Chasing Neverland: A Retelling | ✔️

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

 The lights came on in Wendy's room as her parents burst through the door.

"What is it?" exclaimed Mr. Darling, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yes," whispered Wendy, out of breath from the adrenaline rush.

Quickly, she grabbed a soft black hat from the side of her bed and covered her bare head.

"Do you feel sick?" questioned her mom, rushing over to Wendy's bedside.

"No, I'm fine," Wendy answered, taking a deep breath. "I thought there was someone in my room. I felt them sitting at the foot of my bed." Her eyes scanned the space wildly, looking for any sign of Evelyn.

Wendy's parents exchanged a worried glance, which did not escape her notice.

"I know what you're thinking, but I wasn't imagining it. There was someone in here," she sighed, trying to convince them she wasn't seeing things. She didn't want anyone to think she was hallucinating.

"Has anything like this ever happened before?" her father asked. "You need to let us know, Wendy... We need to report any unusual side effects to the doctor."

"I'm telling you, I wasn't hallucinating!" Wendy exclaimed. "Nothing like this has ever happened before, and I've been taking the new meds for a long while now. There was someone in my room! I felt them sitting at the foot of my bed, and then I heard them say my name." She had never told her parents about the death pact Evelyn and her had made, and she wasn't about to tell them now. She knew they were looking for any reason to believe she was losing her mind, and telling them that she thought her dead best friend was visiting her from beyond the grave would have surely sealed the deal.

"Maybe you were dreaming?" suggested Mrs. Darling. "Sometimes when you begin to doze off, your mind can play tricks on you - especially when you're really sleepy."

Wendy considered what her mother had said. She didn't really believe she had been sleeping but figured it was probably the best solution, at least as far as her family was concerned, to what had just happened.

"Yeah, maybe..." agreed Wendy, happy to have found a suitable resolution. "I am very tired tonight."

"Mom?" they heard a small voice ask from the doorway. They turned to see Michael and John standing nearby, concern shadowing their faces.

"It's okay, guys. I just had a bad dream, that's all," Wendy responded, trying to sound convincing. She knew it was in her best interest to stick to the dream theory, or else her parents would be quick to make another doctor's appointment.

"I had a dream last week that I could not find my locker," offered John. "It was so realistic that when I woke up, I was confused to find myself in my bed and not running through the hallways at school!" Wendy knew John was taking her side in the matter, and she gave him a grateful smile.

"Do you want to sleep with Porkchop tonight so that you're not afraid?" Michael asked, handing Wendy his stuffed pig. He had received the animal as a present when he was a baby and had grown very much attached, refusing to give him up. It was a long standing family joke that he would have to share Porkchop with his wife one day.

"No, Mikey... I'm okay, really. It was just a dream. I'm sure I'll fall back to sleep with no problem," she said handing back his pig. "But thank you. I really appreciate that you are willing to share him with me," Wendy smiled.

"Alright then, how about you boys get into your PJs?" her mom said, getting up from Wendy's bed. "And you let us know if you need anything," she told Wendy and gave her kiss on the forehead.