Return to Terabithia

She was dead. But…how could that be possible? Leslie…Leslie was the queen of Terabithia. Even if the Dark Master did somehow manage to get to her, there is no way the Terabithians would allow her to be killed, especially if he wasn't there to protect her. He had never told Leslie but he had, somewhere along the way, taken it upon himself to be her protector.

She was the light of Terabithia, she held it together and made it into the place of magic and hope that it was. It was because of that that he had promised that he wouldn't let anything ever happen to her. Of course he knew perfectly well that Leslie would go into Terabithia by herself, not seeming to care about the dangers of being caught by the Dark Master while on her own.

So he had called upon the free subjects; the few that he and Leslie had managed to release from under the control of the Dark Master, and had told them that if Queen Leslie was ever in Terabithia on her own, they were to watch over her and protect her until he could arrive and free her from the Dark Master's grasp.

Why was it that they had let him down? All of those times that she had crossed over the Great Divide on the Rope of Enchantment and the one time that it failed her, failed them, was the one time he and his subjects were not there; were not watching over her as they had all sworn to do.

Perhaps this was the magic's way of telling him that he could only have one Queen; only one person to rule Terabithia with. Had it taken Leslie away because it had though that he had chosen Ms. Edmonds to be his queen?

Had he chosen Ms. Edmonds to be his queen?

As soon as he thought it he felt himself nearly double over in pain and guilt.

NO! He didn't choose her! She was…she was just his teacher! A woman who had peaked his interest because she was untouchable. But Leslie? Leslie was his best friend. She was the one that brought him to Terabithia and soothed his soul. Leslie was his queen!

"Jess!"

The voice pierced through the cloudy darkness as he battled with his anger; with his anguish.

"Jess!"

There was no way that Leslie was dead! The magic is all-knowing. It would know that Leslie was the true queen of Terabithia. Just like he was the true king.

"Jess! Wake up!"

His eyes shot open and he lurched up with a gasp and a yell.

"Leslie!"

May Belle shrieked and stumbled back in surprise, accidentally dropping the phone she had held in her small hand.

"Jess!" May Belle said. "You scared me! And you made me drop the phone!"

Jess wasn't listening to his younger sister as he struggled to regain a sense of his surroundings. He was in his room, or rather, what was meant to pass as his room. It was the same tattered blanket that served as his door that was draped around his body and he shuddered as he remembered his father laying it across his body during his dream.

Or had it all been real?

"May Belle!" Jess said, cutting her off. "Have you ever been to Terabithia?"

May Belle scrunched up her nose as she stood up from picking the phone off the ground.

"What are you talking about Jess? What's Terabithia?"

"You…you really don't know?"

May Belle huffed and shoved the phone into Jess's hands.

"If I did I wouldn't have asked you." She said in childish irritation.

Jess stared down at the phone in confusion.

"What's this May Belle?"

May Belle's head tilted a bit to the side and she crossed her arms. "It's the phone Jess. Are you sick?"

Jess attempted to roll his eyes but he was still caught up in the grasp of his nightmare.

"I mean, why are you giving it to me?"

"Oh." May Belle suddenly grinned. "Your girlfriend wants to talk to you."

"She's not my girlfriend," Jess said automatically as his sister skipped and giggled her way out of the room. Jess shook his head and lifted the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, Jess. This is Ms. Edmunds. Listen, I know it's a Saturday but I was supposed to take my nephews to the City to see the museums today and my sister cancelled last minute, so I was wondering if maybe you would like to come along instead."

Jess was frozen. What did she just say? His head jerked to where his calendar was pinned, almost hidden under his drawings, along his bed side wall.

Was that really the date? But it couldn't be…today was the day that Leslie died. Didn't all of this already happen?

"Hello? Jess? Are you there?"

And then it hit him. It was a dream. Or a premonition. Or maybe even a second chance. What ever it was he knew exactly what he had to do.

"I'm sorry Ms. Edmunds but I have to go!"

"Jess?"

Jess didn't give the call another thought as he switched off the phone and tossed it onto his blankets. Quickly he threw on his clothes, not caring if they were clean or dirty and raced down the stairs. His feet sounded like thunder in the small house but he didn't care. He needed to go see Leslie.

As he raced out the door he paused, only for a moment, when he remembered that he needed his shoes, and he stumbled more then once as he tried to put them on while still running across the small road to the house next door.

"Leslie!" Jess shouted as bounded up the front steps to reach the door. "Leslie! Leslie!"

