"Hello," I knocked on the door, "is anybody home?"
The door opens and I'm greeted with Eustace's 'welcoming' face.
"What" he grumbled.
"Busy with your insects, I bet?" I asked with a sarcastic grin.
"Yes" he scoffed.
His breath hit my face and I formed a foul expression.
"Are you- eating Mrs. Alberta Scrubb's sweets again?" I questioned him while coughing, "You know Edmund and Lucy are always getting blamed because of you."
"No" he scoffed again, this time making sure he's turned away, probably so that I couldn't smell his horrid breath. "I would never do anything of that sort."
I rolled my eyes. "Are your cousins home?" I ask while barging in and made my way to their room.
"Hey- hey! You cannot just come in here-" he said as he was following, attempting to stop me, "Father! Fath- Y/N!"
I headed upstairs and reached Ed's and Eustace's room and opened the door. A disappointed frown formed on my face as I opened Edmund's room and see no one inside. I close the door and make my way to Lucy's room.
"I'm home, Hello!"
The sound of Lucy's voice made me run to the stairs.
"Why you little—"
"Father, he's going to hit me!" said Eustace while Edmund charged towards him.
"Oh please," I scoffed, "You've been around bugs for too long, you're becoming one."
Edmund looked up at the sound of my voice and a huge grin formed on his face. "Y/N!"
We both ran towards each other and shared a sweet embrace.
Eustace stood up and dusted himself.
"When did you arrive?" asked Edmund in excitement, "I can't believe you're actually here. How are your studies in Cambridge? Are you free? Do you have any exams? Did you miss m-"
"Relax, Ed," I laughed, "I'll answer all your questions later."
"Y/N!" said Lucy.
I continued down the stairs and hugged her too.
"Hey, Lu. Any message from Susan and Peter?" I asked.
"Yes, actually! Look at this!"
All three of us huddled together to read the message. We then heard Mr. Scrubb grumble behind the news paper.
A smile formed on Eustace's face, "See father? See!"
We rolled our eyes and headed to Lucy's room.
Susan's letter: "I do wish you were here with us. It's been such an adventure and nothing like our times in Narnia. America is very exciting... except we never see father. He works so very hard. I was invited to the British Console's tea party this week by a naval officer who happens to be very handsome. I think he fancies me. It seems the Germans have made the crossing difficult right now. Times are hard. Mother hopes you both won't mind another few months in Cambridge."
"Another few months?!" Edmund let out a frustrated groan.
"How will we survive" sighed Lucy.
I walked over to the bed, sat beside Edmund, and slid my hand around his waist, giving him a side hug. I knew that they hated living with the Bertas.
"You're lucky. At least you have your own room. I'm stuck with mullet mouth. Edmund looked at me, "It's a good thing you're here, Y/N. I would've hated if you had to stay in Finchley... you only get to visit us once or twice a week."
"Susan and Peter are the lucky ones, off on adventures" said Lucy as she stood up and walked to the mirror.
"I'm sure you guys have adventures of your own" I said in an effort to make them feel better.
"That's just how it is, I guess" said Edmund as he rested his head on my shoulder, "they're the oldest and we're the youngest. We don't matter as much."
"That isn't true," I told him, "you matter a whole awful lot."
"To you?" he asked with a playful smirk.
"No, to Lucy" I teased and gave him a flirtatious wink.
I looked over at Lucy and noticed that she was looking at me. She instantly looked away as soon as I caught her. I figured that something must be on her mind, so I walked over to her side.
"Do you think I look anything like you?" she asked as she turned around and tucked some hair behind her ear.
I was a bit taken aback by her question that really didn't have anything to do with the previous conversation we just had.
"Sorry—" she said, "it's just that... Never mind"
I was pretty confused, I must admit. "Is there anything on your mind, Lu?" I asked.
"If... I don't look like you.." she said with a heavy sigh, "then do I at least look anything like Susan?"
"Well of course you do," I answered, "You're sisters. There are definitely similarities."
"Sisters..." she mumbled.
"Y/N" called Edmund, "have you seen this ship before?"
I walked beside Edmund to where he was standing. He was looking at a ship painting that reminded me of Narnia.
"It looks like something from Narnia" I exclaimed, "Lucy, come take a look!"
She walked over to where we were standing, "It does look very Narnian-looking."
"Just another reminder that we're here and not there" sighed Edmund.
"Narnia..." Lucy sighed, "I wonder how Luia and Oliver are doing. You probably think I've forgotten them, but I think about them every day."
"I never expected you to forget them" I said. "They're family."
Edmund sighed, "I wonder if they're still alive..."
"In front of a painting stood a group of three, believing in Narnian fantasies." Eustace stood behind the door and slowly walked inside.
"Please let me hit him" said Edmund as he charged to Eustace.
"Edmund, no" said Lucy as we held him back.
"Don't you ever knock?" I said as I rolled my eyes.
"It's my house," said Eustace as he sat down, "I do as I please. You're just guests. And one's a pest."
"Look who's talking" I snarked and charged toward him, unfortunately I wasn't able to do anything because Edmund and Lucy were holding me back. "Let me vine him."
"You can't," whispered Edmund, "even though I really, really want you to."
"What's so fascinating about that picture anyway?" Eustace asked. "It's hideous."
"You're hideous" I said under my breath. I think he heard me. Good.
"You won't see it from the other side of the door" said Edmund. We all faced the painting. It's much more pleasing to the eyes.
"It looks like the water is actually moving" commented Lucy.
"What- what rubbish. See? That's what happens when you read all those fanciful novels and fairy tales of yours" scolded Eustace.
Edmund rolled his eyes. "There once was a boy called Eustace, who read books full of facts that were useless."
Eustace's eyes widened in offense. "People who read fairytales are always the sort who become a hideous burden to people like me— who read books of real information"
I chuckled, "and because of the rubbish he read, strange ideologies formed in his head." We shared a silent laugh.
"That is false! You don't know what you're talking about. I bet you'll only add to it, the burden." Eustace snapped.
"'Burden'?" Edmund walked closer to Eustace, "You're one to talk, aren't you? I haven't seen you lift a finger since we've been here." He shut the door.
Water started coming out of the painting. From sprinkles, to splashes, to medium amounts. The painting began to move vigorously.
Lucy and I backed away from the painting. "Am I going mad or are you seeing this too?"
While the two boys were bickering behind us, I looked at Lucy expecting an answer, but she was too invested on what was happening. "The painting... we- we're going back!"
The water's splashes got so intense, it finally caught the attention of the two.
"What's going on here?" asked Eustace.
Edmund walked to my side,"D-do you think—?"
"It- it's some kind of trick," stammered Eustace, "Stop it or I'll tell Mother!"
"We're going home," I declared, "we're going home!"
We watch in anticipation.
"Mother-" Eustace cried, "Mother!"
He saw that nobody paid him any attention. "I'll just smash the rotten thing."
I overheard him and tried to stop him. "Eustace, don't!"
His hand got a hold of the painting.
"No, Eustace, no!"
"Let it go!"
"Stop that!"
"We can't stop it!"
"Get off me! Get off—!"
"Let go of it, Eustace!"
"Eustace, cut it out!"
"Put it down!"
After fighting over the painting, he finally released his grip and it fell on the floor. The water was rising, fast. It was already at hip level and was increasing by the second. The strong current made us fall, slip, and stumble. The water was deep. The floor seemed to have disappeared. All there was were floating bedroom furniture. As we swam to the surface, the furniture seemed to have disappeared.
At last, my head was above water and I was able to breathe again...
We were in Narnia.