Chasing Neverland: A Retelling | ✔️

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

The cold February breeze blew gently across the pond.

"Pete..." George Darling whispered, and looked toward his new friend. But Pete was already gone.

George was vaguely aware of another looming presence. He tried hard to pay attention, but was feeling foggy headed, and there was a pain shooting throughout his entire body, making it difficult for him to concentrate.

"George," he heard a loud, unfamiliar voice call out urgently. "George, can you hear me?" it asked again.

He tried to focus on the figure in front of him, noticing that whoever the voice belonged to was also shaking him firmly by the shoulders.

"George, the paramedics are on their way," the voice continued. "Stay with me..."

In the distance, George heard a siren.

'The paramedics'... he thought absently. He didn't understand why they were coming. And what did it matter to him, anyway?

George suddenly began to shake, aware once again of the sharp pain that seemed to be taking over his whole being. He heard himself moan.

More blurry figures rushed toward him, and he heard them speak to the first voice. Several people talking, but what were they saying? It was so hard to make out!

He felt something being wrapped around his body that caused an intense pins and needles sensation, and he struggled to break free from it's grasp. What was going on? Why were these figures trying to hurt him?

"George," a new voice said soothingly. "My name is Alex. I'm a paramedic. I've put a warm blanket around you to help raise your body temperature. Can you tell me what happened?" Alex asked, but George could not find the words to answer.

"You fell through the ice, George. Do you remember that? Mr. Cooper pulled you out," Alex continued. "I'm sure you must be confused right now, and you're probably feeling very uncomfortable. You were in the water for several minutes and your body's temperature has begun to drop. We're going to take you to the hospital now, but I don't want you to worry. There are doctors there that will help you. You're going to be alright - I just need you to remain calm," he reassured. "That's it, George, you're doing great."

George felt himself being lifted, but the rest was a blur. He woke up in the hospital and remained there for two weeks following his fall through Mr. Cooper's frozen pond.

He couldn't remember the ice breaking, or slipping into the freezing water. And the rescue was hazy at best, but what did stick with him was his unearthly encounter with Pete.

George had spoken to a psychologist during his time in the hospital and eventually felt comfortable enough to confide in her. 

"It doesn't make any sense to me. I should have still been in the water...but I was actually with Pete, and we were flying," he confessed reluctantly. "And when I told Pete that I was ready to go home, he brought me back. Then he disappeared."

George liked talking to Dr. Miller. She had a very soothing way about her and was really helping him feel better about what had happened that day at the pond.

"Do you believe in angels, George?" she asked gently.

"I'm not sure," he shrugged. "I guess so."

"You may not know this, but when Mr. Cooper pulled you out of the water, you were not breathing. He had to perform CPR on you until your heart started beating again."

This was news to George; no one had mentioned that to him before now.

Dr. Miller saw his confused expression and continued on.

"I have had many patients over the years who have spoken of near-death experiences. In fact, I have done immense research on the topic. How would you feel if I told you...that maybe you had one of those experiences?"

George carefully considered what Dr. Miller had said. He had always wondered if angels were real, but now that he was confronted with the possibility of actually coming face to face with one, it didn't seem possible.

"I'll tell you what. I have a book in my office that I will let you keep. It's a collection of stories about people and their near-death experiences. Some of the stories are even told by children...some younger than you," Dr. Miller offered.

Over the next several days, George poured over the tales in the book. He couldn't believe some of the similarities between their stories and his. He never told his parents about his experience with Pete, and although he was sure that Dr. Miller most likely had, they'd never mentioned it.

* * * * * * * * * *

George Darling eventually came to believe that his meeting with Pete was his own brush with death, and he occasionally wondered if he would encounter him again when it was his time to pass on.

It panicked him to see the painting on Wendy's wall. Instinctively, he knew it was Pete, the cherubic young boy with the charming smile and captivating green eyes. And the way that Wendy had painted them together, hand in hand, flying through the sky... Just like what had happened to him when he was a child.

He looks exactly the same as he did so many years ago, he hasn't aged at all...

Mr. Darling was convinced that Wendy had met Pete, and he needed to get back to the hospital right away to speak with her about it.

Forgetting the items that he had come back to the house to grab, he rushed out the door to his car and drove off. He knew he was speeding, but he needed to get to Wendy immediately.

Damn, he cursed to himself, What is going on?

He pulled into the hospital parking lot, hopped out of his car and raced up to the floor that the ICU was on.

When the elevator doors opened, he saw that the unit was in chaos.

There's a patient going bad, he realized. He immediately recognized the unwelcome scene, as he had witnessed something similar unfold before at the children's hospital.

"No," he pleaded to himself as an unfathomable thought entered his head. He rushed toward Wendy's room.

Mary Darling was clutching John and Michael as they stood paralyzed in the center of a crowd gathered outside Wendy's door, a look of terror across each one of their faces.

"George..." Mary sobbed when she saw him approaching. "It's Wendy...it's our baby girl!"

So ... Wendy's father is George from the prologue?!!

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