After several minutes of pounding the door finally opened to reveal a bleary Mr. Burks.

"Jess?" He said as he finished cleaning his glasses and rested them back on his nose.

"M-Mr. Burks! I- I have to talk to Leslie! Is she here?"

Mr. Burks shook his head. "No, she left about fifteen minutes ago. She said that she had a surprise for you and she wanted to finish it before—."

Jess didn't wait for the older man to finish before he had leapt off the porch and raced away in the direction of Terabithia.

"Please!" Jess begged the unseen magic. "Please! Watch over Leslie until I can get there! Please! Don't let her swing on that rope!"

Faster and faster he ran, the trees passed by in a blur and for a moment, Jess actually though that the magic of Terabithia was with him, making him faster then even when he would race through the magic woods with his queen at his side.

Knowing the path to his kingdom by heart Jess didn't hesitate even a moment as he leapt over fallen trees and skirted the more dangerous areas of the road. He was almost there just a little further and the Divide would be in sight.

There it was. And there was Leslie. The old rope was in her hands and, as always, she didn't bother to test it before she prepared to sail into her magical domain. Why would she? It had never let her down before.

But this wasn't before. This was now, and Jess just knew that this time would be different.

"Leslie!" He shouted. "No!"

But it was too late; she had already jumped.

Halfway across the river was when Jess's windblown words managed to reach her ears and she looked back in surprise.

"Jess?" His name had barely passed her lips before the rope snapped and she plummeted into the rushing river below.

"Leslie!"

She was a good swimmer. She was! She would make it and he would be able to pull her out!

"Leslie!" Jess yelled again as he dropped to his knees at the edge of the bank. His eyes roamed the water for any sign of his friend only to land on a rock in the middle of the river that divided it roughly in two. There was red on that rock.

No longer caring about himself, Jess flung his coat aside and dropped into the murky waters. He gasped and flailed as the current pulled him under and he desperately wished that he had learned how to be a better swimmer.

"Leslie!" Jess tried to shout over the water but it became gurgled as the muddy liquid invaded his mouth.

No! This isn't right! This is Terabithia! I rule this land. I am the king and I am the one that controls what happens here. No Dark Master is going to steal my queen from me!

Despite his thoughts Jess had all but given up. It had been foolish for him to jump in after her. Now, not only would he not save Leslie, but he wouldn't be able to save himself either. Tears mingled with the river water and blurred his vision even more as he gave one last valiant attempt to find his friend.

I guess this is it. At least I will be able to be with Leslie. Fare well Terabithia. May stronger rulers then us, arrive to take our place.

A flash of yellow caught Jess's eye and he started as he realized what it was. The winds rustled and the trees moaned giving Jess the added strength that he needed to reach out and wrap his freezing arms around Leslie's limp body. He held her close as he struggled to keep both of their heads above the water, but it was no use. He may have found Leslie, but what next?

The wind blew stronger and the sound of a crack reached Jess's ears. Up ahead an old tree had finally given in to the pressures of its many years as its roots jerked themselves from the soggy ground. The tree collapsed right across the river and its branches reached out to Jess like the arms of a savior. He spun around as best he could while being drug beneath the water and prayed with all of his might to God that the magic of Terabithia would hold true.

It did.

The branches of the old tree were brittle but small and sparse. Still, the water had pushed the King and Queen in just a way that they would hit the area where the branches reached out to cradle them like the large fingers of their misunderstood friend Janice Troll.

For several long minutes Jess struggled to move his frozen body and force his waterlogged arms to lift Leslie onto the safe surface of Janice Troll's palm.

"Don't worry Leslie," Jess said as he finally managed to pull them both up. "The Terabithian Warriors will keep the Dark Master's minions away while we escape."

He thought that he saw Leslie's blue lips tilt just a bit and that gave him the strength he needed to pull her onto his back and begin the trek back home. His muscles were tired and alternated between seizing up and falling almost completely limp. His footing was unsure and he stumbled many times as he made his way to the long familiar path that was the road between the simple world, and the magic world of Terabithia.

Hours seemed to pass before Jess finally managed to stumble up to the edge of the dirt road. In the distance he could see both his and Leslie's parents gathered between their two houses. It seemed almost as if they were arguing but Jess didn't care. All that mattered was making sure that Leslie was alright.

