➹₊•°༉彡˚✧
THE COLD OF THE water stood no chance as the burn of his touch allowed me peace. Enveloped under the mocking depths of teal liquid granted me the chance to see how one by one, the floating furniture faded into nothingness as brightness slowly but surely began to lighten the pressure of being stuck underneath. Ripples of the tide worked hard on pushing my body away from my guide yet it seemed as if his grip poured down continuous promises to my ears and led me to swim up where we could escape the hands of death.
My breathing became more and more deprived of air, making panic furiously blanket my sense of thinking. It rattled my bones until I began unconsciously shaking, a cry echoing inside my head as my vision became blinded by fear. The feeling almost allowed me to fall to the pits of despair, wanting me to let go and let everything succumb my entirety until I feel the heaviness of losing hope. That feeling grew stronger, more tempting, more forceful, clouding my head with blockage until it suddenly snapped away as air refreshingly entered my system.
Large gulps of oxygen was what I took, was what every single one of us took. My hands were desperately clutching onto the person who held me, finding him as the source of my steadiness. Like he noticed my action, he tightened his arms around my form with a mutter of pure comfort.
That was until we heard Lucy shout for us to swim away as a large shadow blocked the rays of sunlight, casting darkness to fall unto us as the waves pushed us farther away. My senses were too distracted to even focus on how bodies jumped from the massive ship behind us, wanting nothing more than get out of this cursed situation.
“Edmund, Phel, it's Caspian!” The girl from a few distance exclaimed breathlessly, my ears still ringing from the drowning splashes of water. My guide stopped swimming away, halting both of our actions and looked towards her direction. He smiled suddenly with a joyous touch, but was still keen on keeping him and I to stay afloat the surface.
“It's all right folks, you're safe now.” A man in front of us reassured, myself just ignoring them and focused on keeping me above the water.
“We're in Narnia?” Edmund questioned in disbelief, his smile growing larger into a grin. And because of his momentary awe, his grip shortly loosened. Making me become pulled below slightly before he secured it again in realization.
“Oh, just kill me already, why don't you?!” I spat out the water that I unwillingly got in my mouth, giving him my attempt of a glare. He gave me an apologetic look while beginning to follow the man in front of us.
Just where the place Lucy was, a familiar male's voice replied, “Yes, you're in Narnia!”
If only it was on different circumstances, I would have smiled at the fact that I was back here. Even give them my blessings and surround everyone with a positive energy. But now, the only thing in my mind was how I hoped to have never even arrived with them and stayed in that awful house by the ownership of the lizard. Who is, speaking of which, spouting things that I daresay also fills my mind as of the moment.
“I don't wanna go! I wanna go back to England!” Yes, Eustace, curse the magical painting with me. “I'm going back to England!”
Arriving at the side of the ship, I was still struggling to remain on top. My arms were now wrapped firmly around the neck of Edmund, closing my eyes while searching for the right breathing pattern. It was for certain an embarrassing reveal, especially right where people are possibly looking at my shaking form. The thought itself brought a small held back sniffle to release from me, heavily panting at the sight of the ocean.
My ears caught the sound of something splashing on the water, followed by Caspian telling the others that he'd go first. I was inwardly frustrated of those words, wanting nothing more than to climb the ship's exterior if I had to. But then I felt the boy holding onto me move forward and stop someone, before the sound of his careful voice spoke with them.
“Caspian, can we go first? It's an emergency,” It was small, like he didn't want others to hear. His words were followed by the other male's agreement, my senses feeling both Caspian and Lucy's worried stares. I was then guided to where a rope was, Edmund softly asking me to step on a wooden plank with gentleness on his voice. “Hold on tight,”
“Don't worry, we're getting out of the water.” Which was quickly followed by a kiss to my temples, his arm safe and secured around my body. It brought warmth to suddenly touch my emotions, sending steams of appreciation to trigger unconscious burning to my eyes.
The ride we were using started to rise, myself no longer feeling water on my body except the ones clinging on my clothes. Not long after, the wooden platform was pulled from the air before I felt my feet land on something sturdy. Edmund began walking, leading me somewhere with myself still locked in his embrace. We sat down on something I didn't look at, eyes still closed as I eventually settled my breathing.
“You're okay,” Fingers unexpectedly landed on my face, wiping something warm that dripped down my cheeks. I haven't even realized the small tears that cascaded, just letting him do what he did until I slowly calmed down. “You're fine . . . you're safe.” When I opened my eyes, I was welcomed with his patient expression, a small reassuring smile softly carved on his features.
“Aslan better prepare himself.” I groaned out, the boy chuckling harmoniously at my pout. He then adjusted the towel that was placed on my shoulders, also one thing I failed to notice.
“Yeah, I think I'd like to speak to him about this too,” Edmund grinned, giving a long kiss to my forehead. Standing up, he led us to where the others were, but not before asking if I was entirely fine. “Caspian!”
“Edmund.” The male placed a similar brown cloth on the boy's shoulder.
“It's great to see you again.”
“It's good to see you both,” Caspian welcomed warmly, giving me a glimpse of his new accent. Feeling his eyes on me, I met his gaze. “I do hope you're feeling better now.”
“Define better.” I weakly slapped away his arms as he went nearer, yet chuckled when he successfully brought me in a hug. Edmund quickly retrieved me back in his hold as the other male finished.
“Didn't you call for us?” Lucy asked curiously, making me hurriedly cease in my strides. My eyebrows furrowed in complete remembrance, only now gaining the memories of my last talk with Aslan.
