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“Old… alone….” Hook tried to swallow past the lump that had formed in his throat. Every part of his body was screaming “No! No! No!” But despite his best attempts to find a ‘happy thought’ that would lift him from an untimely end, he had sunk so close to the ocean’s surface that he could feel the shockwaves of the great beast’s jaws snapping at his heels.

“Done for.” He half-wept. He was terrified; he didn’t want to die, but he would not disgrace himself by flailing about and begging for mercy. Arms folded across his chest, James Hook accepted his fate; to die alone and unloved in the belly of the huge crocodile that had haunted him ever since Pan had flung his right hand to the beast. He felt himself falling and closed his eyes, and a single sob broke from his throat as the great jaws slammed shut, sealing his fate. “Oh God, No!”

He tried to thrash about and free himself, or at least move his right arm so he could cut his way out -- he didn’t want to die, not this way, not just yet. Regrettably though, Hook’s stoic posture had his arms pinned fast within the confines of the beast’s gullet. So tightly were his arms constrained that the Captain could feel the point of his own hook digging painfully into his left shoulder and he could barely draw a breath. “God help me!” he cried out, but Hook’s pleas were muffled by the slimy prison walls of the croc’s stomach. Besides, he thought, God had never listened to his prayers before. Why would now be any different.

It’s wasn’t fair, Hook thought. Wasn’t it bad enough that he’d been cheated out of his one victory against Pan, but now to die like this? God, he decided, had abandoned him centuries ago when Peter cut off his hand and trapped him in Never Land. Hook could feel a sarcastic smile trying to form on his lips. He was ready for Hell; he’d been training for an eternity.

His dissent over, Hook found himself cramped with his knees forced up against his chest in something resembling a fetal position. The fetid smell of whatever the crocodile had eaten before him made James Hook wretch and vomit which only left him more out of breath and terrified, and to his disgust, covered in his own puke. He struggled with every last ounce of strength to free his claw and cut himself free but he could barely budge his steel appendage, let alone his whole right arm.

“Whole arm?” Hook thought wryly. That arm hadn’t been whole ever since that…… James’ mind started to move sluggishly. He tried to form a concise thought, to draw a breath from the foul pocket of air he was trapped in, but cold sea water rushed in and filled his nostrils, ears and mouth. His heartbeat thundered in his own ears, pounding faster than he believed possible, his brain was on fire, his chest ached as though all of his ribs had been broken at once. Hook’s whole body shuddered violently -- frantically; then all was as silent as it was pitch dark, and the all the pain went away. Hook’s last conscious realization was that both his bladder and bowels had voided themselves and he felt so ashamed, much more so than just vomiting on himself.

Suddenly James’ found himself outside of the crocodile, watching it swim away into the night. He was still underwater but his lungs no longer burned for air.

Had the beast spat him out after all? Hook wondered.

He became keenly aware that he was being drawn to the surface, towards the light of the full moon. It was the brightest moon James had ever seen; as bright as the noonday sun it seemed. And the closer he got to the surface, the more light there was and he could no longer feel the chill of the ocean; indeed, Hook found he was not in the water anymore, nor was he in Never Land. He was surrounded by warm, white light and a feeling of peace.

“Welcome Home, James Hook” a man’s voice said kindly. “We’ve been waiting on you a long time”.

“What trickery is this?” Hook demanded, a little scared, feigning bravado. “Is this some more of Pan’s doing?! Can’t that imp even let me die without tormenting me?” He asked angrily.

“There is no trickery,” the man reassured gently, “And you will not find Peter Pan here. Your days of misery at his hands are over. Well done, good and faithful servant.”

“Good and faithful?” Hook sputtered, almost insulted. “Sir, I know you not, but this is a trick far crueler than any Peter ever contrived. I am James Hook, Captain of the Jolly Roger. The most despicable and foul pirate that ever walked the deck of a ship. I am a murderer, thief, adulterer, rapist, lover of loose women and strong drink. I cursed God the day I lost my right hand and was trapped in the hell that is… was Never Land. And that is exactly where I am bound to spend Eternity – in Hell. Where am I?” Hook demanded. “In Purgatory?”

“You do know me, James,” the man smiled. “And you are not in Purgatory. Nor are you to end up in the eternal pit of suffering. You have suffered enough. ”

“How is that possible,” Hook queried, now noting that his crimson suit was impeccably clean and dry and perfect, and the stench of rotting meat was gone. “I know what happens to men like me.” He said mournfully. “I have been a wicked, evil man and I deserve to be in….”

“You were not always so,” the man interrupted. “Once you were a good, devout young man. Once you were kind and loving… and you still are, though you have suppressed it for so long I understand why you don’t recognize that part of yourself anymore.”

