A Castle Made Of Dreams

TRUE TO PAIGE’S words, dawn broke with a dazzling golden light that spilled across the universe. It forced Wallace’s eyes shut for a second due to its brilliance. When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in his hometown nor was he in a world he had imagined possible.

The sheer beauty of the world below him was impossible to fathom if Wallace hadn’t witnessed it for himself. He was not the only one that thought so because the young child also gasped, all but squealing in delight at the majesty of this new world.

“Welcome to Neverland,” Paige laughed, gesturing towards the island below them.

The lush greenery of the forest spread on for miles. In the distance, there was a tall mountain that scraped at the skies. However, since they were so far off the ground, the tall mountain seemed nothing more than an ant’s hill. The tip of it was covered in powdery white snow, hidden among the clouds. Settled on the mountain was a castle that overlooked the trees. It had an air of grandeur and at the same time, Wallace wasn’t sure if he had seen anything as intimidating before.

Beside it, a thundering waterfall sent water droplets flying, creating a mist that offered the rainbow its colors when golden sunlight collided with it.

With the waterfall was a lake that pooled beneath it, the water glistening like a gathering of diamonds. From the sky, Wallace thought he saw heads pop out from the water’s surface, hair swirling around them and faces pointed towards the flying broomstick in the sky.

The child must’ve seen those heads too because he pointed towards the lake, asking, “What are those?”

Paige turned slightly to look at what the kid was referring to before chuckling light-heartedly. “Mermaids, little boy. Deadly but beautiful killers. They’re good at providing information and seem to know everything that happens in and around Neverland.”

“Mermaids belong in fairytales,” Wallace countered, glaring at the figures beneath him.

From the sky, he could see them lounging about the pooled water, frolicking under the sun and splashing water with their iridescent tails. Their scales shimmered with a thousand colors and reflected the golden sunlight effortlessly. As if they had heard what Wallace said, the mermaids stopped, all of them halting in their movements to stare at the broomstick that raced across the skies.

“They’re looking at us!” the little boy called out in delight, waving his hand frantically at the mermaids below.

Paige grinned, turning to give Wallace the side-eye. “Mermaids have exceptionally good hearing. That’s how they know everything on this island.”

Wallace wore a cold scowl on his face as he heaved himself onto the broom, grasping the little broomstick tightly as if his life depended on it. After much effort, he was finally perched on it like his two other companions, beads of perspiration trailing down the sides of his head and neck from the physical exertion.

“Looks like this island has no privacy,” he commented, scoffing at the mermaids as they slowly dimmed into faraway dots in a distance.

“Do you have secrets you wish to hide?” Paige countered with an enigmatic smile. “I know I don’t. At least, not any that I’m afraid of people knowing.”

Teeth gritted and fists clenched, Wallace was prepared to argue when the boy traveling with them exclaimed in delight. He jumped a little in his seat, pointing urgently at a ship below them.

“Ooh! Ooh! Pirates! There’s a pirate ship!” he cried.

Immediately, even though the smile on her face didn’t fade, the joy it held was drastically reduced. Paige’s face darkened.