Author's Note: Yes, the highly anticipated chapter two is here. Pssh, yeah, right. I really wish this section were more popular. How can you all not like Peter Pan? Peter Pan is my childhood. Don't tell me that you didn't watch Peter Pan and the Pirates. I remember, back in '92, when I used to watch that show. Ah, the good 'ol days.
Only In Your Wildest Neverdreams
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Chapter Two
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The next four days went by slowly for Ellie. She went to school, came home, watched the twins, went to school, came home, watched the twins, and the whole cycle went on again. But the fifth day was different.
It was her birthday.
Her aunt awoke her with a kiss on the forehead, which caused her to believe that she was dreaming. After a few moments of her aunt actually conversing with her, which was a rarity, she realized that she was awake. That was about the time when the twins came bounding in. A boy and a girl. They were eight. From the way they were acting, it was inferred that her aunt had talked them into being nice to her for once. She figured that a trip to Yacky Wacky Toys was in store for them later.
After the twins had left the room to get ready for the day, her aunt had asked to speak with her.
"You already are," said Ellie, being smart. She coughed.
"Ellie, I know that you probably would have had your quinceanera and everything—"
Ellie held up a hand and shook her head. "It's alright. I hadn't even thought about it." And it was true. She hadn't. Ellie's father was Puerto Rican. It would have been traditional for her to have a large party for her fifteenth birthday. Because her aunt was her mother's sister, she had not planned for it.
"Alright, because I don't want you to think that I forgot…I just…honey, I didn't forget. I just never mentioned—"
"Aunt Felicia, I don't care. It's okay."
Her aunt bit her lip. "You know, you can stay home from school today if you want to," she offered as if for compensation.
"Sounds good to me," said Ellie. At that, her aunt left without so much as a goodbye. "Bye, have a nice day at work," Ellie grumbled after her. She flopped backwards onto her bed, but not before she opened her balcony doors. She needed some fresh air.
She wished that she could be like her aunt. Her aunt was beautiful with perfect ebony skin and large brown eyes. She strongly resembled Ellie's mother, which was comforting in a way. Sighing, she turned over. Her aunt could just disregard things. It seemed like she didn't think about anything at all except work and keeping the twins quiet. Ellie wished that she could be like that—just forget everything.
Ellie thought things. Dark things. She thought about things such as what it would be like to kill someone...feel their life bleeding away in her hands. She thought about it so much that she sometimes would obsess over death and could not think of anything else no matter how much she strained. It upset her.
Two nights before, Ellie had a dream. She dreamt that she was walking through a forest. After aimlessly walking, she heard laughing. It was cruel and cold, like an icicle piercing skin. Taking a chance, she changed directions and walked towards the laughter. The sight she saw caused her to gasp.
Before her was a boy. He was wriggling, clutching his chest. As she neared him, she saw why. The hand clutching his chest was placed over his heart, trying to stop the escaping blood, but it was in vain. Kneeling beside him, she placed her own hands on his one, pressing down in an attempt to help him contain what little fluid he had left.
She saw his eyes widen in confusion. "E-Ellie…Ellie Rose?" he croaked. Ellie only nodded, now just as confused as his green eyes told her that he was. She kept eye contact, even as his began to glaze over…
Nobody had called her Ellie Rose except for her parents. No one, besides Juliette and her aunt knew that her middle name was Rose. She had not had much time to think it over. Now that she was home alone, she did so. She continued to do so even as she fell asleep.
"Tell me why!" Tinkerbell demanded, pulling on Peter Pan's short ponytail. "You promised yourself you wouldn't go back—"
"You wouldn't understand," Peter muttered.
"Wendy's dead by now!" She saw Peter flinch as she said these words and immediately, she wished that she hadn't. Or at least, found a not as harsh way to say it. "Peter…" she sighed.
"Look, Tink, I'll tell you the reason I'm going back when I get back to Neverland. It's not because of Wendy. It's just something I have to do."
"No. It's something you want to do."
Tinkerbell was wrong. It was something he had to do. He had the dream again, except it was longer this time. He had seen a girl that had been in his dreams four times before. At the end of this recent dream, she had come to his aid but he had died too quickly for her to help.
He shuddered at the thought of himself dying.
The part that confused him was this: was she dreaming of him or was he dreaming of her? And if she was dreaming of him…why? He would find her. He had dreamt about her before so he knew a bit about her. Enough to find her. He just wanted some answers. Or, he at least wanted to see this girl for himself.
"You're wrong, Tink. I'll come back as soon as I can. Tell Inkson that he's in charge while I'm gone." He flew off into the air, determination written in his flight pattern.