It was Mr. Aarons that first spotted the soaked, wobbly, and pale form of his only son as he stumbled down the road with Leslie Burks half draped across his back and half dragged across the ground. The blood dropped rapidly from his face and he nearly staggered back himself as pure agony and guilt flooded his body. The Burks noticed next followed quickly by Jess's mom who shouted out and horror and raced forward to reach her son.

"Jess!" She sobbed as she reached him. "Oh Jess! What happened!"

Mr. Burks was the next one there and he gently lifted his daughter from Jess's back.

"Leslie! Wake up!" He pressed his fingers roughly to her neck and bit back a sob when he felt a slow, but steady, pulse.

"Is she alright?" Jess forced out from where he was being smothered in his mother's embrace.

"Yes, Jess," Mr. Burks said. "She's just fine."

Jess smiled only a bit before exhaustion finally caught up with him and he passed out into the darkness of unconsciousness.

The next week was difficult for Jess as he had to bear with the after effects of his time in the river. The doctor told him that he had pneumonia and quite possibly nerve trauma from being left to freeze both in the water and in the fridged winter air. Unfortunately, Leslie was much worse off then he was.

She had fallen into a coma, and even after his release from the hospital two weeks after the incident, she had yet to awaken or show any signs of doing so. School was a blur and home far to slow. Because of his accident his parents had become much more over protective, not wanting him to leave the house for anything other than school and the occasional visit to see Leslie.

After nearly a week of this Jess found himself feeling more then just a bit smothered. On the Saturday following his release from the hospital he woke early in the morning and left the house through the back door, careful not to bother anyone else. Once he was on the dirt road that lead out to the back fields, Jess slipped on his shoes and began to run.

It had been far too long since he had last been to Terabithia and he wanted to thank his subjects for their aid and for protecting, not only Leslie, but himself from the evil clutches of the Dark Master. After reaching the bank of the still rushing river Jess found himself at a loss. The Enchanted Rope had broken leaving him no way across the Great Divide. How was he to get into Terabithia now?

The answer to that question lay several feet to his right where the tree that had rescued both him and Leslie still lay draped across the river from bank to bank like a bridge.

A bridge.

Only a few days work was needed to complete the task that Jess had set for himself. With Mr. Burks giving him permission to use his unused lumber, his project was made far easier. Finally, after many hours, Jess stood proudly in front of the new Gateway to Terabithia. The front of the bridged arched up nearly five feet with a boldly painted shield declaring loudly for all to see the words of his and Leslie's reign.

Nothing Crushes Us.

The sound of a breaking branch jerked Jess from his admiration and he spun around quickly to see who it was that dared to intrude upon the entrance to his kingdom.

"Dad." Jess said. "What are you doing here?"

Mr. Aarons all but gaped at the structure before him as he attempted time and again to give his son the lecture on running off that he had so painstakingly prepared. Instead, what came out was much different.

"Is this it?"

"Is this what?"

Mr. Aarons cleared his throat and rested his hands in his pockets as he looked pointedly at the well constructed bridge.

"That Terbatia place that May Belle told me you and Leslie kept escaping to."

Jess thought about lying, about telling his dad that May Belle was full of tall tails and that this bridge was just a project he had come up with to keep himself busy. But he didn't.

"Yeah." Jess said. "You wanna see?"

Mr. Aarons paused for only a moment before he nodded and motioned for Jess to go ahead of him.

"Sure, Jess. I'll come see."

Mr. Aarons looked on in well concealed pride as Jess showed his father what he and Leslie had done. He showed him the newly restored ancient fortress as well as the small area that he and Leslie had picked out to someday build themselves a brand new castle to replace the one that the Dark Master had destroyed a thousand years before.

"…Would you mind any help this time?" Mr. Aarons asked with a smidge of hesitation.

Jess looked up in awe. "What?"

Mr. Aarons sighed. "Look Jess. I know that I ain't been the best father to you through the years, but…you're still my son. I'd like to be able to…get to know you better. We might even be able to have it done by the time your friend gets out of the hospital."

Jess smiled shyly at his dad and nodded. "I'd like that."

Two months after the accident took place Jess got a call from the Burks. Mr. Burk told him through his tears that he and his wife were at the hospital and that they would really like it if Jess came down too. Jess's blood ran cold as he stuttered out a nearly broken 'why'. His eyes went wide and he shouted with joy as he raced to his mother's room and told his tired mom that Leslie was awake and he wanted to go see her.

It was a Tuesday and Jess had school, but for once his mother told him it was fine that he didn't go and that she would call his father to take him to the hospital.

