Peter Pan

Fly away, fly away with Peter Pan. This childhood tale is a century old being first published in 1906, written by JM Barre and copywritten in 2003.

Wendy knew she would get older when she was two and her mother told her. She got a rose thorn pricked in her finger and because of this ran to her mother, who said she wishes Wendy would stay like this forever.

Nana was their dog put in charge of the children: Wendy, Michael and John. Nana even took them to school and waited for them in the basement with all the other nurses. Nana was so good at taking care of the children that she knew when their cough was a sign of  sickness and when it was not. She took John to soccer and carried an umbrella in her mouth in case of rain. She didn't like Mrs. Darlings friends, which was interesting because she usually liked everyone. She also never liked anyone to visit the nursery.

George, the childrens father, was not sure about what effects Nana had on his city career, but other then that he loved her.  Liza was the only other maid that the Darlings had. Their mother also knew Peter Pan from her youth. She saw Peter when she fell asleep in the nursery, she screamed when she woke up and saw Peter Pan. She then thought he was killed from the jump out the window. She saw a shooting star when she was looking for him. Nana got hold of his shadow. Mr. Darling was angry at Nana cause he bumped into her when he was getting ready for the function that night. He was putting Nana in the yard, and she barked the bark that she sensed danger.

The next night Tinkerbell and Peter came into the Darlings bedroom to look for Peters shadow. Tink found his shadow, and Peter not thinking locked her up in the chest. Then he tried sticking it on with soap and couldn't. So he cried and awoke Wendy. She sewed the shadow on and Peter did a little dance and crowed. He knew faires and admitted it which surprised Wendy and she also admired him for that as well. Tinker bell didn't like Wendy at all because she thought Wendy was trying to steal Peter from her.

Nana was very alarmed and brought Liza, the housekeeper, up to the children's room and the children as well as Peter Pan hid behind the curtains. Liza was so angry with Nana, she chained her up in the yard. Nana managed to escape and got Mister and Misses Darling. However the parents got there just as soon as the children left their nursery.

The group was flying for a few days. They got their food from birds mouths. Peter slept in the air floating. There was talk about leaving Peter, however Wendy talked them out of it. Peter would leave them, have an adventure and then return. Tinkerbell fell asleep on Peters shoulder.

Everything was quiet when Peter was not in Neverland. The Indians hunted the Pirates and the Pirates hunted the Lost Boys and the Lost Boys hunted the Indians but all at the same rate so nobody managed to catch anyone or be killed. In the absence of Peter the Lost Boys could speak of their mothers and recollect who they were and the impressions their mothers made on them. After their breif recollection they heard the pirates sing which went like this,
"Yo ho, Yo ho, the pirates life,
The flag o' skull and bones,
A merry hour, a hempen rope,
And hey for Davy Jones." Hook found a chimney of the Lost Boys under a mushroom and was going to make a cake and poison it and then lay it for the Lost Boys, since they had no mother they would eat it. Wendy appeared and Tink said Peter said to shoot her, so the lost boys shot her in the chest.

The Lost Boys were told by Tink to shoot Wendy down, so they did. Then they discovered Wendy was a lady, so they all were sorry. The button, that Peter gave her as a kiss saved her life. Peter wasn't happy with Tink because of this, so he banished her for a week. They all built a house around her to create cover for her. In the boys house there was a tree which they chopped in the morning and by lunch it was used as a table. Wendy had string in her room, which she used as a clothesline to hang the clothes she had washed.

The boys were put to bed at 6:30. They were cued to roll over at a certain time. Tink had curtains around her cage for privacy. She also had a washstand and mirror. She varied the bedspread according to the fruit in season.

Wendy gave tests to the kids, mainly to remember their parents. In these tests she asked: what color their mothers hair was, who was taller your mother or father, etc. 

One day as they were resting pirates came and Peter woke them. So they dove in the lagoon instead of running away. They found the pirates captured Tiger Lily and were going to throw her near the rocky shore to kill her. She was cought coming aboard the Jolly Roger, the pirates ship, with a knife in her mouth with the intention of killing Captain Hook. Peter threw his voice to imitate Captain Hook, to let Tiger Lily go. The real Hook was angry because he never gave that order. Peter answered in Hooks voice and called him a codfish. This was really bothersome to Hook.

Peter left camp to get the time, and the only way he could was to find the aligator who swallowed Hooks hand and a clock and listen for a chime to go off. Wendy was sewing the boys pants back for they had holes. When Peter returned she asked what sort of relationship they had, to which he answered she was his mother. She was disappointed by this. 

Peter saved Tiger Lily, so the Indians and Lost Boys were friends, however Wendy didn't trust the Indians.

