Across the Great Sea

Chapter 4

When we get home, Lucy, Ruth, and I take the groceries into the kitchen. Our uncle hides his face behind a newspaper.
  "Hello, Uncle Harold, I tried to find turnips, but all they had were carrots again. Shall Verity, Ruth, and I start making soup. Aunt Alberta's on her way home."
Lucy hangs up to her coat,"Uncle Harold," she says frustrated.
"Probably fallen asleep," I comment drily.
Edmund sticks out his tongue at our uncle.
"He's obviously reading his newspaper," Ruth replies.
"Edmund!" I scold, I hate always having to make sure my older brother behaves.
Eustace comes down the stairs,"Father, Edmund's making faces at you!"
"Tattletale," I glare.
Eustace sends a spitball flying at my brother's neck. Who turns around and charges towards him.
"Now he's going to hit me." The boy protests, as he tries to get away from Edmund.
"Edmund! Verity! Ruth! Look a letter from Susan!" Cries Lucy as she waves the letter in the air.
We go up to the attic that Lucy and I share. Lucy reads the letter, while Edmund, Ruth, and I sit next to her.
I wish you'd be here with us. It's been such an adventure, except nothing like our times in Narnia. We hardly see father, the nurses are so strict, but he's making progress.
I've been invited to a British consul's by a naval officer, who happens to be very handsome. I think he fancies me. It seems the Germans have made the crossing difficult. Times are hard. Mother thinks you'll have to stay another three months in Cambridge.
"Another three months!" Exclaims Lucy,"How will we survive!"
"And what about school?" I ask,"This is the most dreadful summer of my life!"
Edmund takes the letter from Lucy.
I pace around the room frustrated.
"You two are lucky, at least you have your own room, I'm stuck with mullet mouth," Edmund comments.
"Peter and Susan are the lucky ones," Lucy says as she gets off her bed,"Off on adventures."
"Lucky, indeed," Ruth nods.
"How is Professor Kirke's place an adventure," I ask.
"Wasn't that where our adventures began?" Ruth explains.
"They're the oldest, we're the youngest. We don't matter has much," He lays down and reads the letter.
"Edmund, we do matter, so much so," but I stop I don't know how to express my faith with my siblings only with Peter, because he too was a Christian.
Lucy looks at the mirror and puts a strand of her hair behind her ear,"Do you think I look anything like Susan?"
"You needn't worry about your looks, Lu," Ruth admonishes her.
"But I don't always like to be just plain Lucy," Lucy replies, sighing.
"Plain, Lucy's good enough, Lu," I comfort her.
"Verity, Lucy, Ruth, have you seen this ship before?" Edmund asks, walking over to a painting of a ship, the most beautiful ship I'd ever seen.
"Yes, it looks very Narnian-looking," Lucy nods.
"Doesn't it remind you of the Splendour Hylene ," I say.
"What if it is the Splendour Hylene," Ruth says excitedly.
" Maybe, but that's just a reminder that we're here not there," Edmund sighs.
"Once there were four orphans, who wasted their time believing in Narnian Nursery rhymes," mocked Eustace, as he came into our room.
"We're not orphans Eustace," I scowl at him.
"Please, let me hit him," Edmund says angrily.
"No!" Lucy and I  and Ruth pull our brother back.
"You'll get in trouble," Ruth warns him.
"Don't you ever knock?" Edmund asks him annoyed.
"It's my house, I can do as I please," replies Eustace.
"If everyone did that, I wonder how many secrets would be discovered," I mutter.
"What's so fascinating about that picture anyways, it's hideous," Eustace continued talking, glaring at me.
"You won't see it from the other side of the door," Edmund remarks with sarcasm.
"Edmund, Verity, Ruth, it looks like the water's actually moving," Lucy says dreamily.
"What rubbish!" Exclaims Eustace,"See that's what happens when you read and write all those fanciful novels and fairytales of yours!"
"We don't read fairytales, Eustace, and Narnia isn't a fairytale," I retort, walking over to him.
"You do, and that book you always read The Scarlet Pimpernel, is also a bunch of foolishness."
"It was during the French Revolution, it's perfectly true," I shot back.
"Sir Percy, is an insolent fool. Like you. No wonder you always say you want to be just like him. Stupid in public and than smart in real life," he scoffed.
I glared at him,"You rotten..."
"There once was a boy called Eustace who read books full of facts that proved to be useless," Edmund teases.
"Good limerick, Ed," I grin at my brother.
"People who read fairytales always are the sort who become a hideous burden to people like me, who read books of real information!" Eustace retorts.
"We also read books of information," I answer coldly, I'm tempted to kick him, but Ed gets to him first.
He places a hand on the door,"Hideous burden! I haven't seen you lift a finger, since we've gotten here. I have a mind to tell your father that it was who stole Aunt Alberta's sweets!"
"Liar!" Yells Eustace.
"Oh really," I challenge,"Cause none of us did."
"Edmund! Verity! The painting!" Lucy cries, but we ignore here.
"It's dripping!" Ruth exclaims,"Lu, you were right!"
"I found them under your bed, and guess what? I licked everyone of them!" Edmund grinned.
"Ugh! I'm infected with you!" Eustace grimaces repulsively.
I feel water spray my sweater,"What's happening?" I look at the painting, water was coming out from it.
"Lucy, Verity, Ruth...you think?" Edmund says a grin on his face.
"Maybe," I reply. I look over at Eustace,"This is some kind of trick! Stop it or I'll tell mother! Mother! e room starts to fill with water.
"I'm afraid Aunt Alberta's not here, Eustace." I reply.
"Then I'll just smash the old thing!" Eustace decides, he goes to takes the painting.
"Eustace! Don't you dare!" I scowl, as the four of us try to stop him. We drop it and the rooms fills with water, till it reaches the ceiling, luckily I can swim, the next thing I know we're in an ocean.