Hiatus is officially over! Sorry for the delay! I hope you enjoy this chapter, it wrote itself.
Chapter seventeen- Wendy Moira Angela Darling.
Wendy, John and Michael cried for what seemed like a lifetime. However, only a few minutes had passed. When they slowly rose out of their closed off circle in the middle of the street, they observed the desolate ruin the streets had become.
To describe the streets in one word, the word "black" comes to mind. The air was oppressive with soot, hanging over the town like a giant winter storm that was about to break. The air was thick, and the trees burnt to thin sticks. The pavement was cracked and there was no sign of green. A few house frames were left standing, along with a few miscellaneous fence posts and infrastructure.
"Wendy? What happened?" Michael asked clutching his teddy tightly.
"We… do not know." John answered meekly. He put his hand on Michaels shoulder and squeezed tightly.
Wendy stood in shock as she fully registered the situation. Her whole neighbourhood had burnt down. There was no sign of her family, and the house was in ruins. She was struggling to breathe. Overcome with emotions, she abandoned her suitcases and ran to the crumbled house.
"Wendy! Wait!" John cried as he picked up Michael and followed suit.
Wendy ignored the cry and kept running. To her, this situation was impossible. How could this happen? George had once explained to her that "fires happened in places of civil unrest as the people rise up to protest. That is why we moved to this side of London".
Wendy reached the burnt out structure of the front gate and surveyed the damage. John stood next to her, puffing, a few moments later. "A gentleman… never leaves…" He trailed as he didn't want to believe what he saw.
Amidst the charcoal few remainders were covered in soot and debris. Wendy walked forward a few steps, as her whole life was strewn across the burnt grass.
"Where is mummy and daddy?" Michael asked quietly.
"I don't know Michael. I miss them dearly." Wendy whispered.
"Me too." Michael began to sob. He clutched his teddy and wailed.
"Michael, a gentleman does not…" John began before Wendy cut in.
"Oh stop it John! This is a more reasonable time than ever to cry. We do not know where our parents are, Nanna is not here, our home and toys have gone and… well, we are all alone." Wendy tried to put on a brave face but was reduced to tears as she saw them in her own brothers' eyes.
"I know Wendy." John whispered.
They stepped into a tight hug where they cried once more. The full weight of the situation had finally made itself apparent. The Darling children had lost their 'darling' status of innocence in the world's eye and had now been awoken to the harsh realities that lie within.
A bark interrupted the children's hug.
Wendy slowly broke away and looked up to see a big dog running down the street towards them. She hastily picked Michael up and held him close. The dog continued to run, barking the whole way.
"Nanna?" Michael asked?
The children's eyes glimmered with hope as the dog ran closer. Two figures were following the dog. A man and a woman.
The children started to slowly step back. "Wendy…" John began. But there was no need. Wendy was already behind John, holding Michael, hoping to protect him from whatever may come.
"I love you John." Wendy said.
"I love you too Wendy. Michael." He said as he turned briefly to shake his hand.
Wendy started taking small steps, distancing herself between John and the oncoming barking dog. The dog was closer than before and running at full speed towards the children barking loudly, unaware of their hesitation.
Michael suddenly started squirming. "Nana!" He shouted. "Nana! Nana! Nana!" He screamed.
"Michael!" Wendy gasped as he clambered down from Wendy awkwardly to stand beside John. Wendy briskly walked towards him to put her hand on Michaels shoulder and keep him close. A skill learnt from observing her mother, as Michael had tried to run away in pursuit of another dog who had looked like Nana run past.
Wendy and John peered closer. It was Nana. The children started crying and calling to her as Nana began a gentle pace towards them before standing face to face with Michael. Nanna broke her protocol and licked Michaels face as he buried himself into Nana's fur.
"Oh Nana. We missed you." Wendy cried as she fell onto her knees to hug Nana. John stood and patted Nana as he watched the two people start a brisk walk. The figures then picked up their pace and started running towards the children.
"Wendy? John! Michael!" The female voice called.
Wendy stood up and Nana wagged her tail. The couple ran the length of the street and through the broken down fence to hug the children.
"Mr and Mrs Depuret!" Wendy cried once more as she embraced them both.
"Children." Anita sobbed.
"Where have you been?" Lawrence asked.
"We have been to Neverland! We are awfully sorry!" Michael cried as he hugged Nana.
"Oh Michael, you are back now and you are safe. That is all that matters." Anita softly said as she picked Michael up to comfort him.
"Mr and Mrs Depuret, what has happened?" John asked.
Lawrence took a brief look over the children. "They are calling it the worst fire to happen in London, hence naming the fire 'The great fire of London.' He paused as he looked over the house. "There is much news we need to tell you children, please come with us to our country estate for a while until matters settle down." He asked.
"We know this is hard," Anita continued, "But if you would like to live with other relatives, we will take you there. However, being close friends with both your parents, I think they would like it if you came with us."