Wendy told a story about her mother, that she kept the nursery window open.  Peter said his parents didn't and his parents had another son to replace him. Michael and John wanted to go home. Wendy promised that they will go in the morning. Peter thought every time he breathed an adult died. The pirates attacked after Wendy's story. Peters cockiness was what angered Hook the most.

Smee found the Indians Tom-tom which was hit when the Induans won a battle, and hit it to con the Lost Boys out of hiding, however the pirate's attacked. All of the Lost Boys, and Wendy were captured. Hook asked for two cabin boys but only Tootles volenteered. Wendy's last words to the boys were that she wished the boys would die like English gentlemen. They all were saved by what they thought was a ticking from the crocodile but was actually Peter with a clock.

Starky was being forced to fight the Lost Boys because he started an unsuccessful mutiny. After the Lost Boys won against Hook, some of the Lost Boys wanted the Jolly Roger to become an honest ship while others wanted to keep it a pirate ship.

Wendy and her brothers brought the six Lost Boys back with them. Peter never stayed, but promised Wendy to return for her every spring for spring cleaning.

Mrs. Darling didn't have a problem with letting the boys stay with them. Mr. Darling was concerned about finances. As soon as the Lost Boys went to school, they missed never land. Their flying power soon left them, which meant they no longer believed.

When Peter left and returned to Never Land he forgot everything.  He came for Wendy only one year and forgot a year and then came back the other year. That was the last time. Wendy grew up and got married. Mr. Darling sold the house to Wendy and she had a daughter named Jane. He took Jane to Neverland. Jane grew up and had a daughter named Margaret.  This went on longer then the book lasted.

Peter Pan took flight in so many ways. It was a good story. It was like the movie in some respects, but had some additions and some deductions. I loved the book. I would give it an A.

Dracula

In Bram Stoker Dracula, which had 380 pages was a fantastic mystery. I started this book on October 11 of this year. I took a brake from reading this book on the 21st of November.

Jonathan Harkins found the German he took in school very useful. He had a difficult time finding Dracula's castle for their were no maps of it. He finally located it on the border of three countries: Transylvania, Moldavia and Bukovina in the Carpathian Mountains.

There were four religion's in Transylvania: The Saxons in the South, the Wallich who were the defendants of the Dacuans, the Magyers in the west and the Szekelys in the North and East.

A dog kept him, Jonathin Harkins,  up the night he got there. In the morning he saw the women looked pretty from a far, however up close you saw theur true weight. When the train arrived at its destination of Brustritz he was directed, by Dracula to the Golden Krone Hotel, which was, to his delight an old fashion hotel. Dracula paid for his room. He asked about Dracula, and was not answered, which he found mysterious.

It was St. Gorges Eve, when all evil spirits were out. The woman who was talking to Harkins did not want him to leave, and she put a crucifix around his neck.

On the train he dined on "Robbers Steak," going to Dracula's castle. The people outside the train car and the conductor were talking about him and putied him for where he was going.

It was autumn, All Hollows Eve,  when Harkins journeyed to Count Dracula's castle. The passenger's of the car offered him gifts and blessings. The carriage traveled in circles at times.  The driver offered him some brandywhich was under his seat, he politely refused. After riding a while, he decided to look at his watch. It was a few minutes before midnight. He heard the howling of wolves and the barking of dogs. As he rode he saw a blue flame over certain parts, and asked Dracula about this, to which he responded, "A blue flame was over an area to which a treasure is concealed."

As Jonathan rang the bell, he wondered what this place was and why he was there. He both rubbed his eyes and pinched himself to make sure he was awake, for the castle was so spooky just like it was a nightmare. Just as he made sure he was awake he heard heavy steps coming from behind the door.

Dracula greeted Jonathan at the door politely. Because it was so late, his servants were not available. Hawkins ate a grand dinner and found that the Count had to be away in the morning. He had a great breakfast and the servants were glad to him. When he awoke, he had a grand breakfast and the servants were glad to see him when he awoke. The tables, clothes and drapes were centuries old, but were upkept in a great matter.  There was not a mirror in the manner for vampires have no reflection. There was no reading materials in his chambers or where he consumed his breakfast, however he found a grand library.  The books were of English materials such as history, law, and geology.

Dracula loves to live in old houses full of character. To him a home cannot be built in a day. It needs time to settle and breathe.

Jonathan felt like a prisoner in the castle. He saw no help, which meant that the Count drove him to the castle. He, was even more curious, of thr blessings and the crucifix and the wild ash that he received before he arrived at the castle. He spoke of history as if he was there. He asked Jonathan about business, which he was facinated by.

