New Lands | (Fantasy)

Chapter 22: Jessica's POV

"James that's impossible. A portal cannot just open up," I say. "That's absurd."

"It's the truth!" James exclaims. I cross my arms. "I'm not kidding."

"Okay then tell me what you saw," I say.

"It don't remember," James says. I scoff. "Hey! That doesn't mean I'm not lying! The only thing I remember is waking up on the grass by the barn, but the thing is I wasn't by the barn to begin with."

"Where were you then?" I ask.

"In the forest," James says. "I was only twelve and I wanted to explore. So I ventured off into, what now is off limits, part of the forest and the portal just sucked me in. My mom put up caution tape so my sister and I wouldn't go there anymore after what happened to me."

"James I just don't believe you," I say. "Like I don't believe any of this. There is no Neverland. Emma and Will we're definitely kidnapped and we should be calling the police!"

"What can I do to prove it to you?" James asks. "Wait I know. If Kyle is not laying on that couch, he's in Neverland."

"He's lying on the couch James. Don't be stupid," I say. James storms off into the living room.

"Oh my gosh! Jess! Come look!" James exclaims from the living room. I get up off the stool and hop over to where James is. He is looking at the couch.

"What?" I ask James. He points to the couch and I look. Kyle is not there. "He probably just got up to use the bathroom or something." James crosses his arms.

"Why can't you just believe me?" James asks.

"Because this stuff is nonsense! All of it!" I exclaim. "I mean really!? A place where kids can visit in their dreams and never grow old? A mysterious shadow that comes and kidnaps kids and takes them away from their families? A mysterious pipe player who draws out lonely and depressed kids to recruit them? James! News flash! It's all fake! They're called fairytales for a reason!" James looks at me smugly like I just said something stupid. "What?"

"We never mentioned the eerie pipe player," James says. "The only way you could know about that is if you witnessed it yourself."

"My little brother woke me up one night and told me that he heard music coming from outside," I say. "I told him it was probably just a dream he had and that he should just go back to sleep. The next morning I looked up about the music because I couldn't hear anything and that's what came up."

"Your brother almost became a lost boy," James says.

"I made sure to show him more love after that. It gave me a sense of reality," I say. "I wish he had told me though. I could've been there for him. I think back on it sometimes and it makes me sad that he didn't trust me enough to let me know how he was feeling." James puts his arm around me.

"It's okay. You can't make everyone feel better," James says. He kisses me on the forehead and gives me a side hug. We hear a door open and shut.

"Hi James and Emma!" Mrs. Watson exclaims. "I'm home!" James and I look at each other with petrified looks on our faces.

"What are we going to tell her?" I ask in a whisper to James.

"Hello?" Mrs. Watson asks from the kitchen.

"I don't know," James whispers back. Mrs. Watson walks into the living room where James and I are.

"Oh there you are James. Didn't you hear me come in?" Mrs. Watson asks. She sees me. "Oh hello Jessie-May. I didn't know you were here. Where's Emma? I thought she was working on a project with Will." James and I look at each other nervously. "What's going on?"

"Emma and Will aren't here," James says.

"Where are they?" Mrs. Watson asks. "Mr. Greene wants to know what time he needs to pick Will up."

"Mom," James says, "you should sit down. I have something important to tell you."