Back to Neverland

Chapter 9 ✧

Chapter 9 ✧

The first time I had a panic attack was when I was 14, a year after the loss of my memories.

Aunt Millicent had already taken me in, and London became a distant place I never got to see again.

It was probably due to my being overwhelmed-- it all happened so suddenly, I had no time to react. So on that day, I guess I finally broke down.

They couldn't get me to calm down, and as a result, I collapsed due to the lack of oxygen brought about by my fast breathing. 

When I woke up, I was in the hospital. Mark looked really worried, and Aunt Millicent was on the phone talking to someone.

I realised, after listening a bit, that she was talking to my parents. I thought that maybe, they would finally come to get me.

But they didn't.

That made me resent them a little, they never explained why I had to go to America-- they just shipped me there like I was nothing.

Of course, over time, I learned to accept it. Or maybe I just learned to not care. After that, I didn't have another panic attack and went on with my life.

But then there was that night, a little over two years ago, another attack came when--

"Wendy, you're moving too slow."

Mark slowed his pace so I could catch up to him, and eventually I did. He looked at me from the corner of his eye, and I was thankful that he didn't bother to ask of my unusual behaviour.

After meeting up with the others, we were informed that they had also found various creatures in the same exact state as the ones we saw. They also had these lost expressions on their faces, me included.

Then they started discussing various things I couldn't understand. Peter just stared at the necklace the whole time, and after a while, he told us to follow him.

I'm still unsure as to what was happening, but I decided against asking. Apparently we were going to find someone to try and explain.

"Where are we going, Peter?" Paul asked, dodging a branch that would most likely hit him due to his tall stature.

"We're going to try and find out just what exactly happened to Neverland."

Neverland... I've heard Mark mention it in one of his conversations with Andrew, but never would I have thought that I would be brought here, wherever here was. I could tell with certainty, though, that this island did not exist in the maps.

Everyone still refused to answer my questions and they spoke with a certain cautiousness, like there were some things that I absolutely must never know.

"And where," I hear Mark ask. "would we find such answers?"

Peter pushed a branch away from his face, and turned back to us. His eyes automatically met mine, and stayed there.

"Indian Camp."

The path cleared, narrowing as it led to a part of the island that rose high from the ground. Cone shaped tents occupied that small piece of land, and smoke could be seen rising from the centre. Standing erect at that very centre was a tall totem pole, the eagle visible from this distance.

Peter continued towards the camp, the boys following excitedly with me traipsing behind.

In my mind, it was night time, and all the Indians were gathered around the fire merrily. There was singing, echoed by the beats of various drums. Silhouettes danced on the ground, moving in complicated steps that I couldn't follow.