“Me?” Hook sputtered, astounded. “Good? Kind? Good sir, you have me confused with another.”

“No James,” the man with the kind eyes replied. “I have not confused you with another. You are James, a sad and lonely young man who fell into poor company, through no fault of your own. You became a pirate, Captain of the Jolly Roger, victim of Peter Pan’s cruelty, and the beloved hero of thousands of little children, boys and girls.”

“No. No little children love me,” Hook said sadly. “Not one.”

“You are wrong James,” the man beckoned for him to follow. “Come and see. I will show you those who did, those who do, and those who will adore you, and you will help them through some of the loneliest, most painful times of their life.”

“How?” James asked, not wanting to follow, but finding himself unable to resist he followed the man through a gray mist onto a warm, endless field with waves of the greenest grass blowing in a perfect breeze under the bluest sky Hook had ever seen. Scattered across the meadow were tall cedars, at least 100 feet tall, and James had the strangest feeling that there were thousands of people all around him, but he couldn’t see them clearly; the only person he could see distinctly was the man who had greeted him.

“Now” the man said, pointing down at a pool of water. “See this little girl? See how her left arm is deformed? This is Margaret.”

“Aye,” Hook half whispered, “The poor wee dear.” She reminded him of Wendy by her attire and mannerisms.

“Yes, the children in her town and at her school, tormented her. They called her a monster, a freak, all because she was born with only two fingers on her left hand and they were permanently frozen into a claw.”

“But she’s such a pretty child,” Hook said. “Look at that smile.”

“You put that smile there, James,” the man said. “Her mother told Margaret the stories of Peter Pan and you. That little girl saw your picture and listened to your story, and she felt your pain, your rejection, your loneliness. And she loved you for making her feel special, and she played with you, and talked to you. You gave her the courage to fight back against her tormentors; even during her difficult teen-aged years she leaned on your memory. She grew up to be a marvelous teacher and when her pupils called her “Captain Hook”, she would tell them she was proud to be compared to you, and if they didn’t behave she would have them walk the plank.”

Hook laughed long and genuinely. “Aye, the fairer sex are quite often the strongest. Grace under pressure.”

“Look again” the man said. The image in the water changed. A little boy, maybe eight, dressed in what James thought were very strange clothes sat on the curb in a schoolyard, crying. Torn, crumpled papers lay strewn about the ground near him.

“Who is he?” Hook asked, feeling a strange ache in his heart.

“He is yet to be born,” the man said. “So I cannot tell you his name, but you will help him many times. You will actually save his life and his soul; he will try to commit suicide several times because he is so sad and confused, but you will stop him. And he will love you more than almost all the others.”

“All the others?” Hook echoed, stunned and ashamed for arguing with his chaperone.

“Would you like to meet some of them?” the man asked, smiling.

“Meet them?” James stammered. “May I?”

“All you need to do is turn around,” the man said. “They have waited so long to thank you.”

“Thank me?” James echoed. He turned around slowly, half-afraid of what he might find. What he saw were hundreds of faces, all smiling and happy, hands reaching out to touch him.

“Captain Hook!” A pretty woman almost sang his name. She had long black hair and milky white skin, and beautiful hands with long, graceful fingers that hinted at great talent. “It’s me, Captain. Margaret!” She grabbed the Captain in a warm embrace and kissed his cheek, and as she did, James could feel her love and knew all her memories of him.

“Margaret?” Hook’s voice shook. “Child, I hardly recognized thee. You are such a beautiful young lady!” He looked at her hands. “But, your left hand, child – how….”

“Once one comes Home,” the kind man said, “You’re body is perfect and flawless, free from pain and suffering.”

“Captain Hook,” a red-haired man with a beard said. “Can I shake your hand? I am so honored and happy to meet you. I’m Felix. The children used to call me Felix Freckle Face. You were my best friend when I was a little boy -- you still are.” He extended his right hand towards the Captain.

Instinctively Hook offered his left hand, but Felix kept his right hand extended. Look, sir” Felix pointed to James’ right arm. “You’re Home sir.”

Hook’s jaw dropped as he held his right arm up before his face…. There was no butchered stump, no painful harness and base, and no wicked steel claw. He began to shake and felt tears spilling down his face as he joyfully beheld his long missing right hand.

“Son, I am the one who is honored to shake your hand.” James clasped Felix’s hand in both of his own as throngs of people, men and women, boys and girls clamored around him shaking his hands, hugging and kissing him and regaling him with tales of how much they loved him and never forgot him. Each time one of his champions touched him, he felt more love filling his heart and their happy memories filling his mind.,. and James wept tears of delight as he returned their hugs.