"What is there to say?" Wendy asked. All we want is to know where father and mother are."
The Depurets shared a glance. "It is best if you come with us." Anita spoke softly.
The children looked at each other cautiously. "Is Father and Mother all right?" Wendy asked.
"Children, we will take Nana with us back to the cab at the end of the street and wait for you there. We'll give you a few moments to look at the house. Your parents remained steadfast and so you should you." Lawrence replied, dodging the question. Anita just looked at the children, despair filling her eyes.
"Are those your suitcases and belongings?" Lawrence asked as he pointed at the abandoned cases further up the road.
John nodded and grabbed his sibling's hands. The Depurets took Nana and walked slowly back to their cab with their belongings, relieved to have found the children, but sorrowful that they had to be the bearer of bad news. Nana walked dismally behind them.
"John, I think something terrible has happened to Mother and Father." Wendy whispered. John nodded in agreement.
John let go of Michaels hand as he walked to the edge of the charred remains and grabbed a stick to poke around with.
John stopped walking and signaled for Wendy to do the same. "Michael mustn't know we have suspicions. He believes that nothing bad can happen as our family is invincible."
"I know that John. That's why he refused to believe Mother was sick last winter." Wendy sternly replied. "I think we should stop talking about this, and join Michael. Now, we must stick together, as until we find Father and Mother, we are all we have left."
The oldest children walked over to Michael who was struggling to lift a plank of wood. The children helped him, and were rewarded for their efforts. Underneath the plank, lay a family portrait that had been taken last year to commemorate John completing Grammar school, to move on to a higher education in business, following in the footsteps of his father.
Michael grabbed the portrait and held onto it tightly. "I want to keep this." He stated, and nothing would change his mind.
Wendy and John glanced at each other and continued to look through the house on the grass, in hope that more personal items would be found. Wendy recalled the layout of what the house once was and went to what would be her parent's bedroom. She poked around for a few minutes before John and Michael came to join her. They brushed away burnt bits and pieces, a lot of dirt and sticks, before finding a small box under some debris that had charred edges.
"Be careful John." Wendy cautioned. "I don't want that to break."
John nodded and brushed some charcoal out of the way before kneeling down to open the box. He gasped in surprise. Wendy curiously peered over his shoulder while Michael was still trudging around with his teddy bear.
"John, it's…" She trailed.
"I know." He replied. He lifted out Mary's pearls and George's silk tie, the two most prized possessions their parents possessed. John passes the pears to Wendy.
"Michael, look what we found." Wendy called, struggling to fight back tears. She began to fear the worst for her parents as she knew they would never abandon their anniversary gifts to each other.
Michael stomped over, and looked at the tie. "I helped mother choose this!" He said. "I like the colour blue on father. So did mother."
Wendy smiled sadly and put on her mother's pearls. She vowed to never take them off. It had taken George a few months to buy this gift and he was certain that "Although it is wise to save every expense, sometimes a gift to show gratitude does not go amiss."
She had never forgotten that moment. She looked over at John who appeared to have his own thoughts running through his mind. He was holding George's tie with both hands, and looking close to tears.
"John…" Wendy began.
"A gentleman does not show emotion Wendy. He must hold his own as family comes first…" John trailed as he wiped back stray tears, betraying how he really felt.
"John." Wendy said as she stepped over a broken piece of timber. She took the tie and flipped his collar of his white shirt up, took his borrowed tie off then expertly secured his father's tie around his neck.
"You look like a fine gentleman now John."
"Thank you Wendy, it is my first proper tie."
The hot chocolate had been brewed and poured into mugs, topped with marshmallows and cream with the open fire blazing. Nana was asleep in front of the fire, the darling children scattered around the burgundy rug on the floor warming their hands on their hot chocolate.
The Depurets had a nice country estate in the south of London, which they decorated with "old American charm." As Lawrence had described it. The house was a modest two storey (the smallest house on the market at the time) and from what the darling children could tell, was decorated in old wares from America. They had only been in three rooms of the house. Their room, as they had insisted on sleeping in the same room together, the entrance room, and now the sitting room where they remained since supper.
Anita was sewing in her sewing chair by the fire, Michael on the rug resting against her legs. Lawrence was sitting on the brown couch in front of the fire; they had moved the small table in front of it out of the way to beside the wall so the children could have more space to move around in.
"Children, now that we are seated, I think we should tell you what has occurred."
"Yes, thank you for your hospitality." Wendy politely replied. She was relaxing in her pearls and burgundy dress, her blue coat hanging on the coat rack near the front door. John had relaxed and taken off most of his suit, to remain in only his shirt, tie and suit pants. Michael stayed in his brown playsuit.
"Children, I am deeply sorry to be the one to tell you this news," Anita stopped knitting and picked up Michael as Lawrence began explaining, "But… your parents are no longer with us." He concluded.
