Never Say Neverland

by

Amy Suto

Based on the story Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Amy@Page85.com

FADE IN:

EXT. KENSINGTON INSTITUTION OF MENTAL HEALTH - NIGHT

SUPER: Great Britain, 1945

A looming, almost futuristic looking building stretches toward the cloudy sky.

CLICK. CLICK. A pair of black heels approach the front door.

INT. KENSINGTON INSTITUTE - WAITING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

White walls, white floors. Pamphlets neatly stacked on end tables. Lettering on the window of the glass door reads, “KENSINGTON INSTITUTE FOR MENTAL HEALTH.”

WENDY DARLING (late 20’s), a headstrong careerwoman in a white lab coat, removes her ID CARD from her pocket, and shows it to the ELDERLY RECEPTIONIST.

WENDY DARLINGI’m here to see Doctor Hook.

The Elderly Receptionist clicks through a few screens on her computer.

ELDERLY RECEPTIONISTWhat’s the nature of your business?

WENDY DARLINGI’m a psychiatrist. He wanted a consult on a patient.

The Elderly Receptionist slowly removes her glasses and looks up at Wendy.

ELDERLY RECEPTIONISTThe patient can’t be helped.

WENDY DARLINGSorry?

ELDERLY RECEPTIONISTYou’re not the first they’ve brought in-- you have to know that.

WENDY DARLINGI’m glad they’re exploring their options. Where is Doctor Hook’s office?

ELDERLY RECEPTIONISTIt’s best if you turn and head right back out that door--

MAN (O.S.)Ms. Darling?

DOCTOR HOOK (40’s), a gaunt man in a long white coat stands by the door. He holds a metal clipboard to his chest.

WENDY DARLINGAre you Doctor Hook?

DOCTOR HOOKI am.

He reaches out his hand to shake hers...

...and her eyes widen as her hand makes contact with his cold prosthetic one.

DOCTOR HOOKBoating accident. Still works just as well.

He holds up his metal prosthetic hand, and moves all of the electronic fingers.

DOCTOR HOOKMy office is this way.

He holds the door to the hallway open for her, and she follows him.

INT. DOCTOR HOOK’S OFFICE - NIGHT

Immaculate. Clean. A ship in a bottle on the desk. Doctor Hook sits across from Wendy.

He slides a FILE across the desk toward her.

DOCTOR HOOKThe fact that this case is personal to you makes this more of a peculiar favor than a consult. More of a professional courtesy than a necessity.

2.

WENDY DARLINGHe’s a troubled patient who isn’t responding to medication or counseling. Why am I not considered a necessity?

DOCTOR HOOKThe patient is scheduled for a lobotomy in the morning.

His words hit Wendy like a sucker punch.

Praying that she heard wrong:

WENDY DARLINGA what?

DOCTOR HOOKHe’s a danger to himself and others, Ms. Darling. Even you know this is standard.

WENDY DARLINGHe’s troubled, not dangerous! He just needs...

DOCTOR HOOKWhat does he need? Someone to talk to? Electroshock therapy? Drugs? We’ve tried everyting. He refuses to accept reality. Our best bet is to sever the prefontal cotex and reassess his progress.

Doctor Hook slides a file toward her.

DOCTOR HOOK (CONT’D)You’ll get some time with him, but there’s not much you can do. Unless you can get him to abandon his paranoid delusions of this place he calls Neverland, we have no other choice. Honestly, it would be better for you to let it happen.

WENDY DARLINGI owe him this.

DOCTOR HOOKYou don’t owe him anything. He refuses to enter the world of the sane.

3.

(MORE)

You can turn around right now, and remember him as he was, before he was overtaken by this illness.

WENDY DARLINGI need to see him.

Doctor Hook sighs, and heads to the door.

DOCTOR HOOKThis way.

INT. VISITOR’S ROOM - NIGHT

Doctor Hook and Wendy enter a small white room.

A white table with two stands in the center. ORDERLIES stand by the only exit.

Wendy sits down at the table.

Hook heads to the door, then stops.

DOCTOR HOOKLast chance.

She folds her hands on the metal table in defiance.

WENDY DARLINGI know what I’m doing.

Hook gives her a doubtful look.

DOCTOR HOOKWait here.

He disappears from the room.

Wendy shifts in her seat. Her eyes travel over to a two way mirror that reflects her image back at her.

CLICK. The door unlocks, swings open.

Hook propels PETER PAN (20’s) a wispy, fragile youth with large, unfocused green eyes, into the room.

Peter falls into the seat across from her. His eyes circle around the room like helicopters before finally landing on her.

PETER PANYou came back.

4.

DOCTOR HOOK (CONT'D)

WENDY DARLINGOf course I did. I said I would. How are you?

Peter smiles and tilts his head in an endearing way.

PETER PANI’m good, Wendy.

WENDY DARLING(happy, hopeful)

That’s great, Peter. I’m here because--

PETER PANThe lost boys have missed you.

WENDY DARLINGWhat?

PETER PANI've missed you, too. Neverland's not the same without you.

