Grounded - Peter Pan After Neverland

Chapter 7 - Misunderstanding

Images rushed past Wendy's eyes in a colourful blur. They were the same things that she had seen that day in the park, except they were a little clearer. A high pitch whine softly sounded in the back of her mind while the pictures flew past her face. They grew faster and faster until it was a green blur and then suddenly, they disappeared. Wendy was alone in a black room. Well, Wendy couldn't tell if it was a room or not, but she couldn't see a thing. All she could hear was the soft high pitch whine that was still sounding in the back of her head. Suddenly she heard a muffled, nervous voice come from her left.

“When will she wake?”

A soft laugh replied from her right.

“When I snap my fingers, didn't you hear me before?”

Wendy's breath caught in her throat. She remembered who that voice belonged to.

“S-sorry sir.”

“No problem,” sighed the therapists voice. “those memories were pretty deep. It's a good job her mother acted so quickly.”

“Quickly?”

“Yes, she threw away some of the children's old things. She said something about an acorn too...”

Wendy tried to reach out, but she found that she couldn't move a muscle.

“So, with this new gadget, she won't remember any of their names or faces?”

“Not even what the cursed place looks like,” boasted the therapist. “None of the family will. I was a little worried though...”

“About what, sir?”

“That the memories might come back!” spat the therapist. “Those memories weren't easy to get rid of you know!”

Wendy would have laughed if she had the ability to move her mouth.The memories had come back, no thanks to him. She noticed the high pitch whine at the back of her head had suddenly gotten louder. She would have blocked her ears, but she still couldn't move.

“So, what if she remembers them?” came the worried assistants voice from the left.

“She won't.” stated the therapist. “ I added an extra precautionjust in case. If she hears, sees or experiences anything that might trigger a memory, her body will automatically reject it.”

“Reject it?”

“Are you deaf?” repliedthe therapist angrily. “It means that her body will treat those memories like an illness, throw it up, sweat it out, that kind of thing. Also, I thought that if someone was purposefully trying to make her remember, she would have to stop them wouldn't she? So whenever the memories come back, she will say a sentence to stop their efforts.”

“What...what will she say?” stuttered the assistant.

“WERE YOU NOT LISTENING?” screamed the therapist. “She will say: Don't be stupid. I'm not a child anymore.”

Wendy's insides knotted inside of her. He was right... she said that exact phrase to Peter when they were sword fighting in the park. Wendy heard the high pitch whine growing louder around her. Her head started to hurt and her ears felt like they were going to pop.

“Who should I bring in next sir?”

The whine was so loud that Wendy could barely hear what they were saying.

“Send in the smallest boy,” echoed the therapists voice. “He should be easy. All I have to do is make him grow up”

Wendy tried to scream as she felt the noise splitting her head. She struggled to make her muscles work, but she just couldn't. She felt like she was drowning in the sound and she couldn't breathe properly. She tried to gasp but her throat wouldn't work. She needed help! She was going to die! Wendy wrenched her mouth open and screamed.