Never is an Awfully Long Time

The Magic Thimble

Wendy

At first, Wendy did not know if she was already dead. If she was, then it would be ideal for Peter to be the first thing she saw but if she wasn’t, then it would come as a surprise to her to be looking at the one person she was sure she would never see again.

Peter had both hands on either side of Wendy’s shoulders, ultimately preventing her from falling two stories down. She was slanted at an angle and when she opened her eyes, she was startled to see his face only inches from hers. For a moment, she became incredibly lost in his green eyes and she had to remind herself of the situation.

Here was a boy; a boy who, one night, scooped Wendy up and took her on the most amazing adventure. The time she spent with him made her feel young and innocent and adventurous and free. But, her time was eventually cut short. The heartbreak she experienced when Peter left her was emotionally draining, and made Wendy believe that he would never come back. Although that part was true, she still hoped; she still waited for him for a whole year, clinging on to the belief that he didn’t forget her. Five years have passed since then, and now she’s a woman. She’s all grown up.

And here he was. Here was the person she had been waiting for all these years, standing- hovering, really- right before her very eyes.

His eyes were so captivating that she lost track of time and didn’t know how long she had been silently looking at them. How perfectly beautiful he was. Before she could stop herself, a single tear snuck out of the corner of her eye and rolled down her cheek.

A sense of pain came over Peter as he witnessed his dear Wendy crying. Fearful that she would slip from the barriers if he moved back any, he thought it best to break the tense silence. In a whisper, he said his favorite word, “Wendy?”

Wendy didn’t say anything, but blinked a few times at the complete shock left behind as he said her name. She couldn’t believe this was happening. I must really be dead, she thought.

Peter continued, “Wendy, I think…I think you should go back inside now.”

Wendy then realized that if anyone were to wake up in the night and look out their window, they would probably faint from the sight of her and Peter. She nodded her head in agreement and without taking her eyes off Peter, she slowly stepped off the barrier and onto the ledge of the window. Peter dropped his hands from Wendy’s shoulders as she moved out of his reach. Very hesitantly, she took a step back and then stopped, waiting to see if Peter would follow or just fly away. Peter remained in midair as he watched Wendy return to safety. He knew what Wendy was waiting for and just as hesitantly as she, moved closer to the window. Keeping both eyes on Peter, she took a few more steps back until she was completely protected by the nursery walls. With every step she took, Peter followed until he was no longer out in the cold November air.

The nursery was still dark and eerie. He waited a few seconds, not wanting to alarm Wendy with sudden movements, before cascading to the other side of the room and turning on the oil lamp that hung on the wall. Immediately, the room became engulfed with the golden glow of light and both Wendy and Peter had the first chance to get a good look at each other.

As Peter sought back to land directly in front of Wendy, she noticed that for the most part, he looked the same as she remembered. His short, curly hair was still a sandy-brown color and his body was still covered by vines and leaves and small pieces of the forest. The only thing about him that had changed was his obvious increase in age. Peter was no longer a boy. His tall stance, muscular limbs, and masculine stature suggested that he was not a little boy at all. Peter was a man. Knowing that aging was not possible in Neverland, Wendy soon realized that Peter must have spent some time in the real world- in her world, and she became hurt.