All of his painful memories, all the pent up rage and frustration, all the agony and hate, left Hook’s mind and floated away like clouds drifting across that bluebird sky. He looked for his escort and found him standing patiently, smiling as the pirate captain was showered with love and affection.

“Sir,” Hook called to him. “Sir, I never knew… no one told me… You have made me so happy. Please, I must know you name.”

“You know my name, my child,” the man’s twinkling eyes met James’ blue ones. “Just as you knew it when you were a child, and a young man.”

“Oh Lord,” Hook breathed. He fell to his knees. “Forgive me, Lord.”

“Yes James.” The man replied. “I am the Shepherd whose tired, weary sheep has returned to the fold. Rise, James. You have already been forgiven for your past transgressions. Now you shall dwell here in Paradise with Me and all those who love you, and those who will love you.”

“But what of Pan?” Hook queried, surprised at his own genuine concern.

“I am sorry but Peter will not come this way,” the man said sadly.

“But why not?” Hook asked. “He’s just a boy after all.”

“True.” The man replied, “But he does not possess an innocent heart. He is proud and vain and cruel. But worst, he is unrepentant. He is not sorry for those he has killed or maimed; he feels they deserve it and that he has the power to pass judgement on those around him. He no longer even remembers you existed in Never Land.” The man shook his head very sadly. “He will not be coming Home.”

“How sad,” James mused. But his thoughts of Peter were soon distracted by the children who wanted to hold his hands and tell him what a wonderful playmate he had been.

“Come,” The man in the snow white robes smiled. “Let us join the others. Besides you don’t want to keep Emily waiting”

“Emily? Aunt Emily” Hook’s joy was plain for all to see. He had loved his Aunt Emily; she had always been good to him and taken such good care of him. “Please, let’s go!” James shouted, full of excitement. “Aunt Emily will love meeting all my new friends… well, new to me.”

And thus, James Hook claimed his ultimate defeat over Peter Pan, not that he relished it. He felt rather sad that Peter would not enjoy such happiness. Though in reality, James thought of Peter Pan very little. He was far too absorbed loving his new family, praising his Lord, and watching over those special children brave enough and compassionate enough to love the terrible Captain James Hook, who they knew was not that terrible after all.

THE END

Description

“Old… alone….” Hook tried to swallow past the lump that had formed in his throat. Every part of his body was screaming “No! No! No!” But despite his best attempts to find a ‘happy thought’ that would lift him from an untimely end, he had sunk so close to the ocean’s surface that he could feel the shockwaves of the great beast’s jaws snapping at his heels.

“Done for.” He half-wept. He was terrified; he didn’t want to die, but he would not disgrace himself by flailing about and begging for mercy. Arms folded across his chest, James Hook accepted his fate; to die alone and unloved in the belly of the huge crocodile that had haunted him ever since Pan had flung his right hand to the beast. He felt himself falling and closed his eyes, and a single sob broke from his throat as the great jaws slammed shut, sealing his fate. “Oh God, No!”

He tried to thrash about and free himself, or at least move his right arm so he could cut his way out -- he didn’t want to die, not this way, not just yet. Regrettably though, Hook’s stoic posture had his arms pinned fast within the confines of the beast’s gullet. So tightly were his arms constrained that the Captain could feel the point of his own hook digging painfully into his left shoulder and he could barely draw a breath. “God help me!” he cried out, but Hook’s pleas were muffled by the slimy prison walls of the croc’s stomach. Besides, he thought, God had never listened to his prayers before. Why would now be any different.

It’s wasn’t fair, Hook thought. Wasn’t it bad enough that he’d been cheated out of his one victory against Pan, but now to die like this? God, he decided, had abandoned him centuries ago when Peter cut off his hand and trapped him in Never Land. Hook could feel a sarcastic smile trying to form on his lips. He was ready for Hell; he’d been training for an eternity.

His dissent over, Hook found himself cramped with his knees forced up against his chest in something resembling a fetal position. The fetid smell of whatever the crocodile had eaten before him made James Hook wretch and vomit which only left him more out of breath and terrified, and to his disgust, covered in his own puke. He struggled with every last ounce of strength to free his claw and cut himself free but he could barely budge his steel appendage, let alone his whole right arm.

