Disclaimer: Lucy Pevensie and The Chronicles of Narnia belong to C.S. Lewis, not to me.
Eighteen-year-old Lucy Pevensie's head was spinning as she boarded the train. She'd done it! She'd completed her first year of college! What a year it had been! She'd met so many new people and learned so many new things. It had been the best year of her life so far! And now she was going home to Finchley, where her parents and Edmund were waiting for her. Peter and Susan would arrive in a few weeks, and they would all be together again, eating Mother's famous roast beef. As the train began to move, Lucy felt that she couldn't possibly be happier.
Except. . .except she hadn't found Aslan. Ever since her last departure from Narnia, Lucy had been filled with a longing to see Aslan again: a longing so deep that it hurt. Every once in a while, Lucy was able to forget about the ache in her heart by becoming absorbed in her studies or in a conversation with one of her new friends. But it never truly went away. Now she could feel it again, in its full intensity, as the train ambled past rolling green hills that reminded her so much of Narnia.
Ever since he'd told her that he lived in her world under a different name, Lucy had been desperately searching for Aslan. She'd gone to zoos and circuses and looked at the lions. She'd spent hours in the library scouring all the books about mythology that she could find. She'd even looked in her mother's book of baby names, from which her name and those of her siblings had been picked out. Nothing worked. She could find no clues as to where Aslan might be or what his other name was. She was determined not to give up, but the venture seemed increasingly hopeless every day. And so she'd immersed herself in her new life at school, trying not to let the emptiness in her heart swallow her up completely.
"Excuse me, Lucy, may I sit here?" a voice interrupted Lucy's sad musings. It was Ethyl Winston, one of Lucy's schoolmates. Ethyl was possibly the only girl at school who was even more bookish than Lucy. The two of them had often run into each other at the library late at night, when everyone was either asleep or at the pub. Though Ethyl participated enthusiastically in discussions during literature classes, she was quiet most of the time. The general consensus among the students was that Ethyl was weird. Perhaps that's why Lucy liked her so much.
"Sure, Ethyl, you can sit here," Lucy replied with a smile.
Ethyl answered with a shy smile of her own and sat down in the seat opposite of Lucy. She opened her school bag and pulled out (what else?) a thick book and began reading.
Lucy looked at the cover of the book. The words Holy Bible were stitched in gold lettering. That was another reason Ethyl was considered weird by her peers. She was very religious. She always carried her Bible and wore a gold cross around her neck. She attended the local church every Sunday and rose early every morning to say prayers and sing hymns. Lucy herself wasn't much one for church or for religion in general. However, she admired Ethyl's determined belief in a higher power: a belief that she earnestly defended against all mocking. It reminded Lucy of the faith she'd had in Narnia.
The mental and emotional fatigue of a hectic year, the gentle rolling of the train, and the turning of the Bible's pages all conspired together to lull Lucy to sleep. She was awakened about an hour later by a muffled sob. Ethyl had discarded her Bible and was now crying softly, with her hand over her mouth.
"Why, Ethyl, whatever is the matter?" asked Lucy, rather alarmed.
Ethyl removed her hands and sniffled. "He loves me so," she said, her voice trembling.
"Who?" asked Lucy.
"Jesus," replied Ethyl.
"Oh," replied Lucy, shifting in her seat a little.
"I'm sorry," said Ethyl. "You must think I'm crazy. You're not a Christian, are you?"
"My parents go to church but I haven't been in several years. I've just had other things on my mind."
"Like what?" Ethyl asked.
Lucy hesitated. The main reason she hadn't been going to church was her obsession with finding Aslan. Discovering what his other name was and contemplating what new adventures she might have with him had become more important to her than fulfilling religious rituals. She didn't know whether or not she should tell Ethyl this, but she finally decided it would be okay. Something inside Lucy told her Ethyl would believe her.
So she told Ethyl about everything she had experienced in Narnia: from her first steps into the wardrobe to her final parting from Aslan. She told Ethyl how much she longed to see the Great Lion again.
Ethyl's face lit up when Lucy finally finished speaking. "I think I know what Aslan's other name is!" she practically shouted.