Susan was weary as she rode the train to London. Her mother was asleep in the seat next to her, but Susan's mind would not allow her to sleep. Her experience in America had been amazing. Her father had gotten a temporary job as a teacher in New York, and she and her mother had spent their summer visiting the sites and shopping. There was so much to do, and Susan was never bored. Her parents had even taken her to a party with their adult friends. Susan had been shy at first, but the adults liked her so much that she opened up to them. In no time she was feeling like an adult herself as she talked and laughed with the others. Now, as she looked out the window at the passing countryside, Susan was sorry that the experience was over. Her father had remained in America to finish his teaching job, and Susan envied him for it.

The train finally pulled up to the station. Susan woke her mother and they stepped out into the crowds. Waiting for them were Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace and his parents. As Susan looked at Eustace, she noticed that there was something different about him; his usual scowl was gone, and he looked as eager to see her as Lucy and Edmund were. Lucy seemed ready to burst with excitement, and Edmund displayed an enthusiasm that Susan had only seen a few times in her life. As they neared, she was surprised to hear a cheerful greeting from Eustace. She searched his face for sarcasm, and was shocked to find none. The adults went off to find the luggage, leaving the children alone to talk. "So, Eustace, why the sudden personality change?" Susan asked, not unkindly. Eustace blushed but laughed.

"Oh, I guess you could say it was their good influence," he said, nodding to Lucy and Edmund. Susan was still unaccustomed to his bright tone of voice. "They'll tell you all about it tonight."

"Why don't you tell me yourself?" Susan asked.

"My parents and I are going back home after they find your luggage. They've done nothing but complain about the air in this city."

Lucy giggled. "It reminds me of someone else I know."

All four children laughed but were interrupted when the adults came back with the suitcases. The Pevensies waved as the Scrubbs climbed into their separate cab. They likewise flagged down a cab and went home.

Once home, the family chattered. Their mother made tea, and together they talked for hours. Lucy and Edmund wanted to know about America and listened in amazement to Susan's descriptions. Finally, late in the evening, they all sleepily headed to their rooms to unpack.

Susan gazed at her room for a while before setting her suitcase on her bed. She couldn't stop thinking about the party in America, and how she had fit in with the adults. Her room seemed silly now; a schoolgirl's room. Her closet seemed full of clothes that only a youngster would wear. Even her bed didn't have the same appeal it once did. After her experience with the adult world, everything else just seemed so childish.

Susan jumped when her door opened. Lucy came in. "Need help unpacking?"

Susan recovered from her surprise. "No, but thanks for offering. Aren't you tired?"

"A little, but that's not the real reason I came in. Would you like to know why Eustace has changed?"

Susan had completely forgotten about Eustace. "Oh, yes. Why didn't you mention it when we were talking with Mother?"

"Well, because Mother wouldn't have believed us."

Susan sat on the bed. "Why wouldn't she believe you?"

Finally, Lucy's excitement bubbled over. She hopped on the bed with Susan and pronounced, "We went to Narnia again! And Eustace went with us!"

"Narnia?"

"Yes! It was only a few years Narnian time when we were there last, so we met Caspian again. Reepicheep was there too, and we were all on a ship…"

Lucy babbled on about their adventure. She was so animated that she had not noticed Susan's expression. Susan had completely forgotten about Narnia while she was in America, and now, at the mention of it, it took her a moment to remember what it was.

"…all captured and sold as slaves, but then Caspian…"

Susan finally remembered. However, she didn't remember it as the Narnia she once knew.

"…turned into a dragon, and that changed his personality quite a bit, as you saw today. Anyway, afterwards, we…"

The adult world had changed her more than she realized. As she listened to Lucy talk, it sounded like nothing more than immature gibberish.

"…to the end of the world, which was covered with lilies, and then Reepicheep swam off. Then we met a lamb, who had cooked fish for us…"

Susan suddenly laughed. Lucy stopped, puzzled. "What's so funny, Susan?"

"A lamb cooked fish for you? Oh, Lucy, of all the silly things!"

"Silly?"

"It's wonderful to see how imaginative you children are. Fancy Eustace turning into a dragon; how fitting!"

"Susan, what are you talking about?"

"Alright, Lucy, I admit it. We were all so creative back when we first started playing that silly game. I'm happy that your inventive minds have rubbed off on Eustace. But you needn't continuously talk about it."

"Inventive minds?" A horrible realization had come to Lucy. She was pale as she stood.

"Of course! What else could it be? Fancy a mouse talking…"

Lucy stared in horror at her sister. "Susan…you never really accepted the fact that you couldn't go back, did you?"

"Go back? What do you mean, dear?"

Lucy knew that Susan wasn't just playing. Lucy remembered that as a Narnian queen, she had learned that the talking beasts were never to go back to the ways of dumb beasts, or else they would cease to be talking beasts. "Susan...you've forgotten Narnia…"

Susan straightened herself, as if she knew so much more than Lucy. "Of course I haven't, dear. I'll always remember what nice times we had in our little imaginary world."

Lucy's eyes were filled with tears now. She understood what had happened. Susan was a "dumb beast" once again. She sobbed as she fled from Susan's room.

Susan chuckled. She interpreted Lucy's tears as a child's frustration in the face of logic.

The transformation was complete. Queen Susan was gone.

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Author's note: The story is far from over. Read and review, and be nice, please!