Chasing Neverland: A Retelling | ✔️

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"Evelyn!" Wendy screamed and ran to the flower on her bed.

I knew it; I knew you were here... She stared wide-eyed at the white lily. Quickly, she turned around, looking throughout the room for clues to Evelyn's whereabouts. She dropped to her knees and looked under her bed.

"Where are you? I know you're here!" she shouted. "Why won't you let me see you?"

Wendy stood up, ran to her closet, and threw open the door. Grabbing her clothes from the hangers, she tossed them to the floor, searching for her friend.

"Why are you doing this? Are you trying to make me crazy?" Wendy began to sob. "Don't you know how much I miss you..." she broke off.

Dropping again to her knees, Wendy cried out loud.

"WHY?" she screamed at the top of her lungs. The pain and the heartache she had been keeping bottled up finally made their way out. She buried her hands in her hair and threw the wig to the floor.

"What is going on...?" Wendy asked, suddenly angrily. "Why are you hiding from me?"

She had never been mad at Evelyn before and the feeling was foreign to her. But she was livid now.

On shaky legs, she stood up and ran from her room, searching the entire second floor. She knew Evelyn was there somewhere, and she was determined to find her. "I know you're here," she called loudly, daring her to come out.

"Where are you, dammit?!" Wendy screamed as she ran down the stairs; her throat felt as though it were on fire. She inspected every corner of the house twice before collapsing exhausted onto the kitchen floor.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Wendy?" Mrs. Darling exclaimed from the front door. "Can you help me? I have a lot of groceries." She walked into the living room and sat her purse down, readjusting the heavy grocery bags hanging from her arms.

 "Wendy?" she called out again. "I picked up some paint for you while I was out. Are you down here?" she asked loudly, walking into the kitchen.

Suddenly, she noticed Wendy's crumpled body lying on the cold kitchen floor.

"Wendy!" Mrs. Darling screamed. She dropped her bags and ran to her daughter's side.

"Oh my God!" she cried and gathered Wendy into her arms.

Wendy was conscious, but crying softly. She didn't even seem to realize her mother in the room, holding her.

Mrs. Darling wiped the tears from Wendy's face and gently rocked her. Soothingly, she ran her hand across Wendy's smooth head in an attempt to calm her.

"Shhhh...it's alright," she comforted her daughter quietly.

Moments later, John and Michael walked through the front door, happily chatting to each other about their school day.

"Awesome! Mom went shopping," Michael exclaimed and picked up the fallen grocery bags from the floor. The boys stopped suddenly when they noticed the scene before them.

"Mom! Is she okay?" John cried, running over to them.

"I think so, John. Can you help me get her to the couch?"

Mrs. Darling noticed Michael hovering nervously in the background. "It's alright, Mikey...everything is fine."

"What happened to her?" Michael asked tentatively.

"I'm not sure, honey. I found her like this when I walked in from the store. "

Mrs. Darling and John carefully lifted Wendy to her feet and walked her over to the couch. Gently, they laid her down as Michael grabbed a throw blanket and handed it to his mom. She covered Wendy and quickly grabbed a cellphone from her purse.