I know 'cause I've already been there,

So please here these simple truths.

Be strong in the Lord,

And never give up hope,

You've come to do great things.

I already know.

Crazy, Blind, Deaf and a Day-dreamer

Breakfast the next morning was eaten in dead silence. Peter and Susan glared at each other between bites. Edmund wisely kept quiet and minded his own business. Lucy was the only one who dared to speak. She nervously chattered about everything she could think of. As soon as her plate was empty, Susan, complaining of a head ache, retired to her room. Lucy's friend invited her over to play, while Edmund sought his older brother out. At last he found Peter, alone in the tree where they used to play as little boys. Edmund agilely climbed up and perched next to Peter.

"Hey, Pete," Edmund used his nickname for his brother.

"Ed," Peter merely said.

"You okay?" Edmund asked looking into Peter's troubled face.

"I don't know," Peter shook his head. "It seems like everything I do here is wrong."

"I know what you mean," Ed sighed. "You can't solve a problem by hacking off its head with your sword." Peter grinned longingly. He loved his sword, Rhindon which he had to leave behind in Narnia.

"Don't remind me," he muttered. Edmund and Peter became solemn again.

"This isn't really my battle, yet I feel like it's my duty to keep Susan on the path," Peter admitted.

"You could try to talk some sense into Susan," Edmund suggested at last, returning to their original topic.

"I can't!" Peter protested. "I tried, but Susan won't believe me.I know I'm not strong enough to be everything that I'm supposed to be. I give up, Edmund. I'm not strong enough." Edmund studied his brother. He knew it took a lot of strength for Peter to admit that.

"Maybe, that's what it's like for Susan," Edmund replied softly. Peter hadn't thought of it that way before. He slowly nodded. You can still do great things here too! Edmund's mind silently tried to tell Peter. "Why don't you talk to her?" Edmund advised as he jumped down from the tree limb.


Lucy lay on her bed, crying.

"Lucy, Lucy what's wrong?" Peter quickly crossed the room and pulled her into his arms.

"There," she sobbed. Peter looked at the sentence in the book she had been reading. It read, "No, gentle," Amy corrected. "Not magnificent or valiant. Just gentle."

"Don't you see?" Lucy wailed. "We're all there. Magnificent, Valiant, Just and Gentle."

"Oh, Lucy." Peter tried to comfort her. "Keep holding on. We're going to make it through," he promised. "Just stay strong and you know I'm here for you. There's nothing you could say, nothing you could do, there's no other way when it comes to the truth. You've got to hold on." Peter paused, searching for the right words. "I've already been there. I understand what it's like knowing you can't ever go back." Peter reassured. "Never give up hope!" Lucy straightened up with a tearful smile on her cheeks.

"Really?" she sniffled.

"Don't get her hopes up," Susan scolded from the doorway. "After all, it's only a game." Peter stiffened at her remark and slowly turned around.

"If it's a game, how do you explain the scar on Edmund's side? Open up your eyes, Susan! It's obviously real!" he answered in disgust.

"Yes," she mocked. "It's obviously NOT real! I can't believe this! My own brother is a lunatic!" She shook her head vigorously and continued on her way.

"It's okay, Peter," Lucy tried to comfort him but Peter was hurt deeply by Susan's misbelief.

"I wish she would go back to how she was," he mumbled.


"He's eighteen and a lunatic!" Susan complained to Edmund. Maybe you're the lunatic! Edmund thought but didn't say anything. "Are you even listening?" Susan demanded. "Great!" She tossed her head. "One brother is crazy, the other is deaf, and my sister spends her time daydreaming about fairytales!"

"Maybe if you'd open up your eyes, you'd see," Edmund mumbled.

"Pardon?" Susan questioned.

"I said, if you would open up your eyes, you'd see," he repeated. Susan froze.

"Are you accusing me of being blind?" she asked indignantly.

"Nope, just giving you some advice." Edmund calmly stood and walked out of the room. Susan crossed her arms and glared at her brother's head. Well, what makes him think he can boss me around like that? Ha! He thinks I'm blind, well I'll show-

"Susan!" her mother called. Susan scurried down to the kitchen where her mother was preparing dinner.

"Hello, Mum," Susan answered sweetly. Mrs. Pevensie gazed with a sad feeling at her oldest daughter. She loved Susan very much but Susan was so independent and stubborn sometimes.

"Susan, Peter seems upset about something. What happened?"

"Nothing," Susan lied.

"I want the truth, Susan Pevensie," Mrs. Pevensie said. Susan sighed reluctantly.

"We had a fight," she admitted.

"What was it about?" asked Mrs. Pevensie but Susan refused to say anything more about it. At last her mother gave up.

"Susan, I want you to apologize to your brother," Mrs. Pevensie instructed.

"It's his fault," Susan mumbled.

"Apologize." Susan rolled her eyes and marched off.


Susan crept down the dark hall to the window seat where she knew Peter would be sitting. He always sat there when he was upset or had a problem. Sure enough, she could see his silhouette against the bright window.

"Peter?" He didn't answer or even move. "Peter, I-" Susan turned suddenly and was about to flee when her brother caught her hand, pulling her back.

"I'm sorry, Susan," he murmured. It was the first time they had talked to each other civilly since their fights.

"I'm sorry too, Peter. I shouldn't have yelled at you," Susan apologized.

"I forgive you," Peter answered with a small smile. He made room for her on the seat and she curled up next to him, her head resting on his shoulder. They sat in silence, gazing at the full moon.

"I believe you know," she admitted. "But I think I've come too far to go back now."

"Impossible," Peter teased. "You'll always be Susan and you'll always be my sister."

"I'm serious though," Susan laughed bitterly. "I can't go back…not to how it was. I've tried to make this home-"

"But England is nothing compared to Narnia!" Peter interrupted.

"I know," Susan sighed. "I'm not where I belong."

"This isn't home. Narnia will always be home to us," her brother reminded.

"And yet, I'm still searching," Susan answered. "I have unanswered questions."

"It's not over yet. And we're not alone." Peter replied wisely. They were silent again.

"Peter," Susan said after a bit. "I need to see Him." Peter turned to look at her upturned face. "I need to see Aslan. I don't think I can hold on anymore."

"We have to walk by faith and not by sight," he gently reminded.

"I just need some sort of proof! You, Edmund, Lucy, you always seem so sure of Aslan even when you can't see him. I'm not like that," Susan protested.

"But you can be," quietly insisted Peter.

"Peter, I've come too far, I can't go back…" she sighed, leaving her sentence unfinished.