Wendy sat in a chair facing the window as she sought to reabsorb all the feelings and memories that she had suddenly regained, not to mention all the questions that troubled her.

Neverland.

A thimble.

Dr. Barrie.

And Michael . . .

With a pang, she remembered Michael.

It was true. All of it. But what was she supposed to do now?

A shadow appeared outside, and she turned her face away, not willing to make eye contact or let it know that she could see it. Out of sight, out of mind. Well, not really. The shadows were never out of her mind—not when they could continually give her glances into the future or the past.

Her eyes went back to the window, and she searched the sky, the trees, and the shadows for a glimpse of Peter. Why did she continue to search for him when he was the last person she wanted to see?

The shadow appeared again, this time in her hospital room. It floated over to her bed and seemed to enjoy jumping on it, then summersaulted over to the nightstand. A wry smile tugged at Wendy’s mouth.

“Oh, you,” she laughed, as a second smaller shadow decided to join in the fun. The two shadows made a game of dancing and taunting each other. The two were having such a grand time playing hide-and-seek among the flowers and medical equipment that they didn’t notice a door open. Then, a male nurse wearing dark-framed glasses entered, and their panicked display somehow crossed over into our world, causing a vase of flowers to fall, breaking and spilling on the linoleum.

“Interesting,” the nurse said, putting his clipboard down, and then proceeded to clean up the mess.

“Sorry,” Wendy mumbled from her chair across the room.

“Well, it’s not your fault now, is it?”

A tingling fear ran up her spine, causing Wendy to suck in her breath.

“Whose fault is it?” she whispered, scared of the response.

He tossed the glass shards into the wastebasket and placed the flowers in the sink. Grabbing a towel from the bathroom, he used it to clean up the water. “Well, isn’t it obvious?”

She knew she must look white as a sheet. Could the nurse see her trembling from where he mopped up the floor? Probably.

“It’s the ghosts.” He turned and gave her a mischievous smile. “Oh, some ghosts wander these halls at night. This hospital is the last resting place for many who have crossed over.”

“I see,” she sighed. The shadows still wouldn’t come out of hiding, which was odd. The easier she accepted their existence, the easier it became to see them and the more at ease they felt around her. Like puppies excited to find a home finally.

“Where’s my brother?” Wendy asked the nurse.

“Oh, he’s in the next room talking with lawyers and the police. I think they’re trying not to overwhelm you.” When he finished mopping, he returned to the hall and pushed in a wheelchair. “Okay, miss, it’s time to take you down to the second floor for some blood work.”

“I can walk.” Wendy stood, and he waved her away.

“Oh no, hospital rules. I have to take you in the wheelchair.”

It seemed such a nonissue that she moved over to the chair and sat. The nurse tucked a warm blanket around her legs so she’d stay comfortable during transit.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He wheeled her out and down the hall toward the elevator, cheerily humming the Star Wars Imperial March. He even crescendoed dramatically as they entered and the elevator doors closed. Wendy couldn’t help but chuckle, but the laughter died in her throat when he hit the button for the garage level and not the second floor like he’d said.

“You lied.” Wendy tried to stand in the chair, but his firm grip pushed her back into it, his fingers digging painfully into her shoulder.

“No, we’re taking you for some blood tests, but not here.”

The doors opened, and he wheeled her into the garage. Wendy tried to dig her heels into the pavement to slow their progress, as she struggled against the hand holding her. She cried out for help and was surprised to see no one was in the vicinity. A white van had pulled up, its side door already open. Two men in black uniforms stepped down and headed for them. Fear paralyzed her. The nurse was working with Neverland.

“Say it,” the nurse demanded. “Where are we taking you?” He pulled out an injector gun and held it against her neck.

“Neverland,” Wendy whispered, and then sprang into action.