My Short Story Collection

Finding Neverland: Chapter One

Chapter One

Wendy sat at her window, staring out at the night sky filled with stars that twinkled above the dark city. Everyone was in bed by now except Wendy, she couldn't fall asleep. Hours ago she had put her brothers to bed after reading them bed time stories and even reading her favorite about Peter Pan. It was her favorite story, it has been ever since she was a little girl. In that story, it was also about a girl named Wendy with two younger brothers and how her and her brothers met a boy named Peter Pan and he took them to Neverland.

In many ways, Wendy could connect with the Wendy in the book. She also had two younger brother but their names were not John or Michael which was one of the differences between her and Wendy... the other differences were that she didn't have a dog named Nana and also she has a third younger sibling... a sister.

Ever since she was just a child, she believed Peter existed, Neverland existed, Captain Hook and even Tinker Bell. All the time, after reading Peter Pan to her siblings, she will always check to see if Peter was around, listening but she has yet to find him. She waited patiently, waiting for Peter to show up one day and take her to Neverland. There... she wouldn't have to grow up and ever wait about her fate that lies ahead of her in the years to come.

Wendy sighed as she continued to star at the sky, her hand dangling outside the window. "Surely you come and listen to my stories, right Peter? You used to do that for the other Wendy." She said and coughed a little. Sighing again, she shook her head.

"Wendy! You shouldn't have that window open and let it get cold in here! You know that isn't good for your health!" Her mother scolded her, making Wendy's heart jumped because she thought her mother had already went off to bed.

Her mother, Lizzie, came in the room and immediately shut the window and locked it. Turning toward Wendy, she frowned. "What on earth were you doing? You know it isn't good for you to get sick! Your body cannot handle it when you get sick." Her mother continued to scold.

Wendy groan and got up from her seat by the window. "I know but I couldn't see the stars with the window shut." She said as she walked over to her bed. Even though she was honestly looking for Peter and was going to leave it open so he could come in.

"Wendy, your body cannot handle it though. When you get sick, well you know fully well it's dangerous. Yet I always catch you leaving the Wendy opened at night and even sitting by the window with it wide open. Darling, you must take better care of yourself." Her mother said, becoming more gentle now and helped Wendy tuck into bed even though honestly Wendy was becoming a little too old for that.

"But..." She stopped herself before she continued. If she dared mention Peter again, her mother would be upset even more because she already finds Wendy ridiculous for believing that he actually exists.

"But you wanted to leave it open for Peter again, huh?" Her mother finished the sentence for her, knowing already what Wendy had wanted to say. Wendy looked away though, not wanting to admit that it was she was going to say but yet not wanting to lie to her mother and say it wasn't what she was going to say.

Sighing and shaking her head, Lizzie placed her hand on her forehead as she looked down, trying to think. "Wendy... Peter is a make believe character that a Scottish man named James Matthew Barrie who lived back in the late 1800s to the 1900s who came up with Peter Pan. Wendy... he's not really real. Just a character that some man made up. Same with Captain Hook, the lost boys and even Tinker Bell." Her mother said and sighed, looking back at Wendy with caring eyes. "Isn't it time to let go of that imagination? You're almost fifteen. You're not a child anymore." She continued to say.

Wendy replied nothing. She's heard this a lot since she turned thirteen and now that she's getting ever so closer to fifteen, she's hearing it way more than when she was thirteen. Lizzie waited for Wendy to say something but when Wendy closed her eyes, Lizzie sighed and got up.

Turning off the light, she kissed Wendy on the forehead and then turning, she walked away. "Goodnight Wendy." She whispered at the door and then walked out, leaving it partially opened. Wendy waited a few moments before hopping out of bed and open the window again.

Before she climbed back to her bed, she sat for a moment at the window, staring at the stars once again. "I know you exist... you have to exist... for me... and take me to Neverland so I'd never have to grow up again and meet my fate." She whispered and then turned to climb back into her bed.

Staring at her window, waiting to see if Peter Pan will ever come in, she eventually fell asleep, waiting.