Strange Occurrences
Chapter Ten
Susan couldn't help but stare all around her, the wood was so beautiful. She also tried to work out which of the little pools she would have to jump into to get into Narnia. This was an odd thought to her; she hadn't been there in so long. As she gazed around her enchanting surroundings she could hear the guinea pigs quarrelling. Digglebe the head (she had figured) seemed to be leading the argument,
''Well she can't stay here; she'd best state her business & be on her way. This could mean trouble.''
Another spoke,
''Well hadn't you best go & ask her then, what it is she wants, Mr high almighty?''
Just then Susan spoke,
''Not the best of diplomats are you. You sound like children.''
Digglebe seemed rather offended by this comment & protested,
''We're a lot older than you, girl.''
Susan laughed,
''Rather feisty aren't you, what's your name?''
Digglebe didn't feel inclined to tell her but something in the way she looked at him, made him give in,
''My name is Digglebe. What is your business here,'' he asked.
Susan wasn't exactly sure how to go about explaining the whole matter,
''Well. . . I'm trying to find my way back into Narnia & I believe. . . . ,''
She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence. Digglebe almost jumped forward,
''Narnia no longer exists!''
Susan raised her hands to her face & tears began to fill her eyes,
''Narnia . . . no longer -'' she tried to hold the tears back but they began to fall, ''how can this be?''
The guinea pigs looked at her quite puzzled,
''Why, Narnia is no more, dear girl. Well, rather has been reborn,'' explained one of the young guinea pigs.
Susan was very confused, was this some sort of joke? How would she find her sister & brothers, she thought. Digglebe then spoke again, whilst looking about him,
''I can't really explain the story, you'd be better off asking Father Time, where in the blazers has that great oath disappeared to anyhow?''
Susan was even more confused now,
''Father Time, where . . . is he here?''
''Well he was but he seems to have vanished into thin air,'' said Digglebe.
''He has a habit of sleeping underground,'' explained Susan, ''Have you noticed anything peculiar or out of place?''
''Ah '' came Digglebe's voice, ''that would explain a few things, he has been here a rather long time now, wouldn't be able to tell you exactly how long. But we don't tend to keep track of time here. There's a strange magic in these woods,'' he nodded to a large mound that was slightly off in the distance.
''So when do you suppose he'll wake up then,'' said one of the guinea pigs.
''He mentioned Aslan waking him, when he is needed,'' answered Digglebe.
''Aslan,'' Susan choked out, ''has he been here?''
''No but before Mr Time over there, went back to the land of nod, he had mentioned something. He said he has been sent here to sleep until he is needed again.''
Susan seemed rather confused,
''Does that mean one of these other pools leads into the new Narnia?''
At that, discussion broke out among the furry little creatures,
''We couldn't tell you that girlie, Mr Time may be able to but that is beyond our knowledge.''
Susan was very upset, her greatest fear was she was being sent on a wild goose chase & that was exactly what it was appearing to be. She looked down at the green grass beneath her feet. She felt stupid for having even come. Try one of the pools. It struck her like a bolt of lightning. Yes, she thought, that's what she, should do. She went & stood at the edge of one of the pools,
''Bother it all,'' she said out loud, ''I'm here now, there's no point turning back until I've at least tried.''
The guinea pigs were all looking at her now,
''What's she doing? She doesn't know where any of those pools will lead her, we don't even know'' said Digglebe.
''Yes, someone had best stop her before she creates any havoc,'' said another.
But it was too late, no sooner had they noticed her standing at one of the pools edges, she vanished. The same feeling came over Susan as she rushed through the pool, she could feel herself being pulled towards something. However, this time, there didn't seem to be any light ahead, only darkness. In the next moment, she was scrabbling to her feet, in quite a different place. Her surroundings seemed to have no life left in them & a low sun (well what she thought was a sun) hung from the sky above. It was a dark orange colour. There were trees about her but they looked withered & old. Off in the distance she noticed a flicker of flames or what might have been a bonfire. So without another moment's hesitation she walked in the very same direction. She could see a large figure, appearing from time to time & then it would vanish out of sight. This is very strange place indeed, she thought to herself.