“Whole arm?” Hook thought wryly. That arm hadn’t been whole ever since that…… James’ mind started to move sluggishly. He tried to form a concise thought, to draw a breath from the foul pocket of air he was trapped in, but cold sea water rushed in and filled his nostrils, ears and mouth. His heartbeat thundered in his own ears, pounding faster than he believed possible, his brain was on fire, his chest ached as though all of his ribs had been broken at once. Hook’s whole body shuddered violently -- frantically; then all was as silent as it was pitch dark, and the all the pain went away. Hook’s last conscious realization was that both his bladder and bowels had voided themselves and he felt so ashamed, much more so than just vomiting on himself.

Suddenly James’ found himself outside of the crocodile, watching it swim away into the night. He was still underwater but his lungs no longer burned for air.

Had the beast spat him out after all? Hook wondered.

He became keenly aware that he was being drawn to the surface, towards the light of the full moon. It was the brightest moon James had ever seen; as bright as the noonday sun it seemed. And the closer he got to the surface, the more light there was and he could no longer feel the chill of the ocean; indeed, Hook found he was not in the water anymore, nor was he in Never Land. He was surrounded by warm, white light and a feeling of peace.

“Welcome Home, James Hook” a man’s voice said kindly. “We’ve been waiting on you a long time”.

“What trickery is this?” Hook demanded, a little scared, feigning bravado. “Is this some more of Pan’s doing?! Can’t that imp even let me die without tormenting me?” He asked angrily.

“There is no trickery,” the man reassured gently, “And you will not find Peter Pan here. Your days of misery at his hands are over. Well done, good and faithful servant.”

“Good and faithful?” Hook sputtered, almost insulted. “Sir, I know you not, but this is a trick far crueler than any Peter ever contrived. I am James Hook, Captain of the Jolly Roger. The most despicable and foul pirate that ever walked the deck of a ship. I am a murderer, thief, adulterer, rapist, lover of loose women and strong drink. I cursed God the day I lost my right hand and was trapped in the hell that is… was Never Land. And that is exactly where I am bound to spend Eternity – in Hell. Where am I?” Hook demanded. “In Purgatory?”

“You do know me, James,” the man smiled. “And you are not in Purgatory. Nor are you to end up in the eternal pit of suffering. You have suffered enough. ”

“How is that possible,” Hook queried, now noting that his crimson suit was impeccably clean and dry and perfect, and the stench of rotting meat was gone. “I know what happens to men like me.” He said mournfully. “I have been a wicked, evil man and I deserve to be in….”

“You were not always so,” the man interrupted. “Once you were a good, devout young man. Once you were kind and loving… and you still are, though you have suppressed it for so long I understand why you don’t recognize that part of yourself anymore.”

“Me?” Hook sputtered, astounded. “Good? Kind? Good sir, you have me confused with another.”

“No James,” the man with the kind eyes replied. “I have not confused you with another. You are James, a sad and lonely young man who fell into poor company, through no fault of your own. You became a pirate, Captain of the Jolly Roger, victim of Peter Pan’s cruelty, and the beloved hero of thousands of little children, boys and girls.”

“No. No little children love me,” Hook said sadly. “Not one.”

“You are wrong James,” the man beckoned for him to follow. “Come and see. I will show you those who did, those who do, and those who will adore you, and you will help them through some of the loneliest, most painful times of their life.”

“How?” James asked, not wanting to follow, but finding himself unable to resist he followed the man through a gray mist onto a warm, endless field with waves of the greenest grass blowing in a perfect breeze under the bluest sky Hook had ever seen. Scattered across the meadow were tall cedars, at least 100 feet tall, and James had the strangest feeling that there were thousands of people all around him, but he couldn’t see them clearly; the only person he could see distinctly was the man who had greeted him.

“Now” the man said, pointing down at a pool of water. “See this little girl? See how her left arm is deformed? This is Margaret.”

“Aye,” Hook half whispered, “The poor wee dear.” She reminded him of Wendy by her attire and mannerisms.

“Yes, the children in her town and at her school, tormented her. They called her a monster, a freak, all because she was born with only two fingers on her left hand and they were permanently frozen into a claw.”

“But she’s such a pretty child,” Hook said. “Look at that smile.”

“You put that smile there, James,” the man said. “Her mother told Margaret the stories of Peter Pan and you. That little girl saw your picture and listened to your story, and she felt your pain, your rejection, your loneliness. And she loved you for making her feel special, and she played with you, and talked to you. You gave her the courage to fight back against her tormentors; even during her difficult teen-aged years she leaned on your memory. She grew up to be a marvelous teacher and when her pupils called her “Captain Hook”, she would tell them she was proud to be compared to you, and if they didn’t behave she would have them walk the plank.”

Hook laughed long and genuinely. “Aye, the fairer sex are quite often the strongest. Grace under pressure.”

