Dear diary,
It is now day 253 since my wretched cousins Edmund and Lucy invaded our house. Not sure how much longer I can cope living with them, having to share my things. If only one could treat relatives like one treats insects, all my problems would be solved. I could simply put them in a jar, or pin them to my wall. That one girl that Edmund always brings around is slightly more tolerable than they are. I don't understand what she sees in the lump. Perhaps she has some sort of brain damage.
"I'm home!" Lucy's voice called from down the stairs as the door opened. Eustace sat upright and began putting away his things.
"Note to self…investigate legal ramifications of impaling relatives." He quickly jotted before stashing his book away and dashing downstairs to terrorize his cousins once more.
...
Downstairs Edmund held the door open for the girls, reaching over to help Raelyn out of her coat. She visited the Pevensies often enough that it was a normal occurrence for her to be in the house. In the den their uncle remained still, reading his paper without acknowledging the teenager's presence.
"Hello uncle Harrold, I tried to find some carrots but all they had were turnips again. Raelyn came home with us today." Lucy told him, walking past the man towards the kitchen.
"Shall I start making soup? Aunt Alberta is on her way home." she asked, peering into the room for some type of response.
"Hello again Mr. Scrubb." Raelyn called politely as she and Edmund made their way into the room. The man grunted and simply turned the page. It was the most anyone could ever get out of the man.
"Uncle Harrold?" Lucy prodded in annoyance. Edmund rolled his eyes in disgust and stuck his tongue out at the man. It wasn't like he could see over the newspaper.
"Father, Edmund's making faces at you." Eustace instantly tattled from his spot on the stairwell. Edmund glared at his cousin before being struck by a spit ball.
"Why you little" Edmund growled, charging up the stairs.
"Father he's going to hit me!" Eustace shouted, cowering on the stair. Just before Ed reached the boy, Lucy called him.
"Edmund look! It's from Susan." She grinned, holding up a letter. Ed glared down at his cousin and brushed past him to Lucy's room. Lucy followed after her brother, already tearing into the letter. Raelyn paused, looking down at Eustace.
"You know, you're not helping anything by antagonizing your cousins." She commented gently. Eustace frowned and crossed his arms indignantly as she continued her ascent up the stairs after the siblings.
...
I do wish you were here with us. It's been such an adventure, but nothing like our times in Narnia. America is very exciting, except we never see father. He works so very hard. I was invited to the British consul's tea party this week by a Naval Officer, who happens to be very handsome. I think he fancies me.
Lucy read, with a frown marring her features. Edmund sighed, standing up from the bed where they were sitting. He leaned on the mantle of the small room, staring intently at a seascape painting that hung above it. Raelyn sat quietly in the small chair silently.
It seems the Germans have made it difficult crossing over. It's very dangerous. Mother hopes you two won't mind another few months in Cambridge.
Lucy continued. At the word months, Edmund whipped back around in alarm.
"Another few months, how will we survive." Lucy moaned sadly. Edmund huffed, sitting down next to her.
"This may be selfish but at least I get to keep you both for a little while longer." Raelyn piped up sheepishly. Edmund smiled softly at her.
"I told you, if you really wanted to come with us I'm sure Mother and Father won't mind you living with us for a while." He reminded. Raelyn shrugged.
"I don't know yet. The last letter from my brothers mentioned that they would be off rotation and coming home sometime soon. I would hate to leave before they got back." She told him. Edmund nodded. Ever since her brothers had been overseas for the war she had been a bit more withdrawn as she worried over them. He knew they were close, and despite his selfish desires he didn't blame her for wanting to stay for them.
"You two are lucky. You've got your own room and you live in a different house entirely. I'm stuck with mullet mouth while we're here." Edmund sighed, looking over the letter again to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Raelyn covered up her grin at Edmund's names for Eustace.
"Susan and Peter are the lucky ones. Off on adventures." Lucy sighed, standing up and staring at herself critically in the mirror. Edmund grunted in agreement, lounging now that she had moved. Raelyn walked over to join him, looking over the letter as he did.
"Yea well they're the oldest and we're the youngest. We don't matter as much." He commented.
"Ed that's not true. You both matter very much." Raelyn scolded, grasping his bicep gently. Edmund grinned up at her. At least she thought so. Lucy stroked her cheek thoughtfully, ignoring the couple.
"Do you think I look anything like Susan?" she asked randomly. Raelyn looked over at her curiously but Edmund didn't hear her comment. Edmund sighed, setting the letter down once more. He looked back over at the painting, something about it nagging at him.
