Pan does not know all that clouds in Michael’s mind. He doesn’t understand the worries that grown-ups had, always thinking of past regrets and second chances. Like a child, Pan lived for each minute of the day, never allowing himself to become stagnant or dwell on lost dreams. Instead, the world was open to the boy and ripe with possibility. With each rise of a new sun came another chance to get things right. With every turn, another adventure lies in wait… and so the boy could never be bored by the hum-drum of life. He would never allow the weight of the world to drag him down.
This is why he would never grow up.
Ironically, he’d been alive far longer than everyone here. Years passed, but the boy remained the same, lost to the world and trapped in the cradle of childhood. Friends had grown older, having children of their own, their children having children too – but Pan had stayed the same. So, when Michael reluctantly joins him, the child-stallion does not notice the subtle hesitation. He simply munches on his apple cake and weaves another story.
I was at the party… but then I got dizzy and tired, so I came out here to take a nap. Matter of fact, but that was Pan. I think it’ll happen again tonight… it’s been happening every night. You should come! He couldn’t get enough of the chaos, thriving in the bright colors and loud music. If he could, the boy would come every night to dance beneath the summer moon and feast upon the festival treats.
Oliver and I always have fun at the party. Did you know that there are horses who breathe fire like dragons, or that the future can be foretold from cards and crystal balls? Of course Michael would know – for he lived in this wonderous place with its entertainers and bards. He would know their names and faces, and even the tricks they played on gullible visitors. Pan didn’t mind though… for the illusion was as much of the appeal as the party itself. He came to be enchanted, even if the fortune telling and baubles were merely a spectacle.
For Pan knew that summer would end, and with it, the caravans would pack up their circus tents and head on to their next destination. The playful breezes would give way to a blustery fall, and then a snow-capped winter. Summer could never last forever – a pity, he decided… for in the summer, the boy felt most alive. What do you think they’re celebrating? he asked, not knowing that Michael was part of the “they”.
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