The Boy Who Disliked Mothers

By L.A. Drecketts

In this unique retelling of Peter Pan, set in Jamaica and Neverland, we meet a young boy named Peter who has been scarred by the traumatic experiences with his narcissistic and abusive mother. With the help of Tinkerbell, and his closest friends, the lost boys, Peter embarks on a journey of healing, redemption, and personal growth.As Peter struggles to overcome his past, he discovers that every person in his life holds a special place in his heart. Wendy, his best friend and eventual love interest, provides the support and guidance he needs to confront his inner demons and embrace his true self. And Mama Odi, the wise and powerful seer and Obeah woman, shows him the path to healing and self-discovery.Through a series of flashbacks of when he was a child juxtaposed with Peter's journey as a teenager, readers will experience the highs and lows of his emotional journey, as he comes to terms with his past and learns to move forward in love and strength.This coming-of-age story is filled with the vibrant and rich culture of Jamaica, as well as themes of friendship, love, and personal growth. With a cast of unforgettable characters, each serving a distinct purpose in the main character's life, and an engaging narrative, this book is a must-read for young adults and anyone who has ever struggled with their past. Join Peter and his friends on an embarking that will inspire and uplift and see how even the darkest of places can be overcome with love and perseverance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Destinyalready Creative Writing Ink
• Release date: Jan 30, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224932467

Book preview

The Boy Who Disliked Mothers

The Story of Narcissus' Son, A Jamaican Peter Pan Retelling of Abandonment, Healing, and Self-Discovery

L.A. Drecketts

Destinyalready Creative Writings Ink

Copyright © 2022 by L.A Drecketts

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Destinyalready Creative Writings Ink

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Printed or published to the highest ethical standard

Contents

Prologue

1.Di Streets dem a Kingston

2.Pan Pimpin’ ain’t easy

3.An Unlikely Encounter

4.Gratitude is a mus’ 

5.Peter Pan and Di Lost Boys: Wi Family Now, No Need Fi Guilt!

6.Come a Neverland 

7.The Pillos of Neverland

8.Escape to Neverland an’stay a pickney

9.From Wealth to Neverland: Wendy's Jurney fi Reskuu ar Bredda dem

10.The Man for Di Mission

11.The Wendy House

12.Di Wings From Di Scars Dem

13.Di Tree House Talk: Past Roots, Present Stem, Future Branches

14.Wendy an’ Peter investigate’ whey Peter’s step brother dey:

15.Wendy Hol' On Tight: Peter an' Wendy Nuh Give Up Fi Find Raiden

16.Lost Memories an’ Healing Hearts: Peter Pan's Emotional Support

17.The Obeah woman: Odder Neverlands

18.Discovering Love and Acceptance: Peter an' Wendy mek di Lost Boys dem life betta in Neverland

19.The origin of the lost bwoy dem immortality 

20.Look Fi Healing through Music and Self-Reflection

21.Di true powah of di dust: Wi Live, Laugh, Love

22.Friendly competition: Rock an’ Lightnin’

23.Facing Di Past Fi Move Forward

24.A Sticky Victory: The Lost Boys' Battle against the Pirates

25.Di Neverland Proposal: Peter confesses to Wendy 

26.Tinkahbell: Likkle But Tallahwah

27.Marooner’s Rock

28.Lost inna embrace pon Neverland secluded beach

29.Di Dawta Decision

30.Big family tings: Wendy and the boys dem

31.The dust portal

32.Di campfire initiation  

33.Peter Meet Mama Obi an’ Get Some Wisdom

Di normal world proposal 

About the author

Letter To Producers, Screenwriters, and Directors

Screenwriters, and Directors

Prologue

The Mysterious Savior

Achild of eight years old, stumbles through the dense, tall bushes, his legs heavy and weak from days of malnutrition, confinement, and multiple beatings. Everywhere aches, and he has no idea where he is going, only that he needs to keep moving and keep putting as much distance between himself and his mother as possible. He will not stop until he is far away from everything he knows and some more. His vision blurs and his steps falter, until finally he collapses onto the ground, unconscious, the world around him fading to black.

As he lies there, a woman comes upon him. The sight of him, his ripped clothes, and his broken body horrifies her. She quickly assesses his injuries and is horrified by the bruises and cuts that cover his body, the raw flesh where the handcuffs had dug into his skin. She tends to his injuries, cleaning and stitching up his wounds, giving him water and food to replenish his strength. She is gentle and efficient, working quickly to stop the bleeding and bandage his injuries. Peter watches her, but his vision is blurry, and he cannot make out her face.