Dracula asked Jonathan if he has written Peter or anyone else since he got there to a response of no. Dracula encouraged him to write that he will stay another month. He wrote carefully to Mr. Hawkins, for he supposed the Count would read it, but to his wife Mina he wrote in shorthand so the Count could not understand it. Jonathan wanted to escape the castle, but couldn't because the door was locked.

Later when Jonathan explored the castle he found one room unlocked. The unused room had tons of dust on the furniture. The windows were curtainless. The castle was built on the side of a mountain, which protected it  from the elements. Jonathan kept a journal of his time in the castle. He had fallen asleep just as he finished the entry of the day. He was awakened by three chambermaids.

All three woman had pearly white teeth and skin. They were vampires. They stood as one, and then broke out into laughter. Then the Count showed up and saved him from what the weman were about to do. He forbade the woman from touching him, as well as to look upon him, before he was done with whatever he had planned for Jonathan.  The girls laughed at the Count and taunted him saying he can't love. To which he replied, "Yes I can."

Hawkins sensed something was going in. He felt like a prisoner in the Counts mansion.  He was able to get out of the castle and spent some time in the local town where he was from and caught up with all the gossip.  Then he returned to the castle.

Dracula had spiders. Hawkins didn't like them at all, and wanted him to get rid of them. He ate them, to which Hawkins scolded him. He responded to Hawkins it was life and a strong one at that. He asked Mr. Hawkins for a cat, to which he refused and did not get him one, for fear that he would eat it. He ate the birds he had in secret and raw.

A friend of Mr. Hawkins, Lucy is a sleep walker. He always preys that she doesn't get hurt.

Jonathan went sailing. The weather was not cooperating. It was foggy and rainy. The coast found the boat and guided them to shore. They also found a dead man aboard. The ship found its way to the harbor, despite the storm. The ship was called The Demeter. The Russian Counsel paid all their dues. They took cargo, white sand, as well as Earth. One of the crew went missing. They had rough weather again. The ship was definitely plagued with bad luck, for an unknown reason. They searched immensely for the missing crew member. Another was awoken by a cry, seeing a crew member mysteriously vanish. He was so afraid although to his relief he was found. However there was still fear on the ship, the crewmember at the helm jumped overboard. Jonathan threw a bottle in the sea explaining the situation and what cursed the other seamen to jump overboard.  The journey was finally over.

On land Jonathan went to his home and slept with Lucy his wife. Her sleepwalking didn't let him sleep much. When they both awoke they went to the harbor to see if the boat was all right. The observation for the seaman was plesent,  however it made Lucy very sad and upset.

Jonathan and Lucy and went to town to walk around. Lucy got very tired, so they went home and she went straight to bed. Jonathan thought the Bishops should have a conference to make arranged marriage not so strict and allow husbands to get to know their wives to be. When Jonathan awoke, he could not find Lucy. She sleep walked her way outside. She was out in her nightgown.

Jonathan found her by a church. He was relieved and threw his cloak around her and also gave her his shoes. He covered his feet in mud so it appeared he had shoes, in case he was stopped and saw people, however they did not. Lucy begged him not to tell her mother and only because of her mothers health, did he agree not to. He locked the door and tied the key to his wrist so that another sleep walking adventure would not sleep walk again. When Jonathan awoke her, he found the sleepwalking had benifited her. She looked much more refreshed than he had seen her in weeks. He kept the key tied around his wrists the following nights, which had upset her, however it kept her from sleep walking outside. All he saw when he awoke the following nights was Lucy pointing out the windows.

Lucy was wondering around her room while Jonathan was downstairs. The next morning she arose later than usual. Lucy's wedding was nearing. Her mother was a little upset to lose her, however she would pass soon and kept it secret from Lucy.

Nina, Jonathan wife, was still in high spirits, even though she had vivid nightmares of green eyed animals drowning. She did not know what to make of these nightmares which gave them more power. Lucy's mother went to a hospital. She escaped. Jonathan helped the guards in their search.

Jonathans diary was theropy for him. It was where he could vent and take note of all that happened  to him. It kept him sane. He could go back to previous days and see how much he progressed.

Jonathan had a brain fevor and was hospitalized. He was getting married to Mina, but this had to be postponed. The doctors thought he actually could hurt his love. Her mother was still troubling them, for they had no idea if she could survive. Lucy was ill as well, with an unknown disease. It was very difficult to keep Lucys sickness from her mother now, for Lucy didn't look well at all. However Lucy did not like being the center of attention. She had a very low blood amount and complained of sleepless .

Mina was miserable without Dracula, but since she didn't want to spread she kept it to herself. They all ate alone, for they didn't want to talk about Luckily by mistake. She cut herself on a window making it easy to analyze her blood, however he found no abnormalities in it.

Van Helsing came. He was a professor and a doctor. He helped out with Lucy. Arthur gave her his blood, which drained him even though he was young.