"You'd better not come back with another one or there will be hell to pay!" Tinkerbell called after him. Watching him finally fade away, she sighed.
After a long time, Peter Pan crossed into the Other World. He felt tingly all over. It had been so long since he had crossed the boundary, that he was surprised that he had remembered the way. London, it seemed, did not take very long to reach. From his bird's eye view, he could see that it had changed drastically. There was so much that he did not recognize.
Wendy.
He had to go and see her. But what if Tinkerbell was right? What if she was dead? Could he handle it? He had to muster the courage, be a man—boy—and see her. So, without a second thought, he made the long awaited visit to Wendy's window.
It was closed. Wendy had never closed it, even at night, which it was now. She had told all the occupants of the room to keep it open. He peered through the window, which was covered by a sheer curtain attached to the other side of it. Peter could make out a sleeping form in one of the beds. Sitting beside the bed was a lady in a rocking chair. Could it be? It had to be—
"Wendy!" he called out, knocking on the window. "Wendy!" Alarmed, the woman looked up and came to the window. As it opened, Peter could see her face fill with shock as his was. He drew back.
"Peter…oh Peter, I'm sorry that the window was closed, but you see, Angela has a dreadful cold." The woman gestured towards the bed. Peter glanced at her, the bed, and then back at her again.
"Jane?" he whispered. It was amazing how much she had changed since the last time he had seen her. She had been a little girl, about eleven. Now she was old and gray.
She smiled. "Yes, Peter. It's me. I've missed you."
"Is that your daughter?"
"No, it's my granddaughter. She lives with me."
Peter flew into the room and sat on the bed beside her, gazing at her. She had Wendy's nose. "And Wendy?" he asked, not looking up from Angela.
"Peter…"
"And Wendy?" He stood up, looking at Jane. He could see the tears forming in her eyes and that is when he understood.
Wendy was dead.
Peter nodded his head, looking back at the bed. He knelt down and kissed Angela on the forehead. "You'll tell her that I was here, won't you?" he whispered.
"Yes, Peter. She will be so delighted. I've told her so much about you—" She was cut off when Peter flew away without so much of a goodbye.
"I'm so sorry, Peter," Jane said to herself. She closed the window.
Ellie jolted awake, feeling the crisp chill of wind coming in through the open balcony. She saw that it was night and looked at her watch. Nine past nine. She couldn't believe that she had slept all day. Why couldn't she hear the twins?
She coughed, feeling mucus coming up. After deciding to take a trip to the bathroom to let it all out, she went downstairs and found a note on the refrigerator that read,
Ellie,
Took the twins to Yacky Wacky and Pita's Fun Palace, don't know when we'll be back. We'll probably eat at Pita's. There's lasagna in the freezer.
Ellie crumpled the paper and threw it behind her, bounding back upstairs. It was her birthday and the twins were getting presents? And she was stuck with frozen leftovers?
When she reached her room, she turned on the overhead light, but felt cold so she went to close the balcony doors. Instead, Ellie stepped out onto her balcony gazed out at the sight. She had a good view of the neighborhood from here. Sighing, she said, "I hate my life."
"Why?" The voice belonged to a boy whose head peered at her, upside down, from the roof.
Startled, Ellie shrieked and turned around, looking up at him. She then stumbled backwards, nearly falling. "Oh my God," she whispered to herself. "Is that…that's impossible!" she exclaimed, eyes widening as the boy flipped over and landed onto her balcony. Her jaw dropped. "Stay back!" she warned, holding her hand out. She gripped the balcony ledge, which she was leaning on.
A curious look appeared on his face and after a long time of staring at each other, he said, "Why are you afraid of me?"
"You…but how…I must be dreaming," she finally concluded. She pinched herself. "C'mon, c'mon, wake up," she commanded herself when he didn't go away. She began to pat her cheeks repeatedly.
"It's funny you should say that," he remarked, "because that's what I've come to talk to you about. A dream."
Ellie took a good look at him. He was taller than her and handsome. The freckles strewn across his nose caused him to have a cute, boyish look about him. His hair was auburn and was held behind him in a small, stub of a ponytail. He wore the strangest clothing; it was as if he were dressed in green and brown leaves. And his eyes—they were green. She recognized them.
"Tell me I'm dreaming," she pleaded. "Please tell me that I'm dreaming."
"You're not, Ellie Rose. Unless I am, but I really don't think so."
"Who are you?" she demanded, drawing back.
"Why, I'm Peter Pan."
I hope you enjoyed reading. Thanks.
November 15, 2002
Copyright theMuse