Peter is grateful for her kindness, but he is also wary. Through his mother, he has learned that people can be cruel and abusive, that kindness can be a trap. His only frame of reference for how people treat him is through his mother's cruel and abusive behavior. He has never known what it is to be loved or cared for. He does not know who this woman is or why she is helping him. He tries to ask her questions, but his throat is too dry and his voice too weak. He can only stare at her, his eyes pleading for answers.

As she finishes, she places a hand on his shoulder and whispers softly, Rest now, you'll be a’rite. Peter nods, and his eyes close as he falls into a deep sleep.

But at the touch and his subsequent falling asleep, the woman sees visions of what Peter went through and what his mother did to him, and the tears flow from her face. She sees visions of his hypothetical futures and has a vision of what Peter will do if he is taken in. She sees that when that happens, Peter's life improves, but he will never forget his past. That he will be haunted by the memories of his mother and the cellar, and he cannot shake the feeling that he is still trapped in some way in every hypothetical future that he is taken in in. He will run away unable to bear the thought of being dependent on anyone. In every hypothetical future Peter ran away in, he always found a way to survive. He will not be able to trust another grown-up for a long time. But she sees a glimpse of his future, and her tears become that of joy. He becomes a symbol of hope and resilience, proof that no matter how hard life can be, there is always a way to make a positive difference.

The woman wipes away her tears and whispers softly to Peter as she prepares to leave, Yuh going to be a’rite, Peetah Pan, she said having learned his name, You're going to make it.

When Peter awakens again, the woman is gone. He sees a large pack of food and a canteen of water lying beside him. He slowly sits up and looks around, but there is no sign of the woman. He gobbles down the food and water. He wonders who she was and where she went, but he is grateful for her help.

Peter eats and drinks, regaining his strength. He cannot believe his luck. He has escaped from his mother's prison, and this kind woman has nursed him back to health. When Peter is finally well enough to leave the abandoned building, he knows the woman cannot hear him but he thanks the woman with tears in his eyes. She has saved his life, and he will never forget her kindness. For the first time in his life, he feels a glimmer of hope. He realizes that he must continue his journey, and he sets out once more. But he never forgets the mysterious woman who tended to his wounds and left him with a gift of survival.

one

Di Streets dem a Kingston

The blistering sun beat down on the dusty streets of Kingston, Jamaica, baking the pavement and making the air thick and heavy with humidity. Peter Pan, a young boy of ten years old, trudged through the streets, his eyes scanning the ground for anything of value that he could sell or trade. He was a survivor, a street urchin who had learned to fend for himself from such a young age. He could scarcely remember the day that his mother had mentally and emotionally abandoned him, but the day that he escaped from her was burned into his memory like a brand. Peter had been forced to learn how to survive on the streets, how to steal food and money, and how to avoid the gangs and the police. It was a harsh life, and over time he and other street kids, similarly orphaned and abandoned, formed a small gang that came to be known as the Lost Boys, who looked to him as their leader.

They were different from the other gangs in that they didn't want to get involved with guns and the police. They didn't want to have anything to do with a life of murda and robbery like the other gangs. They had learned to rely on each other for support, and they had their own code of honor that they lived by. Why they were called the Lost Boys was pretty obvious. They being a group of other abandoned and rejected boys who wanted to turn away from all things criminal. They were a tight-knit group, bonded by their shared experiences of neglect and hardship.

And when they had had enough of it and couldn’t take it anymore, Peter and the Lost Boys ran away to the countryside to escape the city life. Peter had seen other children, ones who had been abandoned like him, who had given up and died on the streets, feeling like they had no choice. But he was determined to survive. They first settled in a remote sparse village in the mountains, hoping to live off the land and avoid the dangers of the city. Life in the country was more peaceful and tranquil, with no sense of time like in the city, allowing the Lost Boys to live in harmony with the rhythm of nature. After a while, Peter and the Lost Boys learned that this small island off the coast of the far southern tip of the island of Jamaica where they settled was known as Neverland. It was a hidden island with ten times the lush greenery, rivers, waterfalls and beaches than the rest of Jamaica already had. There they could escape the harsh realities of their past and live as free as the wind.