“Look again” the man said. The image in the water changed. A little boy, maybe eight, dressed in what James thought were very strange clothes sat on the curb in a schoolyard, crying. Torn, crumpled papers lay strewn about the ground near him.

“Who is he?” Hook asked, feeling a strange ache in his heart.

“He is yet to be born,” the man said. “So I cannot tell you his name, but you will help him many times. You will actually save his life and his soul; he will try to commit suicide several times because he is so sad and confused, but you will stop him. And he will love you more than almost all the others.”

“All the others?” Hook echoed, stunned and ashamed for arguing with his chaperone.

“Would you like to meet some of them?” the man asked, smiling.

“Meet them?” James stammered. “May I?”

“All you need to do is turn around,” the man said. “They have waited so long to thank you.”

“Thank me?” James echoed. He turned around slowly, half-afraid of what he might find. What he saw were hundreds of faces, all smiling and happy, hands reaching out to touch him.

“Captain Hook!” A pretty woman almost sang his name. She had long black hair and milky white skin, and beautiful hands with long, graceful fingers that hinted at great talent. “It’s me, Captain. Margaret!” She grabbed the Captain in a warm embrace and kissed his cheek, and as she did, James could feel her love and knew all her memories of him.

“Margaret?” Hook’s voice shook. “Child, I hardly recognized thee. You are such a beautiful young lady!” He looked at her hands. “But, your left hand, child – how….”

“Once one comes Home,” the kind man said, “You’re body is perfect and flawless, free from pain and suffering.”

“Captain Hook,” a red-haired man with a beard said. “Can I shake your hand? I am so honored and happy to meet you. I’m Felix. The children used to call me Felix Freckle Face. You were my best friend when I was a little boy -- you still are.” He extended his right hand towards the Captain.

Instinctively Hook offered his left hand, but Felix kept his right hand extended. Look, sir” Felix pointed to James’ right arm. “You’re Home sir.”

Hook’s jaw dropped as he held his right arm up before his face…. There was no butchered stump, no painful harness and base, and no wicked steel claw. He began to shake and felt tears spilling down his face as he joyfully beheld his long missing right hand.

“Son, I am the one who is honored to shake your hand.” James clasped Felix’s hand in both of his own as throngs of people, men and women, boys and girls clamored around him shaking his hands, hugging and kissing him and regaling him with tales of how much they loved him and never forgot him. Each time one of his champions touched him, he felt more love filling his heart and their happy memories filling his mind.,. and James wept tears of delight as he returned their hugs.

All of his painful memories, all the pent up rage and frustration, all the agony and hate, left Hook’s mind and floated away like clouds drifting across that bluebird sky. He looked for his escort and found him standing patiently, smiling as the pirate captain was showered with love and affection.

“Sir,” Hook called to him. “Sir, I never knew… no one told me… You have made me so happy. Please, I must know you name.”

“You know my name, my child,” the man’s twinkling eyes met James’ blue ones. “Just as you knew it when you were a child, and a young man.”

“Oh Lord,” Hook breathed. He fell to his knees. “Forgive me, Lord.”

“Yes James.” The man replied. “I am the Shepherd whose tired, weary sheep has returned to the fold. Rise, James. You have already been forgiven for your past transgressions. Now you shall dwell here in Paradise with Me and all those who love you, and those who will love you.”

“But what of Pan?” Hook queried, surprised at his own genuine concern.

“I am sorry but Peter will not come this way,” the man said sadly.

“But why not?” Hook asked. “He’s just a boy after all.”

“True.” The man replied, “But he does not possess an innocent heart. He is proud and vain and cruel. But worst, he is unrepentant. He is not sorry for those he has killed or maimed; he feels they deserve it and that he has the power to pass judgement on those around him. He no longer even remembers you existed in Never Land.” The man shook his head very sadly. “He will not be coming Home.”

“How sad,” James mused. But his thoughts of Peter were soon distracted by the children who wanted to hold his hands and tell him what a wonderful playmate he had been.

“Come,” The man in the snow white robes smiled. “Let us join the others. Besides you don’t want to keep Emily waiting”

“Emily? Aunt Emily” Hook’s joy was plain for all to see. He had loved his Aunt Emily; she had always been good to him and taken such good care of him. “Please, let’s go!” James shouted, full of excitement. “Aunt Emily will love meeting all my new friends… well, new to me.”

And thus, James Hook claimed his ultimate defeat over Peter Pan, not that he relished it. He felt rather sad that Peter would not enjoy such happiness. Though in reality, James thought of Peter Pan very little. He was far too absorbed loving his new family, praising his Lord, and watching over those special children brave enough and compassionate enough to love the terrible Captain James Hook, who they knew was not that terrible after all.

THE END