Jody in Neverland

Chapter 13 - Stories

Jody was introduced to all the children, they all eagerly crowded round to say hello, except Slightly who stayed on his bunk. She was shown all round the treehouse and soon knew every nook and hidey hole. Peter did not appear until the evening and then the children busied themselves making a meal. A very simple affair of fish, nuts and berries. Once the meal was over the children sat around full and tired.

Jody, why don't you tell us a story? Asked Peter

Oh yes please chimed in the others

I don't know, I'm not any good at storytelling

Nonsense, I've listened to your stories many of times from outside the window at the big house. I was most disappointed when you went to live with those awful grown ups and didn't tell stories anymore.

I just read a few stories to Taz that's all protested Jody. It had started when Taz had been having bad dreams and Floss had been kept up by her moans and murmurs. After several sleepless nights Floss took drastic action. Jody had not been impressed when Floss appeared in her room dragging her duvet and had made herself a make shift bed on the floor. Jody was not about to let Floss squatting in her room become a regular occurrence, so she had taken matters into her own hands. The following night she had read Taz a story to take her mind off the bad dreams. Jody had always read books when she was having a difficult time and wanted to forget about her worries and fears. So she reasoned that reading a story to Taz might take her mind off any bad thoughts or worries that might be causing the nightmares. It had worked. Taz slept peacefully and Floss was able to get a goodnights sleep in her own bed. It soon became routine for Jody to read stories to Taz and Floss secretly enjoyed the stories as well.  Finn and Joseph started coming along at bedtime to listen to the stories too. Jody started off with some of her favourite books like Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan but as she began to run out of books, she started to come up with her own stories too.

You told so many great stories. I loved it when Alice met the Queen of Hearts and when Lucy discovered Narnia in the old wardrobe. replied Peter talking as if the story characters were real people.

Alice in Wonderland is one of my favourites too and the Chronicles of Narnia and The Faraway Tree... and... well, there are just so many stories I love.

Please tell us one Jody, please coaxed Tootles

So Jody relented and began to tell a story, soon everyone was enthralled in a tale of castles, knights and dragons. One by one the children began to fall asleep and by the time Jody came to the end of the story there was no one left awake except Peter and Tinkerbell.