This is for my creative writing class, but I wanted to know what you all thought!
A chill swept through the room, causing its occupant to shiver. Autumn weather was already around and October was showing no mercy for those still hanging onto the warmer weather.
Wendy walked across the room and shut the window, her shadows bouncing off the walls as she made her way back over to her bed. She had long since grown used to the quiet darkness. John and Michael have been attending a boarding school a few hours away. They didn't visit very often.
She climbed into bed and leaned against her headboard. She wasn't tired, but it wasn't right to be awake so late. Her parents would certainly disapprove. They did most things. She glanced at the book on her bedside table. It was dreadfully boring, and Wendy loathed it. But it was proper to be reading such a book. So she read it without complaint.
Wendy contemplated reading it when she heard a creak.
She eyed the room hesitantly. Something wasn't right. Easing out of bed, she slid into her slippers and grabbed a candle. Cautiously, she approached the window and opened it. A slight breeze hit her before she peered out. Tightly gripping the candle holder she took in the sight of London. It was really quite beautiful.
Wendy was about to turn away when a strong gust of wind blew her candle light out. Curiously, she turned back to face the window. A boy, roughly her age, was there. Right there. Messy hair and shiny green eyes. Her heart stopped.
"Peter." She breathed, not believing what she was seeing. He was really here. She frowned; he was certainly not a boy anymore. Not yet a man, but nearly there. He had grown. They stood face to face for a while before Peter spoke.
"I need your help."
"What's wrong?" Wendy asked.
"Neverland's dying."
Wendy's eyes widened. Without thought, she moved aside to let Peter in. She almost felt as if she were twelve again. But she wasn't. And neither was he.
"What- I don't understand- How-" Wendy stuttered, not being able to form complete sentences.
"Everything's started growing, and the elders have already begun to die." Peter paused and she let it sink in. "It's not the same Neverland you knew, it's changed. You might not even recognize it. Sometimes I don't. But it's still Neverland and I need you help to me save it."
Wendy closed her eyes. She must be dreaming. This simply cannot be real.
Why now? Why did he have to come now? She had finally accepted things the way they are, that she were to grow up and let her memories of him fade into childish delusions.
All those nights she stayed up, staring out the window waiting for some kind of sign that it really happened. Wendy tried in vain to convince her parents of the truth, but there came a time when she was too old for that kind of thing, and they became fed up.
Even John and Michael stopped mentioning. Stopped believing. They now had dreams of being senators and politicians. It was bred into them at their school. And it physically hurt when John told Wendy he didn't want to hear her non-sense stories anymore, or when Michael became too sophisticated to sneak down to the kitchen with her for a midnight snack.
And Wendy hoped. She had always hoped. But with each night that past, the days became more real and she realized that she was being ridiculous. What made her so special that he would come back to take her away? What made her so sure she didn't get caught up in her imagination? Or at least, that's what she told herself.
And she was just beginning to believe it.
She did the most reasonably thing she could think of in that moment; Wendy pinched herself. But when she opened her eyes, there Peter was, standing in her bedroom. Looking exceptionally out of place.
"Peter, I can't just leave." She refused to meet his eyes, settling instead on fiddling with a loose string from her nightgown. "I've got responsibilities and my family to think about… I can't go with you." Peter crossed his arms stuck out his chin stubbornly.
"Why not?" She looked up at him, exasperated. He hadn't changed at all!
"Because I just can't, Peter! I'm not going to up and leave this time. I couldn't do that to my parents again. They'd be worried sick!" Wendy exclaimed.
Peter narrowed his eyes, taking a step towards her. "Well what about the people and creatures in Neverland. Think about how worried they are."
She sighed. "Growing up is a part of life. It's inevitable. I suppose even Neverland couldn't play pretend forever."
"So you expect me to just give up?"
"No, Peter. I expect you to grow up." Wendy snapped. "My home is here in London and I grow up every day. I am sorry for you, I truly am. But your fear of becoming a man is not my problem." A tense silence settled atop of them, and Wendy begrudgingly felt the need to dispel it. "Even if I wanted to go, which I don't, I wouldn't be able to fly. You don't have any pixie dust."
"Then you'll just have to have some faith and trust." Peter turned away before starting for the window. Once there, he bent slightly and looked at her expectantly. "Well? Hop on." Wendy looked at him, appalled.
"You don't really expect me to… I am not going to ride your back to Neverland! I'm not going." She stated, stamping her foot for emphasis. Peter stood up straight, frustrated.
"Have it your way then." Before she knew what was happening, Peter had picked her up and thrown her over his shoulder. Like a sack of potatoes. Wendy furiously began pounding on his back and kicking at him.
"Peter Pan you put me down right now!" He ignored her protests, only pausing when they were standing on the windows ledge.
He could still set her back down and walk way. She could brush this off as a dream from the past and continue living her life the way she was told. They could both leave well enough alone.
Peter smirked.
"But where's the fun in that?" He stuck out his foot and then they were falling from the window. Wendy's voice got caught in her throat as they shot upwards, getting higher and higher.
What did you think? Sorry for any mistakes/errors. I don't know if I'm going to post the continuation of this or leave it as a one shot, so let me know what you think!