Wendy and John looked at each other in shock. They had suspected the worst, but didn't want to believe it. Michael was confused.
"Yes, because they are not here." Michael stated. "Where are they?"
Anita looked at Michael with tears in her eyes. "Michael," she began softy, "Your parents, George and Mary, have passed away. George… Your father tried to protect the house in the fire but couldn't, and Mary, your mother, had fallen from her window a few months before."
Lawrence looked at the children, sympathy in his eyes. "John, Wendy, I do not think it wise for Michael to hear the rest of the conversation."
Wendy nodded. Anita looked at Lawrence and took Michael to the children's new room to gently explain and comfort him. Once Anita had left, Wendy began to piece everything together.
"Mother… fell out of a window?" She asked.
"Yes. I remember hearing a scream so I went to investigate, but after no one answering the door I waited until George arrived. We don't know if she was pushed or if she jumped, but all we know is when George came knocking on our front door in a state, something had gone terribly wrong."
Wendy started to cry. John became stiff and distanced. "And what of father?"
"Your father descended into a deep depression. You must understand, he had lost you and Mary in one night. The man had lost his wits. When the fires began he gave Nana to us, told us to flee to our estate, but wanted to wait in case you returned. We came back once we heard it was over on the news reports, to find your father was not… Was not with us anymore." Lawrence explained.
He sighed. He did not want to go into detail. Their father had turned into a wreck. The man had been destroyed. Watching his closest friend sink into that state made him somewhat glad his grief had come to an end. However the responsibility of his children now fell onto him and his wife's good nature. The conversation had been traumatic.
"My god George! You need to leave now!" Lawrence cried as the orange glow lit up the horizon. His anger was consuming him, George was being stubborn, as usual.
"No! My house, my children, they will come back!" George shouted, his hair standing on wild ends. Nana was pacing frantically around Georges feet, trying to convince him to go with Lawrence.
"I don't think you understand! The fires are headed this way, your children will not come here! They will see the fire and escape somewhere safe! We can go looking for them after!" Lawrence reasoned. He knew his friend has descended into insanity, but still tried his hardest.
The town was in complete chaos. Embers, soot and ash were chocking the sky, chocking the residents and burning anything it landed on. The wind had picked up causing the fire to spread faster than it ever had before, the worst tragedy London had ever seen. Anita was waiting for the two men at their country estate, far away from the turmoil with as much belongings as they could bring.
Lawrence grabbed George's shoulders "We need to leave now!"
George's voice was breaking as he shook Lawrence off. "No! I can't leave now! I won't leave! My children will come back, I know it!"
People were running hurriedly in different directions holding handkerchiefs over their mouths. Those who had not fled Kensington already were doing so now.
"If you don't leave, the children will have nothing to come back to!"
"Lawrence, you have been my closest friend, but you must understand, my children need me. I can't be without them. I have lost Mary, don't make me lose my children too."
Lawrence started coughing. "George, you are going to die. Nana is going to die. Leave with me. Come to our estate. You've always said you have wanted to visit. Now is your chance. Please George." He was getting desperate. A quick glance at the horizon told him the fire was gaining speed.
George looked at Lawrence, his once white shirt blackened by the fires. Lawrence assumed he looked just as dishevelled.
"Take Nana. Take her and leave me. I will not be moved and you need to leave while you still have Anita my friend." George stated.
Lawrence shook his head. He was not understanding. "Your grief has consumed you! Let's leave together, hurry!"
A change came across Georges face. "Lawrence, my friend, I can't leave. If I die, I die. My children, if Mary knew I had left my children in their hour of need, I would forever be unhappy. I would not be able to look at myself." He had to raise his voice as the wind picked up more speed. "I am not leaving, try as you may. Take Nana now and go. I will defend this house and my family until the very end. If I cannot find my children and you do, please look after them until my return."
He gave one last look at Lawrence and nodded his head. He patted Nana goodbye and turned back towards his house.
"George!" Lawrence shouted. George turned around as Lawrence continued to speak.
"My friend. God speed and good luck. I will see you at our estate soon." They shook hands.
Lawrence patted Nana and they ran to the carriage together, Lawrence coughing and full of fear for his friend, Nana knowing what her owner intended to do. As they were in the carriage, Lawrence and Nana looked out the cab window, watching George say goodbye with one palm raised up as they fled into the distance, the world crumbling around him.
They did not know that was the last they would see of him.
Lawrence sighed at his memory and tried to comfort his friend's children. "He remained strong until the very end. He was determined to find you. You should be proud of your father."
The children nodded and lowered their heads, their hot chocolate forgotten.
"I am sorry children. You are welcome to stay with us for as long as you need."
The children just nodded their heads again and thanked Lawrence for his hospitality once more, before passing Anita on the stairs up to their bedroom.
Thank you so much for sticking with this story regardless of how many times I haven't posted as much as I wanted to! Your continuous support means a lot to me!
Until the next chapter my Darlings.