One Carousel Ride
"Susan!" Aunt Alberta yelled.
Ever since her family died with the others, she's been living with her Aunt Alberta and Uncle Harold: and, they treated her more like a servant than a niece who just lost her entire family in one day.
Susan rushed down the stairs, looking like a total mess. She hasn't taken a bath yet, since she's been busy ironing their clothes and cleaning the dishes. Her face was spotted with dirt, her hair all tied up in a messy ponytail, her bangs mostly covering her eyes.
"Yes Aunt Alberta?" she said, arriving at the door.
"Since your Uncle Harold won't be home until tomorrow, and I have a party to go to, you can go have a day off."
"But I haven't-"
"I said you can go take the day off." Her aunt repeated sternly.
Susan nodded her head and went straight to her room near the attic. She slipped out of the dirty shirt and dusty skirt with the apron and entered the little bathroom beside her room. She finished her bath and proceeded to pick what she would wear. Well, she didn't need to pick something that looked extravagant, because, she lost contact with her friends ever since she moved to Cambridge to live with her relatives.
She put on a blue skirt and white top, just right for her. She didn't pick them to look stylish, she just felt like she should. After that, she started brushing and styling her hair in a half ponytail, thinking it proper for her outfit. She didn't bother putting on make-up, anyway if she wanted to, she couldn't, because her uncle took them from her; as we would say, 'confiscated' them because she wasted too much money on it. She went down stairs and found her aunt, still sitting in the living room.
She was about to go out the door when her aunt yelled for her again.
"Yes Aunt Alberta?" she repeated.
"How are you going to go out without money?" she asked, getting her wallet. Her aunt pulled out a ₤50 bill.
Susan stared her eyes out. She thought Is she really giving me this much?
Her aunt knew what she was thinking, and said, "What are you staring at? Go ahead and take it! Don't worry about your uncle, he doesn't know."
Susan took the money and stuffed it in her right hand pocket, she walked to the door of the living room and said "Thank you" to her aunt.
She walked to the door and opened it, the sun shining brightly, but no too bright. She walked down the front steps and crossed the street.
Her aunt saw her outside and opened the window. "Now, go have fun out." She called.
Susan started walking, wondering what she would do with ₤50. She was about to give up when she saw a man handing out flyers. She walked up to him, his pipe steadily letting smoke out.
"Here you go lass." She said, handing her one of the flyers. It said 'State Carnival' with a sketch of a clown juggling balls, and a circus tent.
She asked him, "Excuse me, when will this be?"
"Oh, today's the last day missie. You better go on ahead if you want to go there." He replied, smiling a fatherly smile.
"Oh, thank you." She said joyfully. She hasn't been to one of these carnivals since her family died.
"Nothing to it." He said, smiling. When he said that, he looked oddly familiar: just like Peter.
She rushed to St. James square, where the carnival was held. There were many people rushing to little stalls with puppets playing, or where food was being sold. She walked to a man in the exchange booth, and bought a few tickets, just to lessen her money.
Susan walked around, not knowing what to do, when she spotted a Carousel, wonderfully painted in red and gold, with animals so majestic, they looked real, like the talking beasts in Narnia: but no one noticed it much. She walked up to the man letting people in, and paid for a ride. It didn't cost her much, but she just wanted to. She remembered the fun she used to have with Lucy on a ride like this.
She got on a lion; it looked a good deal like a real one. No, not a real one: it looked very much like someone she new: Someone...or Something she used to love so much. It looked so noble, innocent and solemn that, if it were real, even though she knew that it might be harmful, she would wrap her arms around it's mane and stuff it with kisses.
The carousel started to spin slowly. Oh, what wonderful memories she could remember! She and Lucy riding on a Lion's back; her coronation with her brothers and sister; A prince she kissed (she knew the prince's name, she just couldn't remember); and a place where she knew anything was possible.
Tears started to well up in her eyes. She wiped them as they rolled down her cheeks. All these memories flashed in front of her, revealing the reality she lived before her new life: the life that made her forget the other one.
Oh, stop blubbing! Everyone's probably staring at you right now. She thought. She looked around her, but found that nobody was there: not even the carousel that she was on.
What in the- she thought, as she looked around her: lush green grass, trees that looked like dancing trees, but at the same time, weren't, sunlight that looked green through the green leaves the rays were passing through. Everything looked like it was all in a dream.
Then she noticed that she was still sitting on the Lion, that was still as still as a statue. She got off and marveled at the dream-like place she was in.
Suddenly, the earth shook, followed by a growl. She looked behind her, the Lion that she was on, now fully alive: it looked more solemn, more innocent and more noble.
"Susan." It said, between a purr and a growl. It looked at her, It's eyes steady. She looked away, avoiding his gaze.
"Susan." It repeated, still looking at her.
"Yes?" she answered. "Sir." She added. She didn't know what to call him, but it still felt awkward not to call him anything.
She came nearer, in front of the Lion. He looked at her still with those eyes, as if hungry for something. She fell at its feet, because she felt that It was a very wretched for her to stand at its presence.
"Susan, do you remember me?" It said.
"No sir. I don't." she replied.
"Do you remember the life you had?"
"What life, sir?"
"The life that you and your siblings used to have."
"Well, yes sir. I remember it very well."
"And what happened to you in that life?" It said, looking steadily at her.
"Many things happened in that life."
"And did those 'things' change who you are?"
"Yes sir. It changed me a lot." She replied, looking at her hands.
"Do you regret the change that happened to you?"
"Yes sir. I regret it to this day because that change lost me my whole family."
"Then, erase that regret and look at me." It said.
Susan looked at It. It breathed on her. She was surprised, but It's breath gave her strength.
"You are troubled, Child. You have ignored me for a long time. Do you remember Me now?"
She tried to sort her thoughts. "Yes Aslan." She replied. The air of her old life suddenly came running back to her, the memories of her being Queen Susan the Gentle.
"Do you feel well?"
"Yes Aslan. But, where are my siblings?"
"They are safe in my country."
"Narnia?"
"New Narnia, in my country. We are in another part of my country, where they know that I spend most of my time. Now, are you back to yourself again? Are you the Gentle Queen once again?"
"Yes Aslan. But, what will happen when I'm back at my Aunt's house? They treat me like a servant than a niece."
"They will change. Give them some time. The reason they are mistreating you is because they are still not over their grief over your cousin."
"Can I see my family?"
"Now is not the time for that. Now come, you must go back to your world. You will see your family soon."
Susan wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you Aslan." She whispered.
"You're welcome, Child. Now, get on me, we must get back to your world." He said.
She got on his back, just like she did with Lucy: only this time, she was alone. The place started to spin quickly, forming the place of the carnival. Aslan's lion form suddenly turned statue.
"That must have been one swell ride for you to take a long time on." A boy her age said, at the moment looking like Caspian.
"Caspian?"
"Who's Caspian? My name's Jack." The boy said.
"Oh, sorry. You look like someone I used to know."
"Did you like the ride?"
"Yes, very much. It bought back great memories. She replied, looking at the lion. It stiffly winked at her.
"Do you want to watch the event in the tent?"
"That would be great."
For the rest of the day, Susan enjoyed the carnival with her new friend, with the refound joy she always had.