"Raelyn, have you seen this ship before?" he asked her, gesturing to the small ship in the corner of the artwork. Lucy turned and smiled at the painting as Raelyn stood to join Edmund.
"Yes, it's very Narnian looking isn't it?" she mused, stepping closer.
"Yea. It's just another reminder that we're here and not there." He hummed, staring at it despondently.
"There once were two orphans who spent all their time, believing in Narnian nursery rhymes." A voice hummed tauntingly behind them. Edmund growled at Eustace's smug face in the doorway.
"Please let me hit him." he snarled, taking a threatening step forward.
"No" Raelyn scolded, pulling on his arm. Edmund pouted but listened to her.
"Don't you ever knock?" he asked sourly.
"It's my house, I can do as I please. You're just guests." Eustace shot back, making his way fully inside. The siblings rolled their eyes, turning back to the painting.
"What's so fascinating about that picture anyway?" Eustace asked, sitting down behind them. Raelyn turned and rose her brow in amusement at his apparent curiosity. Eustace caught her gaze and bristled defensively.
"It's hideous." He added, crossing his arms. He would never own up to actually being curious about what those three fantasized about all the time.
"You won't see it from the other side of the door." Edmund pointed out sassily. Eustace made a face at his back.
"Edmund look, it's like the waters actually moving." Lucy mused, smiling nostalgically.
"What rubbish. See, that's what happens when you read all those fanciful novels and fairytales of yours." Eustace scoffed.
"There once was a boy called Eustace, who read book about facts that were useless." Edmund recited, shooting the girls a smug grin. Lucy smirked, while Raelyn snorted. Eustace glared at his cousin.
"People like you who read fairytales are always the sort to become a hideous burden to people like me. Who read books of real information" He shot back haughtily. Edmund whipped around on him.
"Hideous burden?" he reiterated incredulously. Eustace quickly stood up, ready to dash off.
"I haven't seen you lift a finger since we've been here." Edmund accused, prowling towards the boy. His eyes widened and he made a dash for the door, but Edmund shut it and blocked the exit.
"I have a right mind to tell Uncle Harrold that it was you who stole all of Aunt Alberta's sweets." Ed threatened.
"Liar." Eustace accused.
"Edmund the painting." Lucy called, her eyes fixated on the painting as it began to transform. Raelyn turned from the brewing fight as a breeze swept her hair. Staring at the painting she watched as the waves actually began moving and water leaked out the bottom of it. But the boys didn't hear her.
"Oh really, I found them under your bed. And you know what? I licked every one of them." Edmund sneered. Eustace shouted in disgust.
"Now I'm infected with you! How does your little girlfriend feel about your disgusting habits." he wailed.
"Don't you dare try to bring her into this!" Edmund snarled. Lucy's hair whipped about as the salty spray shot out from the picture, the ship moving closer. Eustace flinched as a spray of water hit the back of his head. The boys stared wide eyed as water began pouring out of the painting.
"What's going on here?" Eustace asked in alarm, looking at his cousins. The other three grinned, staring at the painting. They knew exactly what was going on.
"Lucy do you think?..." Raelyn grinned in anticipation.
"This is some kind of trick, knock it off or I'll tell mother!" Eustace threatened, his voice trembling as he watched the room begin to fill with water.
"And what do you plan on saying to her?" Raelyn inquired, shooting him a look. Eustace sputtered, realizing that she was right.
"Mother! Mother!" he wailed by the door.
"Lighten up Eustace, can't you see that something amazing is happening. Just embrace it." Raelyn suggested, picking up on the boy's distress. However, he dismissed that notion right away. Surely there was a logical explanation for all of this, and a logical way to get rid of it.
"Oh I'll just smash the darn thing." He declared. At this Edmund and Lucy rushed to intercept him.
"Eustace no!" Ed shouted. As the painting came off the wall, all four of them were drenched with water as it continued to pour out as they struggled for control.
"Eustace put it down!" Raelyn shouted.
"Let go!"
"Eustace drop it!"
"No!" The finally pushed it out of Eustace's hands. By this time the water had reached their waists and was quickly rising. Edmund yelped as he was pulled under.
"Edmund!" Raelyn shouted in alarm, searching the waters for him. Lucy yelped as she was the next to go. Raelyn followed shortly after. Eustace was yanked under along with them, much to his dismay.