Both the Pevensies and Caspian also complied, the latter looking at us with a squint, “No, not this time.”
“Well, whatever the case, I'm just glad to be here.” Edmund jovially stated, a light-blue hue of smoke surrounding him. Seeing the effect made my forehead crease more in wonder, bringing up a hand to feel it: which characteristically brightened more, even getting small but shining glimmers cascade its twirl.
“Woah.” Lucy's amazed remark made me flicker my gaze to her, seeing her face partnering her empathy.
“It's visible?” Which received nods from everyone else.
“How ar—” Someone's question went interrupted as the sound of screams echoed into the space of the deck. Our attention snapped to the direction and there, laid Eustace, fearfully swatting away a large rodent which was on top his chest. The exclamation was followed by his struggle to get it off him, squirming uncontrollably like a worm being tossed salt.
As the ball of brown fur leaped away from the noisy boy, the rodent revealed its face while adjusting his sheathed sword. “Reepicheep!”
“Oh, Your Majesties!” With a gasp, the mouse quickly moved to bow his head.
“Hello, Reep,” Edmund greeted, smiling down at the brave knight of Narnia. “What a pleasure.”
“Well, the pleasure's all mine, sir. But first,” Reephicheep's voice, until now, held his usual tone of respect. “What to do with this— this. . . hysterical interloper?”
“Throw him off—” But everything suddenly muted.
Like hands were plugging my ears shut, traces of any noise turning into mere incoherent mumbles. Like someone was holding onto my head, forcing it to face only one direction– which was the sky. And it felt bothersome, not letting me move a single muscle. Taking over my own body like it was a doll, gluing my feet to its place. With that, was also the feeling of a strange pull, a possible hole sucking my figure to it where I'd be sent somewhere. And along the first tug was the trigger of my eyes, clicking a reaction that made it glow its ethereal vibrancy.
Of course, being the first to notice, his face appeared directly at my eyesight. Extreme worry once again frowned on his features, mouth moving as if it was saying something to me. It felt like those attacks from our previous visit here, yet also entirely different.
With the biggest effort I could muster, my eyes focused itself onto him. My mind tried to comprehend the words he was mouthing, but failed as my brain couldn't swallow a single thought. After that, the last thing I could see was his warm pair of eyes before the pull became uncontrollable. And pushed everything away as blue sparks of magic lit up the space I once was, before following my body's next destination.
It took only a few seconds for me to blink away the recent event, pushing down the thought of wanting to throw up as I let my limbs adjust back to the feeling of being able to move. My breathing was ragged, as if I came out first in a running marathon. The spinning of the world slowly dissipated until I could see the sight of a mirror, my confused front welcoming my reflection. I turned to move away from the small vanity table, facing the room I stood in before getting transported to Narnia.
Gone was any traces of water from the miniscule quarters, as well as my now–dry clothes, all furniture also back to its initial placement. Everything looked untouched, like chaos never transpired in the clearing. Light was still coming from the window on my left. But one thing took my attention— it was silent. So eerily quiet.
Stepping closer to the small rectangular opening, I gingerly touched the drapes. It was stuck midair like it was once being flown by the wind, moving along as I played with them using my fingers. Setting that aside, I glanced outside to where a massive tree stood, the sun's blessing emitting from there yet no air came to ruffle its leaves.
“Odd.” Indeed it was. So I continued to observe the scenery, catching the forms of humans littering the streets. Yet just like the other things to see, they were inanimate. Seemingly acting like statues, frozen into their stances where they were taking a step forward. With that, it wasn't hard for me to understand the situation.
Getting off the station of the window, I motioned to open the door, exiting loudly before rushing down the stairs. Right as I reached the last step, I approached the man whom was reading a newspaper. And just as I thought, he was unblinking. He gave no evidence of breathing, even a small twitch of moving. I backed away from the uncle of the siblings, releasing a heavy sigh of dawning— Time was frozen.
This could be a huge shock to those whom were born under the influence of normalcy, but people with great imagination would only give little to none reaction. Especially if that same person was raised with the knowledge of magic.
Is Narnia also like this? Or is reality still in motion in there while I experience this phenomenon in this world. The chances are laid with great possibility, if one were to think of how the other place moves time in a different pace. Like how when we first entered the wardrobe, passing years that aged us into adults, and got out of their in our younger bodies. So the thing that's happening now could be explained by how time refuses to move here, due to how the others are back in Narnia.
But why was I here? Or the better question, why was I sent back to Narnia in the first place? If I remember correctly, Aslan mentioned how the other two were the only ones needed in there for further adventure. In his words, I grew up. So why would he give me a taste of the other world?
“After all this time, you still continue to confuse me,” Being back in Lucy's room, I took another glance at the mirror. As if physically speaking to the great lion through my reflection. “What more can I give you?”
Moving away from there, I lastly transferred my stare at the painting beside me. It was still hanged carefully, with the golden frames still intact. Nothing from it changed at all, just a normal artistic result with the ship still sailing on the endless sea.
Needless to say, it brought out thoughts of what could possibly be happening with the others. That alone made another session of extreme tugging, my eyes shutting closely as the feeling returned with blue sparks igniting around me. Only this time I was ready, well not entirely, but I was prepared of the effects it could give.
And with a last exhale, I took into mind the trust I was giving the great lion. Despite not liking the feeling, I knew he had his reasons. Yet it did not stop me from being filled of boundless inquiries. Questions starting with what, or why, or even whether. So . . , “What more do you need of me, Aslan?”