Chapter 2 – The Dream
"I'm here, Susan," Peter reassured. "Remember Narnia…remember Aslan…"
"Peter! Peter!" Susan cried out as his image quickly faded. "Where are you Peter?" she called as she scanned the unfamiliar room.
"Sorry sweetie. I'm not sure what you're talking about," a plump uniformed woman explained. "I'm Jane and I'll be taking care of you during your stay at Finchly Public Hospital."
"Hospital? What happened?" Susan wondered, confused. "I don't remember coming here."
"Shhh, shhh. I'll be back in a minute." She stepped outside the room and Susan heard her conversing with a familiar voice.
"She's awake but she keeps asking for a Peter," the nurse told the other person. Who was she talking to? Susan just couldn't place her finger on that voice.
"Peter is her brother who died in a railway accident last year along with the rest of her family. He was very special to her…and to me as well for he was my best friend." The person responded. Susan finally recognized the voice. It was William! He and Peter had been very good friends.
"My condolences to you and Miss Pevensie. The doctor says you can see her now." Nurse Jane opened the door and William and Anna quietly entered the room.
"Susan, how are you?" asked Anna as she and William seated themselves on chains beside Susan's bed.
"To be honest I'm mostly confused and-agh," Susan groaned. "Sore. Would you mind explaining what happened? I don't remember much."
"When I was walking you home yesterday after lunch," William answered and then continued. "You walked across the street without realizing a car was coming. I couldn't warn you fast enough. The driver tried to swerve at the last minute but it was too late. You were knocked out cold. My father called the ambulance and they rushed you here as quickly as possible." So I have been hit by a car. Susan thought incredulously. No wonder my leg and side hurt so bad. If only Peter and the others were still here.
Anna must have noticed the painful expression on Susan's face for she quickly offered, "Would you like me to pray for you, Susan?" Susan just nodded tearfully.
Shortly after William and Anna left, Susan fell into a deep sleep. She started dreaming about her family. Lucy was chatting gaily with a curious creature, a faun she thought they were called in Narnia. Her brother Edmund and a tall young man approached the two.
"Lucy, where is Peter?" Edmund asked.
"Oh, I'm not…really…" Lucy stopped to stare at him. "Ed? Edmund what's wrong?" The young man next to him spoke.
"Edmund and I both have been having an uneasy feeling lately. Something just doesn't feel right."
"Oh dear!" Lucy exclaimed. All at once Susan recognized the young man. It was the Telmarine prince; the four Pevensie children helped him reclaim his throne from his evil uncle. Oh what was his name? Susan couldn't remember. Was it Corin? No, that was the prince of Archenland. Susan cried out in her sleep as the scene faded and a new one took its place.
A fair haired young man sat staring at the wall.
"Peter!" Susan exclaimed. But he didn't seem to hear her. Edmund, Lucy and the prince came into the room.
"Peter, Edmund and Caspian think something is wrong," Lucy informed him. Caspian, that's what his name was!
Peter looked at Lucy and said softly, "I know. Susan was in an accident yesterday." Edmund look worried. Peter continued. "I don't know if she'll be okay. I'm worried because Susan doesn't believe. Remember, Narnia is only a childhood game to her." After a brief pause Peter spoke again. "She doesn't even believe in Aslan anymore." Edmund reached out to grasp Peter's shoulder.
"Aslan knows what he's doing in her life." He reassured.
"She needs a wakeup call," Lucy added.
"I wish Susan would just believe! She's forgotten about our time as kings and queens and she's forgotten about the good thing's Aslan has done; for us and for everyone else." Peter shook his head.
"Peter, Edmund, Lucy, Caspian! I'm okay. I'm going to be fine!" Susan exclaimed. She reached out to hug Peter and then-the whole thing was just a dream. Susan woke up dazed and mystified.
Susan tried to fall back asleep, but she couldn't get the memories out of her head. In her mind she could hear Miss Polly saying,
"Susan? All she cares about are parties and trying to act grown up. She wasted her childhood trying to become a certain age and now she'll spend the rest of her life trying to stay that age."
"Please Susan, come with us?" Peter's voice begged.
"We wouldn't lie about this!" the voice of Lucy said quietly. Edmund's last words filled Susan's head.
"Have you forgotten about Aslan, Susan?" She thought about the times when they didn't trust Aslan and events had terrible consequences…even though it was just a game.
"I think we've waited for Aslan long enough." When we fought the battle against the Telmarines, Peter decided to take events into his own hands. He learned a hard lesson about patience.
Susan tried to shut the memories out of her head, but they wouldn't leave.
"Aslan is on the move…"
"Aslan is the only one who can save your brother now."
"He must know what he's doing."
"Do you see him now?"
"Who's Aslan? Why he's only the king of the whole woods, the real king of Narnia!"
Finally she heard a strong and mighty voice speak.
"In your world, I have another name. You must learn to call me by it."
A knock on the door interrupted Susan's thoughts and Jane stuck her head in.
"Just checking to see if you were awake, your friends said they would be stopping by sometime." Susan nodded and rolled over. She wasn't ready to start the day yet.
"Susan?" Anna asked. Susan looked up and smiled.
"Hello Anna, William," she greeted them.
"Did you sleep well?" inquired William politely.
"Pretty well, thank you. I kept dreaming about…" Susan's voice trailed off.
"About what?" Anna prodded.
"Oh, you wouldn't understand." That deep voice still echoed in Susan's head.
"In your world, I have another name." What did he mean by that? How could Aslan have two different names? Was it like calling your mother, mom and mama? Or is it something completely different? An awkward silence filled the room.
"I um…" William wasn't sure what to say. Thankfully, Anna rose to her feet and spoke.
"Would you like a drink of water?" She offered.
"Thank you, but I'm fine." I answered. William stood up.
"Anna and I should be getting home. We'll bring the others to see you soon," he said, referring to the rest of the Edwards family.
"See you later!" Anna waved and smiled as she and William left the small room.
