Late Summer 1945:
I lean against a pillar in the train station, waiting for Susan and Lucy to come back from the bathroom. Students walk past me in a hurry and it finally hits me that it's my last year of secondary school.
Flashback
"Susan," Lucy cries as she opens her sister's bedroom door. We sit on Susan's bed and Lucy plops herself into Susan's arms.
Susan and I exchange a look and she comforts Lucy. "What happened, Lu?" The girl's already 13 but she's still being babied. Some people might think it's weird but I think it just shows her family cares about her.
Lucy wraps her tiny arms around her sisters shoulder and starts to hyperventilate. "Well, school's going to start soon and it just striked my mind that after this year, we won't go to the same school anymore!" I chuckle at the little girl's worry and pat her back. "She stares at me and begins to sob again. "And I-I won't get to see Lyn e-e-either!"
Susan's gentle side begins to unravel as she rocks Lucy in her arms and strokes her head that rests on her shoulder. "Shhhh, it's okay. I'm right here, Lu." I get up and fetch the Kleenex box from the bathroom. I pull out a tissue and hand it to Susan and she lightly dabs Lucy's eyes.
"But what if next year I need someone to talk to? What if I need your advice?"
"Write to me as much as you'd like," Susan whispers. "And I promise, I'll write back."
Lucy looks up at her sister and sniffs. "It won't be the same, though. What if-what if I have a dream about Narnia and I want to talk to you about it?"
I stiffen a little and immediately turn to Susan to see her response. Ever since that incident 2 Summer's ago, I refrained from mentioning anything related to the forbidden word.
"What's Narnia, dear?" Susan asks in sickly, sweet voice. Lucy's face becomes emotionless and I touch her shoulder. She shudders at the contact and struggles her way out of Susan's embrace. She walks across the room as quickly as humanly possible and shuts the door behind her with much care. Once the door 'clicks,' her footsteps are heard in the hall- At first slow but she picks up speed and bolts to her room. I stare at the door in complete shock, wondering what on earth just happened. "I wonder what's wrong with her," Susan says.
End of Flashback
Someone bumps into me and I fall to the ground, my black suitcase is knocked out of my hand. "My bad!" A petite brunette girl holds out her hand to help me up and I take it. She brushes off my blazer and hands me my suitcase. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to! I was pushed and...I guess you were too." She says nervously.
"No worries," I assure her. "It's not your fault but I do appreciate the help though." She gives me a wave and walks off. I try to break apart from the crowd but people keep shoving me farther into the mob. An eruption of "FIGHT, FIGHT!" ensues behind me and I stop to see what's going on. A cluster of people circle around something and I snake my way through to the front, curious.
2 tall, lanky boys pin a dark-haired boy against the wall and a bulky, blonde boy walks toward the three. I recognize them as 5th-years and I crack my knuckles in anxiety. The blonde gives the two a funny look and they nod. He punches the boy against the wall straight in the gut and the dark-haired boy grunts in pain as he's continually hit in the same spot over and over again.
"Edmund!" I holler as I run in between the boys. I pull the 2 stupid kids off Ed and face them. "Knock it off!"
They glance at me and snicker. The big one, who I presume is the head guy, stares at Edmund and starts to laugh. "What's wrong, Pevensie? Need a girl to fight for you?" A red tint is hinted on Edmund's face and I look at the blonde.
"Back off, kid. It's my job as a seventh year to watch over the underclassmen." The boy gives me a creepy look and I roll my eyes.
"Evalynn," Edmund mutters. "I can handle this myself."
"I know you can," I announce without breaking my gaze with the delinquent . "He just needs to learn his place." The crowd laughs at my provoking comment and I smirk.
"That's funny," the boy adds. "Because I'm pretty sure I'm not the American here." Behind us, "ooohhhhh's" are being wailed.
I put on a menacing look and put my hands on my hips. "So?" I say. "At least I'm not the dumbass here! You better respect your elders, little boy, before ." With that, the crowd goes wild and the boy shakes his head.
"Whatever. See you later, Eddie." They make their way in the other direction and people start to cheer; A kid hands his friend some money. I smile and put my arm around Edmund.
