Read Online Always Neverland by Zoe Barton - Free Book Online

and I zipped out of the tree so fast that I almost dropped the camera. (So much for taking good care of it.)
    Once we were gone, the Never bird returned to her nest, all her leaf-colored feathers still ruffled angrily.
    â€œMaybe I should’ve turned the flash off,” I whispered to Kyle, breathing hard.
    â€œPeter was right. You really aren’t the smartest Wendy girl we’ve ever had,” Prank said thoughtfully, rising into the air next to us.
    I was getting really tired of people calling me stupid. “If you came up here just to insult me, you can go right back down,” I told Prank coldly.
    â€œPeter sent me to help you.” It didn’t sound like Prank was very happy about it.
    â€œThe Never birds are really hard to get out,” Kyle said.
    â€œHard enough that maybe we should find you guys a new tree to live in?” I said, my heart still beating really fast. A Never bird’s beak looks a lot bigger when it comes within a few inches of your face.
    Kyle and Prank shook their heads sadly. Prank flew down into the trees. He pushed a few of the leaves out of the way to reveal a hammock bed hanging from the branch. It was made out of two leaves, the six-foot-long kind. The bottom leaf was waxy and flexible and full of battered blankets. Each end was secured to the branch with strong rope. Looking around, I saw three other hammock beds hanging from the branches around it.
    I was impressed. I mean, back home, I just had a tree house. Peter, Tink, and the Lost Boys had a Tree Home .
    The closest Never bird—just a few branches above us—squawked at Prank, ruffling its feathers threateningly.
    â€œWatch—it’s going to chase me out,” Prank said, creeping closer to the bird. He didn’t sound worried at all.
    â€œIs it a good idea to tease it?” I asked, but as soon as the Never bird took flight and dived at Prank’s head, he dived out of the tree.
    â€œSame deal as last time,” he said. “They’re getting so predictable.”
    â€œWe could move the beds,” I suggested hopefully.
    â€œMaybe, but we couldn’t move Peter’s house,” Kyle said. He pointed upward.
    High up, almost as high as the Never bird’s nest, a little red house sat, lashed to a few sturdy branches. Lacy white curtains hung in the windows, and flowers grew on the roof. It didn’t look like a house that Peter would pick out for himself.
    â€œHe’s very attached to it,” Kyle added.
    â€œIt’s very old,” Prank said. “From the time of the original Wendy.”
    â€œMaybe you could all sleep in there!” I said excitedly, hoping that I would get to see the inside, but the two Lost Boys shook their heads.
    â€œWe’re not allowed in there,” Kyle said.
    â€œWell, what did you do last year?” I asked, beginning to worry that I would run out of ideas.
    â€œKicked the nests out of the tree, Never bird and all,” Prank said with one of his wicked grins.
    â€œBut there could be eggs inside them!” I cried. “We can’t do that!”
    Prank looked a little disappointed, but he shrugged. “It was dangerous, anyway. One of the Never birds caught Button. He still has the scars.”
    I thought hard. I was determined to come up with a plan that would prove I wasn’t the dumbest Wendy girl ever. “Have you ever tried luring them out with food?” I asked. “What do they eat anyway?”
    â€œLost Boys named Kyle,” Prank said seriously.
    Kyle went very still and very white. For a second, I believed Prank, but then I caught the beginning of a smirk on his face.
    â€œThat’s not true,” I told Kyle, giving Prank a dirty look. “He’s making it up to scare you.”
    â€œWell, we could try scaring them out,” Prank said innocently. “We did that one year too.”
    So, I flew as close to the Never bird as I dared and shouted,