Susan finally reached where the bonfire was blazing & the figure had disappeared behind a tree on her left hand side, she plucked up her courage,
''Excuse me, where am I?''
There was no response, for a moment or two, and then a large woman appeared. She was dressed in raged clothes & her hair was long & grey. Susan suddenly felt quite unsettled. The woman had the essence of someone she had met before but it couldn't be, she was dead. Susan dismissed the thought from her head.
''Sweet child, this is no place for you. This realm is soon to die. You must leave at once & save yourself,'' said the woman.
''For you shall disappear into the darkness, with it, in its last hours, the end is nigh.''
''What is your name?'' Susan asked.
''My name. . . I cannot say that I remember, for I have not been called by it for so long. It has been lost to me a very long time,'' answered the old woman.
''And you, why have you come?''
''I am trying to find my sister & brothers but Narnia is no more. So I have started my search, hoping I will find a way to the new Narnia,'' explained Susan.
The lady all of a sudden splayed an inquisitive look on her face,
''Narnia, is no more? Can this be true?'' She paused. Just then Susan answered,
''Do you know of Narnia, madam?'' she moved forward so she could see the woman's face but she had turned away from Susan.
''Neigh, my child but I had heard of such a place,'' just then Susan tripped on a twig & fell over with a loud, thud. When she rose back to her feet, she noticed she had cut her leg. It was only a graze but a few drops of blood, trickled from the small open wound. The woman recoiled but then suddenly began ripping a piece of material from her already torn dress.
''Child, you're bleeding. Please, let me bind the wound?'' She motioned cautiously towards Susan.
At that the woman tied the piece of rag around Susan's leg, it was a deep graze. The woman then rose & began to speak once more,
''You must take me with you from this place. Please you're my only chance,'' she sniggered but Susan failed to notice, she was giving up hope of ever finding her siblings.
She looked about her, there was no life left in this world & she felt sorry for the woman that had shown her some kindness. She then reached for her pocket,
''I could take you with me but. . . '' she trailed off.
The old lady caught her by the arm,
''I can do you no harm, I was banished here many moons ago. This world shall cease to exist for much longer & I shall perish with it.''
Susan noted the anxious expression on the old woman's face. She seemed harmless; she couldn't imagine being left alone to die in a world on her own, though she had felt like that's exactly what had happened to her in England. She had been left behind & would die in the world alone.
''I shall take you with me. I couldn't leave you here to die, that would be cruel,'' said Susan. ''But you must hold onto my arm, it's a rather frightful experience using these rings to travel.''
The old lady raised her eyebrow,
''You are a witch?'' she sniggered, ''capable of magic? An old magic, so it seems''
Susan didn't answer her mind was elsewhere, she placed her hand in her pocket & the rushing sensation began again. No sooner had she reached for the ring both women were coming out into an open green space & the bright green light shone on her face once more. Susan had lost hope; she had no intention of exploring anymore of the pools. She had made her mind up she was going to go home. If only to figure out a plan, it was the middle of the night & she needed to sleep. She felt edgy, there was something very familiar about the old woman but she wasn't sure if it was her mind playing tricks on her. When both women had gathered themselves, Susan briskly turned around; the woman seemed ever so much taller. Susan noted that she seemed to look younger than she had looked under the dark sun of the mysterious place she had found her.
''Will you be ok?'' Susan asked in a gentle voice, ''I must go home, you will be safe here & I will come back but there are a few things I must do.''
The woman, smiled, Susan thought it looked like a particularly wicked smile but then thought that was due to total lack of sleep. She's dead, pull yourself together, nagged a voice atthe back of Susan's tired mind. She felt as though she had been away for hours already.
''Yes child, all shall be well & I am most gracious for you saving my life.''