Even though the Lost Boys would return to visit the city often to meet people, get into a little bit of trouble, and help people here and there, it was really Peter who returned there the most. Something kept pulling him back to the city, especially since it was not a dangerous place for them as it used to be after gaining a country-life perspective on things and combining the two. Also, going there allowed them to stay connected with the wider world, to see what was happening beyond their little slice of Jamaica.

two

Pan Pimpin’ ain’t easy

As Peter Pan traveled to the normal side of the world outside of Neverland, he met different girls, each with their own unique personalities and stories. He would spend time getting to know them, building trust and a sense of familiarity. Eventually, he would ask them if they wanted to come to Neverland with him and they would eagerly agree.

At first, everything seemed perfect in Neverland. The girls were enamored with the magic and wonder of the place, and Peter felt a sense of companionship and belonging that he had never experienced before. But as time went on, the girls would start to grow restless. They would begin to miss their families and the familiar comforts of their homes. They would start to question if they truly loved Peter or if it was just infatuation.

As the girls began to express their desire to leave Neverland and return home, Peter was filled with a sense of dread and heartache. He knew that once they left, they would grow up and forget about him and Neverland, viewing it as childish. He would escort them back home and watch as they disappeared into their normal lives, leaving him behind.

This cycle repeated itself over and over again, and with each girl that left, Peter's heart grew heavier. He couldn't understand why he kept doing this to himself, why he kept searching for something that he knew would ultimately lead to heartache. Still he would forget and do it all over again. That’s how he could live forever, one could suppose, the ability to forget and do it all over again.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon; lots of afternoons were sunny in Jamaica but this afternoon was particularly sunny. Peter Pan couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement as he flew over the rooftops of Kingston. He loved visiting the normal world where his origins began, meeting new people and experiencing new things. As he landed on a quiet street, he spotted a young girl sitting on a park bench, lost in thought. Her name was Sariah and she was around the same age as Peter, with long brown hair and a pair of doe-like eyes, wide and innocent.

(Note: The characters are speaking Jamaican Patois, a creole language with West African, English, and Spanish influences even though their dialogue is shown here in standard English.)

Hello dear, Peter said, approaching her with a smile.

Sariah looked up, surprised to see a boy wearing green and carrying a sword. Who are you? she asked.

I'm Peetah Pan, he said, introducing himself. And you are?

I'm Sariah, she said, her voice hesitant.

Peter could sense her fear and uncertainty and he knew he had to tread carefully. I'm sorry if I startled you, he said, holding up his hands in a peaceful gesture. I just wanted to talk to you. You looked like you were having a tough day.

Sariah hesitated for a moment, then nodded. I was just thinking about my family, she said, her voice trembling. My parents are always fighting and it's making me really upset.

Peter sat down next to her, his mind racing with memories of his past. He knew exactly how she felt, but he wasn't sure he was ready to share his own pain just yet.

I lost my mother when I was a baby, he said, his voice measured. But in reality, what he meant was that she emotionally and mentally abandoned him, starting when he was a baby, opening the door to her physical abuse as he grew up. His words were carefully chosen, holding back the true depth of the pain he had endured. But he kept these details to himself, not wanting to burden the other person with the weight of his past.

Peter then said, But I've learned that you don't need parents to be happy. You can make your own family and your own happiness.

He forced a reassuring smile, but he could tell that she sensed there was more to his story. He quickly shifted the conversation to her, wanting to keep the focus off of himself and his own past for now.

Sariah looked at him with a mix of hope and skepticism. Really?

Really, Peter said, his voice full of conviction. I have a place called Neverland, where you can be free from all your problems and live without adult supervision. And I would love to take you there, if you want to come with me.

Sariah thought about it for a moment, then nodded. OK, she said. I'll go with you. But just for a little while. I can't stay away from my family for too long.

Peter's heart leaped with excitement. He had been traveling to the human world for moons, meeting different girls and convincing them to come with him to Neverland. But something about Sariah felt different. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something about her that made him want to keep her close, or so he thought.

As they flew back to Neverland, Peter couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He had been down this road before—bringing a girl to Neverland, only to have her eventually grow tired of the island and want to return home. But he pushed the thoughts aside, determined to enjoy this moment with Sariah.

When they arrived at Neverland, Sariah's eyes widened in wonder. She had never seen anything like it before - the lush greenery, the sparkling waterfalls, the playful fairies flitting about. Peter couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as he watched her take it all in.

For the next few days, Sariah and Peter explored Neverland together. They swam in the lagoon, flew on the back of a giant bird, and played games with the Lost Boys. Sariah was full of laughter and joy, and Peter felt like he was truly living for the first time in a long time.

