The Neverland Inn

Dilly Dilly

As I began to bundle under the blankets I felt a rush of cold air fill the room. From the things that have happened, I've learned that means Michael's spirit is near. I rose up in the bed almost being drawn to my door in the frigid air that now flooded my room. I opened it to see the library door cracked. Even more than that, an ominous glow from the inside.

"Oh not this again.." I mumbled and took a few more steps towards the door. Not only was the light from behind the door starting to lure me in the pitch black hallway, it was the warmth that was seeping from under. The door felt warm as I got close and pressed a palm to it. Even in the warmth I could see my breath. I closed my eyes, never being this afraid before or this confused. I opened the door to the library and kept my eyes closed. I felt the entire temperature change as I crossed over the door frame. It was warm like the rug infront of a fireplace. That's when I remembered the library had a large fireplace. I shot open my eyes in fear and saw just what I had thought. The grand fireplace in the library was lit and illuminating the entire space. It looked so quaint. The wooden bannisters and the stairwell shimmered in the fires orange glow. Not to mention the chandelier hung high which also caught the fires light. The library had also been under some sort of pristine spell, it looked so beautiful. In the midst of my admiring I noticed something strange on the floor infront of the burning fireplace.
It was the large armchair but in a different position. One facing away from the door and myself. I looked to the lower level confused and began to pace down the steps one at a time until I hear something. It was a familiar tune. But it resembled almost like a humming tone. Then I recognised the melody, it was the dilly dilly nursery rhyme. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and my pulse became rapid. I stood frozen, totally unable to move my legs any further down that stairwell.
'Lavanders green dilly dilly
Lavenders blue if you love me
dilly dilly, I will love you..'
The mysterious source hummed.
A shadow shot across the tile and an elbow came into view from the armchair. My heart stopped, I stepped back against the wall beginning to lose control over my breathing. Who was it? Who knew I had just listened to that rhyme?
In a moment, a tall figure stood infront of the chair, casting a long dark shadow across the floor. It turned to me, and the fire showing light to their face.
I saw Michael.
He stood there in the light of the fire.
I screamed loud and immediately my feet began running.

I bolted up those steps and to my ears I hear, "No Dee! Wait! I didn't mean to scare you."
I turned back to the fire and saw only the chair, no ghostly figure but as I spin back to make my exit, I came face to face with a midnight black suit. Michael stood infront of me and grabbed my shoulders with frigid, ice cold hands.

"Please Dee, calm down. Its alright. Don't be scared."

I heard the girls crying out from the hall and they were rushing to the scene hearing my cries.
"Dee!!! Dee!! Are you okay?!"
They yelled.

I took in a deep breath. I closed my eyes and tried to regain what sanity I had lost.
The girls step in but Michael's apparition stays. But he didn't seem to be an apparition at all. He wasn't translucent, he seemed to be able move one place to another but his appearance wasn't ghost-like. Same as the other day when I had first seen him.
"Oh I must be more drunk than I assumed." Faith says and Shan's eyes roll back like she's beginning to faint. Faith helps her hold balance and I stay fixated on him. There he stood infront of me.
"Shania, Faith you aren't scared of me are you?" Michael asks very soft and timid like his normal voice and I then began to think I was dreaming. It sounded so real. The girls stood utterly speechless, words alluding their lips.
In a blink I see Michael back down to the floor as the fire continued to burn and he calls out,
"Come. I'll do my share of explaining."

We looked to one another and began to nervously tread down the steps. One by one we tried to think of a reason as to what was happening.

We got to the tile and we see Michael snap his fingers making the arm chair turn towards us and he takes a seat, he gestures as if he was about to speak then says shaking his head, "Where are my manners?"
He snaps his fingers again and coming out of the darkness with ominous speed was a long love seat. It stopped dead behind us. We all look to each other trying to comprehend that, we actually just watched a chair jet across a room.
We sat slow and looked to Michael he began.

"Is it scaring you guys seeing me like this? Should I change into something more familiar?"

We looked to each other and stuttering I began,
"Well...its just... we've never talked to a...a ghost before. It's not really....what you're wearing...."

He nods,
"Of course you're right. He shifts weight in his seat and he begins, "First matter of business. Welcome to Neverland. This is my home. The totality of who I am. It brings me great pleasure to know I have fans so loyal. So dedicated. It brings a tear to my eye."

We begin to smile and he continues.
"I really do hope I haven't scared you those first few times I've shown my presence. I've been with you girls every step of your journey here though. You've never been alone. You never will be either."

He smiles and I look down smiling, "Dee I hope that carousel incident didn't bother you too much. I figured I'd do something subtle for the first encounter." He says and I turn the girls,
"I told you the carousel was on!!!"
They begin to giggle and for the first time in what seemed like forever, we became comfortable.
"Any questions?" He asks us.

We look to each other and Shan begins,
"Did you um....did you do this?"
She gestures to the house and how pristine and proper it became and Michael nods,
"Oh yes, tidying up the house for you is my thank you. I noticed you became a little distraught when that snake came today and let you in on my ugly secret."
He meant the debt, I didn't mean to blurt out but I sorta did,
"About that! What are we gonna do? I can't stand by and watch someone take away Neverland.."

Michael makes the tsk sound and replies, "Oh Dee, I want you to rest easy about that. That ball faced liar, he isn't my attorney at all. He's tried to imprison me countless times, don't let him fool you. Don't you let him intimidate you either girls, don't let him get under your skin."

Shan looks up and says, "But he'll be back in a week. What do we tell him?" Michael smiles and rests his arms on his knees, hunched over in the chair,

"You tell him that this Jackson Estate belongs to my family, as much as it matters, you are my family too. All my fans are. You're doing this for my family around the world, to let them stay for a night and cherish my memory, is that correct?"
We nodded and he finished
"Convince him. I believe in you girls."
We see Michael turn his head as the grandfather clock in the main hall begins to chime thunderously with the pendulum swinging.

"Wow. Look at that time. You ladies should be off to bed. I won't keep you up any longer. And while it's a topic, please sleep in the beds, I hate to see you toss and turn in those ridiculous cots. I swear to you I don't mind."
We stood to our feet nodding and he did as well. He walked us up to the top level and we bade him a goodnight. Before I could turn away, again blurting out, "Michael?"
The girls turn back to listen and I ask him,
"Will we..... will we ever see you like this again? Full bodied and able to speak?"
He smiled and leaned against the bannister of the corridor that could see down to the first floor once you lean over. He nodded,
"Yes, but not very often. It takes a lot of energy for me to portray myself like this. Until I restore I'll just be a bump in the night type of phantom. But..please remember, I never intend to scare any of you. I know I'm a jokester, but I'm not cruel. Its never meant to be frightening."
We nodded. I felt myself smile in that honest way that I've not done in a long time. Michael smiles back and I say, "Goodnight Michael.."

He steps back into the door frame of the library, he then becomes translucent but says echoing,
"Get some rest "

He disappeared there infront of my eyes, fading away like smoke in the wind. The fire behind him dies suddenly and I then walk back to my room. Like it was insisted I crawled into the bed, peeling back the many layers of duvets and covers. I lied there unable to believe what happened tonight. I turn on my side and close my eyes to sleep but my mind still raced with comforting thoughts of having a new guardian angel that resided in Neverland. I smiled and finally I felt my mind come to an ease enough to let myself relax. In the corner I hear a soft creak, then the ring of the metallic keys in the music box. It played soft with the dilly dilly song. I smiled soft still being awake enough to hear it and I thanked Michael in my thoughts.
I sang in a whisper as I fell into a peaceful, deep sleep
"If you love me dilly dilly, I will love you."