contrast to the excitement that hung in the air. Wendy had grown accustomed to the way her brothers moved through the ship’s corridors, each of them settling into their roles during the long journey. John, hunched over the controls, had taken to his duties like a seasoned navigator. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he adjusted the ship’s course, meticulously fine-tuning each dial, never leaving room for error.
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“How much longer, John?” Wendy asked, her voice carrying easily over the comforting hum of the engines.
John didn’t look up from the charts he had laid out across the control panel. “Not much longer,” he muttered, his eyes flicking between the dials and the shimmering horizon. “We should be crossing into Neverland’s territory soon. At least, if these charts are accurate.” He allowed himself a quick glance at the sky ahead, where the light seemed to dance in a way that was almost... unnatural.
Wendy nodded, her heart fluttering with a mix of excitement and unease. Despite John’s calm demeanor, she knew they were venturing into the unknown, a place far beyond the realms of logic and reason. She had always heard stories of Neverland—an island where time didn’t follow the rules, where everything was touched by magic—but could a place like that really exist?
Behind her, the sound of Michael’s laughter broke the stillness of the moment. He was darting back and forth across the deck, too excited to stay in one place. “Look! Look!” he shouted, pointing up at a cloud that drifted lazily by. His face was flushed with excitement, his wide eyes taking in every detail as though the world itself was about to reveal its secrets.
Wendy followed his gaze, expecting to see nothing out of the ordinary. But then she caught it—a faint shimmer on the cloud’s surface, like silvery dust sparkling in the sunlight. For just a moment, she thought she saw tiny figures dancing along the edges of the cloud, their forms too small and distant to make out, before they disappeared altogether.
“Did you see that?” Michael asked breathlessly, rushing over to grab her hand. His eyes were wide with wonder, his breath coming in short bursts, as if the magic itself had stolen it away.
Wendy smiled softly, ruffling his hair. “Maybe, Michael. Maybe.” His innocence warmed her heart, his excitement infectious. He had dreamed of Neverland for so long, had soaked in every story they’d ever heard about the boy who never grew up, the islands where anything was possible. And now, as they neared it, it was as if all his dreams were coming to life.
For Wendy, though, magic felt like a distant memory, something she had once believed in but had learned to be wary of. There had been a time, when she was Michael’s age, that she would have marveled at the idea of Neverland. But growing up had taught her caution. Magic, if it truly existed, was not something to trust.