"You know," Edmund pipes. "You're really stupid for doing that. Parker could have killed you!"
"I highly doubt that. I'm a girl, 'Parker' would've had people tackle him to the ground if he even laid a finger on me!"
Edmund shakes the hair out of his eyes and chuckles. "Sure. He probably didn't lunge at you 'cause he probably thought you were pretty. He has a thing for older girls. He made a comment about Su and that's how the whole thing got started."
"You have got to be joking. That's revolting! Juveniles are not my type and I'm fairly certain they aren't Susan's either." I make a disgusted face and Edmund snorts. "Sooooo, is there anything you'd like to say to dear old Evalynn?
"You're crazy...But I'm glad you stood up for me." I laugh and we walk back to the pillar where I stood before.
"Evalynn! Edmund!" Susan cries as she runs towards us. I look around her and see no sign of her sister.
"What's wrong?" Edmund questions. "Where's Lucy?"
"That's the thing!" she pants. "I don't know where she went. I was reapplying my lipstick and Lu said she'd wait outside for me. When I walked out, she wasn't anywhere in sight!"
"Oh dear God." I sigh, smacking my forehead. "What a fantastic way to start off the year! We haven't even gotten to school yet we managed to lose your sister!"
"Hey, hey! We haven't lost her...yet. We just simply...misplaced her." Edmund suggests.
"Misplaced?" I burst. "Edmund, you misplace a hair brush. You misplace your homework. You don't misplace your little sister!"
"She could have decided to walk around?" Susan adds weakly.
"Or she could have been kidnapped!" I imply. "Right now, it doesn't matter! Your sister's missing and we need to find her before the train comes!" They agree and we break off. Edmund runs to where the fight happened moments before and Susan goes back in the direction she came from. I stand on my tiptoes and scan over the sea of blue and red uniforms. "Lucy," I call. "Lucy!" I circle the area, shoving my way through the mass.
A monitoring soldier taps on my shoulder and I spin around to face them. An aged face of a grey-haired man looks at me with sincere worry. "'Something the matter, dear?"
I anxiously nod. "Yes, sir. My friend lost her little sister and I'm trying to help find her."
"What does the girl look like?"
I look at him with appreciation and straighten up a little. "She's short, brown hair, wearing a uniform like my own, and she has freckles. Her name's Lucy Pevensie, sir."
He rubs his chin and eyes me. "Was she wearing a hat? Have her hair in 2 braids?"
"Yes, sir! That's her! Have you seen her?"
"Ah, yes. The girl, bless her. She was helping a woman carry her luggage up to the entrance. She'll probably-"
"Thank you so much!" I shriek, cutting him off. I dash towards the entrance and run up the steps.
"Be quick, miss! The train will be here soon!"
The sun pierces my eyes and I frantically search around. Cars pass by on the streets and people come and go in every direction. "Lucy!" I call again. "LUCY!"
A girl in the street with a lopsided hat turns around and waves. "Lynn! Lynn, I'm over here! Just one moment, I'll be right there! Just let me help Miss Jennings with her bags." She walks beside an elderly woman, a purse slung on her shoulder and a duffel bag in her left hand. Lucy escorts the woman through the street with a kind hand on the woman's back. I sigh, relieved she's alright and I stand beside a lamppost.
A loud horn honks and I jump. To my right, a car swerves from side to side on the street and the driver suddenly jumps out of the vehicle. People start to scream and everyone runs out from the way. My eyes widen and I look over to Lucy. Miss Jennings lies on the ground and Lucy is trying to pull her up. The unguided car goes in their direction.
"LUCY!" I scream at the top of my lungs. My legs carry me as fast as they can towards the two as the car gets closer and closer. Miss Jennings gets on her feet and starts to limp away with Lucy at her heels. "LUCY!" She turns around and right at that moment, Miss Jennings falls over again. I watch through my tears as the young girl with the biggest heart crouches down to attempt to get the woman back on her feet again. I hold my arms out in front of me and shove them both out of they way. Lucy's bright eyes meet mine and I smile. Something beneath me shatters, my right leg is swallowed in fire, and a lions roar fills the air.