But as the days turned into weeks, Sariah started to grow restless. She missed her family and longed to return home. Peter tried to convince her to stay, but he knew deep down that she would never be truly happy in Neverland.

With a heavy heart, Peter escorted Sariah back to the normal world aka the areas in Jamaica outside of Neverland. As they said their goodbyes, Sariah hugged him tightly and whispered, Thank you for showing me Neverland. It was the most magical experience of my life.

Peter watched as she walked away, feeling a sense of emptiness wash over him. He had grown attached to her during their time in Neverland, and the thought of never seeing her again was a painful one. He knew that he would always treasure the memories of the time he spent with Sariah, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was searching for something that he would never find. He couldn't help but think that maybe he would never find someone who truly understood him. Someone who would stay with him in Neverland forever and never grow tired of it. Someone who understood him. Someone who will never leave him.

He walked back to the lost boys, who were busy playing and laughing. They looked up as he approached, their faces lighting up with excitement. Peetah! Did she stay? Did she like Neverland? they asked.

Peter forced a smile and shook his head. No, she had to go back. But she'll always remember her time here. The lost boys looked disappointed for Pan, but quickly went back to their games.

"Will you remember her?"

Don’t mi always remember them all?

If you say so.

Peter sat down on a nearby rock, feeling the weight of his loneliness crushing down on him. He had always thought that he would find someone special for Neverland, a girl who would stay with him forever. But as he looked around at the lost boys, he pondered if they were all just temporary companions. Don’t get it wrong they were all really good friends and they’ve been through many trials together but the reality was that they would eventually grow up and leave, just like Sariah and all the other girls before her. He didn't know what the future held, but for now, he had the lost boys to keep him company and the memories of Sariah to hold onto.

As he sat there lost in his thoughts, a new thought occurred to him. He realized that maybe it wasn't about finding someone who understood him, but also about understanding and finding himself, foremost. As he reflected on his actions, he realized that he was searching for something deeper. He was searching for the love and acceptance of his mother, who had abandoned him when he was just little. It was as if he was searching for his mother within these girls who were really the same age as him and didn’t know anything about dem tings dey. He was trying to fill the empty vessel in his heart that she had left behind. And as he came to this realization, he knew that he needed to find a way to heal and move on from his past, in order to truly find happiness and love. He needed to come to terms with his past, let go of the pain and anger and move on. He needed to stop searching for someone to fill the void in his heart and instead, find the happiness within himself.

three

An Unlikely Encounter

The sun had set and the streets were deserted except for a lone figure sprinting down the sidewalk. Peter Pan was chasing his shadow for the umpteenth time. With a quick side-step to the right, Peter attempted to outsmart his own shadow, but it effortlessly mirrored his movement, side-stepping to the left with a cunning smile. Standing tall before him, the shadow even adjusted its hat with a swagger. Locked in a standoff, they stood poised, each anticipating the next move. In a graceful display, Peter swiftly changed direction, stepping to his left, but his shadow flawlessly mirrored him in reverse. His arms outstretched, he tried to catch the elusive blackness that danced just out of reach. His breaths came out in short gasps, and his heart pounded against his chest. His feet pounded against the pavement, making a rhythmic thudding sound.

Peter was no ordinary boy. He was a budding magician, a master of the arts of illusion and misdirection. He had used his magic but sometimes doing that would cause things to turn on its head. One example of that being his shadow, a trickster, always leading him on a wild chase.

As Pan ran the streets of Kingston, he ended up in Ocean View Gardens and came across a young girl sitting on the curb, her head in her hands. She was crying, and he could see that she was dressed in clothes that were too nice for this part of town. His shadow disappeared, leaving Peter alone with the girl. Concerned, he approached her.

Wha’ wrong, miss? he asked, his voice rough from years of living on the streets and being there now.

As Peter looked at the young girl for the first time, he was struck by her beauty like the other girls he’d spoken to before her. But here was unique: she had warm, golden brown skin and big, brown eyes that were filled with a mix of fear and sadness. Despite the tears that were streaming down her face, there was a certain light in her eyes that hinted at a lively spirit and a curious mind, I-I got lost, she stammered. My parents were supposed to meet me, but they never came.

Peter felt a pang of sympathy for the girl as he saw her scared and lost face. He knew what it was like to be abandoned and alone. The familiar feeling of rejection and abandonment washed over him, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He took a deep breath, trying to push those feelings aside and focus on helping her.

Yuh look like yuh could use a likkle help, he said, kneeling down to be at her level. With a