The Boy Who Could Fly

chapter three

"Are you really Jack Kelly?"

"Are there pirates and fairies on your island?"

"Teach me how to fly!"

Jack grinned at Sally and Sebastien as they bombarded him with excited questions. "Yes, yes, and I will. How else are you going to come with me?"

Aimee quickly shook her head. "We're not going anywhere with you." She quickly pulled her siblings close to her side.

"Well, ya kinda hafta come with me," Jack said, shrugging. "So come on, I'll teach ya how to fly."

"Hang on." Aimee's grip on her brother and sister tightened a bit. "We don't have to go anywhere. And certainly not with you."

"See, that's the thing. You saw me, so you gotta come with me. Can't have you goin' around and tellin' adults that I exist. Besides, no one would ever believe you. They'll just think you're crazy. What have you got to lose?"

"Please, Aimee!" Sally begged. "We'll be back before Mama and Papa. They won't even notice we're gone!"

Sebastien nodded. "We can be quick," he added. Aimee doubted that.

"Well, we don't need ya permission," Jack said, taking her siblings' hands and pulling them over to his side. "Come on, we'll go." He grinned slightly, as if he knew that Aimee wouldn't let them go without joining them. "But first, I'll teach ya to fly." He pulled the fairy dust out of his pocket and tossed a bit on both Sebastien and Sally.

"Now what?" Sally asked excitedly, spinning around as the dust fell on her.

Jack squatted down so he could be at eye level with the two. "Now all you gotta do is think happy thoughts. Find a happy memory and concentrate on it, yeah?" The two kids nodded, bouncing in anticipation. "Got one?"

"Yeah!" Sebastien cheered.

"Good." Jack nodded. During this whole encounter, Aimee attempted to keep her siblings from listening. It wasn't working. "Think a happy thought, and trust that you'll fly."

Sally climbed up on the couch in the living room, eager to try. Aimee chased after her, but she was too late. Sally leapt off the couch, grinning widely. To Aimee's surprise, her feet didn't touch the ground. Just like Jack had, Sally flew around the room.

Aimee's jaw dropped. "It...it worked!" She couldn't believe her eyes as her sister glided above the floor.

"Yeah, 'course it worked." Jack shrugged, going to stand next to Aimee. His wide grin never wavered. "You doubted me?" As he spoke, Sebastien followed Sally's lead and jumped off the couch. He, too, didn't fall to the ground.

"Can we fly to Neverland?" Sally questioned, coming to a stop and settling on the couch. "Please!"

"No," Aimee said, shaking her head.

"We don't hafta take you," Jack pointed out, grabbing her siblings' hands. "Sally, Sebastien, let's go." Jack took them to the window, then turned back to Aimee. "Don't worry, we'll be back before too long."

"You can't just take them!" Aimee exclaimed. "That's kidnapping!"

"Then come with us," he replied. Sally and Sebastien nodded in agreement. "You'll love it in Neverland. Come learn how ta' fly."

Aimee hesitated. She really did want to go, but she wanted to be a responsible sister. Her parents had left her in charge. Before she could come to a decision, she was showered with a handful of golden dust. It sparkled more than she thought it would, and it smelled good. It smelled like strawberries, sugar, and she detected a hint of citrus.

"Think of a happy memory," Jack encouraged softly. So she did. She thought of an instance when she was young. As a child, her mother would always sing a particular song to Aimee as she laid in bed. Just the memory of that song alone always calmed her, and it always made her happy. Before she knew it, her feet slowly lifted off the ground.

"I- I'm doing it!" She exclaimed, unsure if she liked it or not.

Jack nodded happily and took her hand. "To Neverland, then." He pulled her out the window. Instead of plunging to her death like she expected, she floated over the street. Her siblings followed quickly, giggling as they flew with each other.

"How do we get to Neverland?" Sebastien asked, flying up next to Jack.

"Other than flying, I'll show ya." Jack grinned. "Follow me!" Aimee, Sally, and Sebastien flew behind Jack, following his lead. Beneath them, the lights of New York City glittered. The city was so quiet. Aimee couldn't hear the normal buzz of carriages, horses, and people milling about. She found the silence beautiful.

Soon, Aimee could no longer see where they were going. It looked as if they were headed into the stars. She had read about the location of Neverland, but she never really understood how to get there. The sky became darker as they flew above the clouds. After a while, Jack slowly began to descend. Aimee and her siblings followed, and Aimee grew more excited to see this supposedly fictional land. The sun began to rise, but Aimee was no longer thinking about when she'd be able to get back.

As they flew below the clouds, Jack's grin widened. They came into view of a small island with a single mountain. It seemed as if magic radiated off the island. The water was a crystal blue color, and the forest a lush green. Aimee could make out a beautiful beach and several naturally occurring coves.

Turning back to face them, Jack gestured to the island. "Welcome to Neverland."