The Never Beginnings

Plans and Promises

The ticking. The incessant, infernal ticking of time. It haunted him. Day and night. Reminded him that time was slowly slipping through his fingers as easily as sand in an hourglass. That's why he had run away. He'd seen what had happened to those who ran out of sand. Their bodies crippled, their minds withering away to the mind of a child's. No! He determined. Time would not best him! 

So he followed the rumors. Rumors of immortality found in a cup, eternal youth in a fountain, freedom from death in a stone; he'd followed them to the far corners of the earth but they had all lead to naught. He'd been left with a broken chalice, a vile filled with pond water, and a pebble. And time still gained the upper hand.

Hook was livid! But then he heard of another rumor. An island where no one grew old, an island kept from the reaches of time, between heaven and hell. Intrigued, he sent his crew to find a map to such a place. They came back and told him "Only the devil or an angel could be the keeper of such a place." Since the life of piracy didn't leave one on friendly terms with the heavens. He'd decided to make a deal with the devil instead.

He sold his soul, so great was his lust to be the master of his own time. In his hasty bargain he didn't ask for the way back. The blasted devil had cheated him! He'd found the island but was forced to remain in its waters for eternity. It's true, he never got any older, but the devil had also neglected to tell him that the island was haunted. Haunted by a miserable flying rat and his band of little thieves! 

BLAST that Peter Pan! The very embodiment of youth, immortality, and freedom. A continual reminder of what Hook had lost. That is why he loathed, no despised, no utterly and completely abhorred that boy! And now he was forced to contend with the rat almost on a daily basis, as if it were some childish game! And always, always, Hook was on the tail end, the losing end. The insufferable miscreant even had the nerve to chop of his hand and throw it to a crocodile! In hind sight Hook almost wanted to thank the boy, for it had given him a deadly appendage, his name sake.

But Today, Hook mused twirling his cigar, Today things were going to change. He had devised a way to finally get his revenge. Pan had always come to battle on Hooks turf, well now the game was going to come to the boy, on Hook's timing. They would capture him unawares in his own hideout!

There was only one fatal flaw in his brilliant plan. They had no clue as to where the boy made camp. They had fruitlessly searched the entire island to find nothing! Not even a hint at where he could be. Hook put down his cigar and ran a hand through his hair. I bet those blasted Redskins would know where Pan is, since they are so chummy... He paused. That was it! Those Indians were allies and would surely know where the boy was hiding! Why hadn't he thought of this before? Adrenalin coursed through his veins as his plan came together.

"SMEE!" Hook bellowed, impatiently tapping on his desk. "SMEE!"

The pudgy older man peeked into Hook's cabin. "Yes c...c...captain?" He stammered, glasses falling down his nose.

"Get my best coat and hat!" Hook demanded walking over to his chest of drawers. Selecting a box out of the top drawer he pulled out his infamous double hook.

With a malicious grin he turned towards his first mate, "We must look out best, we are going to make a call on our favorite Indian Princess! Inform the crew to scour the island for the Princess Tiger Lilly and that she is to be brought safely and intact to me. I have a question I'd like to have answered."

............

.... Rubbing the last of the dream world out of her eyes, Wendy decided it was infinitely more pleasant to wake up on one's own than be scared awake. With a great yawn she stood and stretched. Suddenly she recalled the events of last night. She blushed. What had gotten into her?