Leslie smiled tiredly as Jess raced to her bedside to grasp her hand.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice laced with concern. "You ain't in any pain are you?"

Leslie laughed just a bit as she shook her head and squeezed his hand.

"No. I'm fine. Thank you for saving me."

Jess blushed and muttered out a modest your welcome before Leslie begged him to tell her what had become of Terabithia and whether or not the Dark Master still suppressed their weary subjects.

Jess happily informed her that upon his failer to remove them as the rulers of Terabithia, the Dark Master's powers were lost and he vanished from their enchanted kingdom.

"The Terabithians have started to rebuild the kingdom." Jess said as Leslie listened on in rapt attention. "It's beautiful. I can't wait for you to see it."

For two more weeks Leslie was kept in the hospital under surveillance while Jess and his father struggled to complete the rebuilding of Terabithia. Two days before she was brought home they finished the building and his father helped him furnish the small yet majestic castle, so that it would be able to become a symbol for all of Terabithia.

Leslie was anxious to see Jess's surprise and she felt her hopes dash when her doctor told her it would be best for her health if she did not walk for several weeks still. Her wheel chair was far too dangerous for her to travel across the plains and impossible to swing across the Great Divide. Leslie thought that her time in Terabithia would be further delayed.

Jess, however, had other plans.

Unable to take Leslie to Terabithia himself he asked his father to help him bring Terabithia to her. A few days of planning was all it took to make Leslie's dreams come back to life.

Leslie found it funny that Jess wanted to play dress up with her. He was not just a boy, but an eleven year old one. Why would he want to play dress up? Still, she appreciated Jess's attempts at making her feel better and she agreed to change into the outfit he had brought her. It wasn't elaborate, but that was to be expected since Jess had made it himself; with a very generous amount of help from his mother.

The shirt was too big for her, leaving the sleeves to hang past her hands, but the pants fit well enough. She imagined that they had once belonged to one of his sisters but she didn't let that bother her as she slipped on her high top shoes and eased her way into her wheel chair to wait for Jess. When he finally came in the room he did it very slowly, his cheeks tinted pink from embarrassment.

Leslie laughed when she noticed that they matched and she complimented him on how well the dark red brought out his eyes. Jess smiled shyly and said that it was time to go. Leslie asked him what he meant and Jess responded with a simple 'you'll see'.

Confusion filled Leslie's mind as her father gently lifted her from her chair so that Mr. Aarons could fold it up.

"No peaking," Jess said as a dark cloth was wound around her eyes, and she laughed because she couldn't see even if she wanted too.

After a long while of darkness Leslie was sat back in her chair and the blind fold was lifted. A delighted gasp left her lips as she stared in awe at the large arched gate that marked the entrance to the fabled land of Terabithia. Jess shyly lay a ring of braided vines on her head and she noticed that he had one of his own.

"You built a bridge?"

"An enchanted bridge." Jess corrected.

Not strong enough to push her through the forest Jess had to content himself with simply walking next to her as she excitedly exclaimed how much had changed since she was last there.

"Is that Janice Troll building a watch tower?"

Jess laughed and told her that Janice Troll was trying to apologize for sneaking up on them all that time ago.

Leslie was so happy to be back in Terabithia she hardly even noticed that both of their fathers were there. Instead she just talked and questioned and looked as she was pushed through the woods towards the ruins of the Ancient Fortress. She leaned forward in anticipation as they neared the area but she pouted when her father came to a halt so that Jess could retie her blind fold.

"Just one last time." Jess promised and Leslie reluctantly agreed.

When the cloth was finally removed Leslie couldn't even gasp as she looked upon the grand castle that stood before her. To her father and Mr. Aarons it was just a slipshod shack with a flag but to Leslie and Jess it was the most magnificent thing in the world.

The walls were made of pure white stone that shone brightly in the golden rays of the sun light. The royal flag blew sharply in the crisp spring air and the red and white design was bold and strong, baring the words 'Nothing Crushes Us'.

Jess smiled at Leslie's awe struck expression and gently took her hand in his.

"Welcome home Queen Leslie."

The End

Kaliea: Okay, so. I first read Bridge to Terabithia when I was in the fifth grade because it was a requirement. I never really forgot about it but I never read it again. It wasn't until I saw a poster for the movie at a theater while I was in California that I realized why it was that I loved the book so much. Anyway, I just recently finished watching the movie after buying the DVD and I thought of this. I hope that you all enjoyed it. Please Review!