WENDY DARLING Peter--

PETER PAN(cheerful)

Neverland. You remember!

WENDY DARLINGPeter, we... we were playing a game. You snuck out of the orphanage and we'd wander the streets together. We named the grassy hill just across from the river Neverland.

Peter shakes his head defiantly.

PETER PANNo. No. That's not how it happened.

WENDY DARLINGThe Lost Boys were your friends. They're not here with you anymore, they left the orphanage.

His head jerks up, and his eyes dart around, focusing on something invisible.

5.

PETER PANTink says you're wrong!

WENDY DARLING(whispers)

We named the fireflies, Peter. Tinker Bell was a firefly.

Peter SLAMS his fist against the table.

PETER PANNO! NO NO NO!

Wendy grabs his hand.

WENDY DARLINGYou have to remember the truth, Peter! What really happened!

Doctor Hook turns to an Orderly and whispers something. The Orderly reaches for a SYRINGE.

WENDY DARLING (CONT’D)It was all a game to deal with the loss of your parents. We were trying to escape from the real world, and there’s nothing wrong with that, Peter. Nothing at all.

Peter calms down, and Doctor Hook shakes his head at the Orderly, who puts down the SYRINGE.

WENDY DARLING (CONT’D)But now, you have to remember. What really happened. For me.

She looks into his eyes, imploring him.

PETER PANWendy...

WENDY DARLINGYes?

PETER PANI think I remember.

Doctor Hook stares at Peter, taken aback by his sudden calm.

WENDY DARLINGTell me.

6.

PETER PANNeverland was just a way for us to cope. A way for us to escape.

Doctor Hook and the Orderlies look shocked.

PETER PAN (CONT’D)Neverland never existed...

He trails off, and stares into space. Wendy frowns.

WENDY DARLINGPeter? Peter!

Peter turns his head, straining to listen.

PETER PAN(scared)

Wendy, do you hear that? Do you hear that, Wendy?

WENDY DARLINGHear what?

Peter holds up a hand, listening.

PETER PANTick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Peter notices Hook for the first time since he entered the room.

PETER PAN (CONT’D)HOOK!

Peter recoils, his face contorted in fear.

WENDY DARLING He’s here to help you--

Peter leans across the table, grabbing her hands.

PETER PAN(pleading)

You remember how to find me, don't you? Please tell me you remember?

WENDY DARLINGFind you where?

PETER PANIn Neverland! Tell me you know!

7.

WENDY DARLINGIt never existed. It never--

He releases her hands, leans back...

And then screams.

PETER PANNEVER SAY NEVER! NEVER SAY NEVER!

Peter SLAMS his head against the table.

The Orderlies rush over, restraining a struggling Peter.

Hook PLUNGES the needle into Peter’s neck. Peter goes limp, and they remove him from the room.

WENDY DARLINGPETER!

Wendy jumps up, runs after him--

EXT. LONG HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

--but Hook steps in her path, holds her back.

WENDY DARLINGLET ME GO!

DOCTOR HOOKYou did all you could. He can’t be reasoned with.

He leads her back down the long hallway.

DOCTOR HOOK (CONT’D)People are never how we remember them to be.

WENDY DARLINGI can get through to him, in time--

DOCTOR HOOKYou know what the problem is?

WENDY DARLINGWhat?

DOCTOR HOOKYou. You’re unable to accept that bad things happen to good people.

8.

(MORE)

Moving on is a two way street, and he’s already chosen which reality to grasp. What about you?

Wendy’s eyes stare at the spot where Peter once was. Her eyes drop to the floor, as if that could lessen the pain.

WENDY DARLINGI’ll let myself out.

She brushes by Doctor Hook, but as she does so she SNATCHES his ID CARD.

Wendy walks down a long hallway, heading away from Hook, and turns a corner.

She pauses, waiting. Listening. She hears his footsteps as he walks away.

She turns back around the corner, walking quickly in the direction where the Orderlies took Peter.

INT. PETER’S ROOM - NIGHT

She sits on the bed next to Peter’s sleeping figure.

She puts a hand on his head, brushing his hair from his eyes.

WENDY DARLINGYou may not remember what really happened, but I do.

She kisses him gently.

Then, she stands.

She strides to the window, unlocks it, and PUSHES IT OPEN.

She goes to the doorway, but hesitates, stealing one last glance at Peter Pan before disappearing from the room.

INT. PETER’S ROOM - NIGHT

Peter awakes in his room, alone. He sees the open window.

Transfixed, he approaches it.

His eyes drift toward the stars above him, and he quirks his head, his unfocused eyes taking in the view.

9.

DOCTOR HOOK (CONT'D)

PETER PANSecond star to the right...

He steps out onto the windowsill, one foot at a time.

His right foot dangles over the empty space below the fourth story window.

His gaze doesn’t stray from the night sky.

PETER PAN...and straight on ‘till morning.

Peter Pan disappears from the window.

He flies away, his shadow ascending across the night sky as he escapes at last.

FADE OUT.

THE END

10.