Read Online Always Neverland by Zoe Barton - Free Book Online Page B

nest.
    Dibs always held his arms in the wrong place. The Never birds could peck him, and he could only stand so many pecks before letting go. Button had it tough too. The Never birds couldn’t carry his weight when he was on their back. Bird and boy plummeted immediately, and Button had to keep jumping off before they struck the ground. Kyle was probably the best among the Lost Boys. He was so little that the Never birds took a little while to notice what was on their backs.
    Even though the contest had been his idea, Prank didn’t get a chance to try at all. Every time he got close, the Never bird flew into a rage, squawking and nipping at his outstretched hands.
    â€œI think they remember you, Prank,” Dibs said, laughing.
    â€œThey couldn’t,” Prank said, peeking out from the branch he was hiding behind to make sure it was safe. “I haven’t collected tail feathers in ages .”
    â€œHe used to pluck them out,” Button explained to me.
    I snorted. “Well, wouldn’t you remember if someone yanked out chunks of your hair?”
    Only one Never bird gave us real trouble, though. It happened about halfway through the contest.
    Kyle landed on her back and got her out of the tree just fine, but when Button and I tried to move the nest, it wouldn’t budge. It was way too heavy.
    â€œWhy does it weigh so much more than the others?” I asked Button, staring at the nest.
    Without a word, Button pointed at the eggs—or rather the stones. They were smooth river rocks, the same size and shape as the other Never birds’ eggs, but they were definitely not eggs.
    Outside the tree, the Never bird twisted in midair, and Kyle fell off.
    The bird landed in her nest and nipped at Button and me, forcing us back. She crouched over her stones protectively and squawked at us, just like they were real eggs.
    It made me feel a little sorry for her. “You do know that they won’t hatch, right?” I said gently.
    The Never bird sat down on top of her nest, spreading her wings carefully, and then she stared at me and Button defiantly. Her feathers were the same dappled color as the gray bark under her, but she had a black dot on her beak, which made it a lot easier to see her.
    â€œI think she knows,” Button said. “See how she’s littler than the other Never birds? Maybe she’s too young to lay eggs. She must be Pretending.”
    â€œIs that right, Spot? Do you mind if I call you Spot?” I asked, pointing to the mark on her beak. She didn’t squawk angrily or anything, so I guessed that meant she didn’t mind. “Are you Pretending?”
    Spot tilted her head at me and settled herself more comfortably over her egg-stones. I decided that meant yes.
    It wasn’t that hard to believe. Plenty of kids played house. Why couldn’t a young Never bird play nest?
    â€œWe know how to handle those,” Prank said wickedly, flying up and drawing one leg back.
    Spot squawked furiously, and when I realized that Prank was planning to kick the nest out of the tree, I cried, “No! The eggs!”
    Prank gave me a look. “But why? They’re not real .”
    Button stared too, and even Spot clucked questioningly.
    It just didn’t seem right. I would hate it if I’d been playing make-believe and someone bigger and stronger than me messed it up.
    â€œWe’re going to move it—all of us,” I said decisively. “Dibs, you too.” To the Never bird, I added, “Spot, would you mind moving for a sec? Otherwise, it might still be too heavy for us, and we might drop it.”
    Spot looked at me, and then at the Lost Boys, and then at her egg-stones, clucking over them uncertainly. For a second, I was afraid that she wouldn’t move, but then she took flight, gliding over to the other tree.
    It took all five of us to move the nest—with a little help from Pan. When one of the egg-stones fell out, Peter