Someone is invisible. (Metaphorically or literally, take your pick.)


He couldn't be heard.

He couldn't be seen.

All he could do was stand there and scream silently as the White Witch led Edmund up the steps.

Why had he let his brother go astray like this?

I was too hard on him. I should have protected him.

"Come with me, dear boy," the Witch was saying, as she stepped beyond the main doors and disappeared from view. "You belong to me now." It was like she was leading a lamb to a slaughter-house. Edmund made to follow the witch. But before he disappeared into the palace completely he looked over his shoulder. Lingering. Looking.

"Stop!" Peter cried soundlessly, waving his arms. "Edmund! Don't! She'll kill you!" But though Edmund's scanning eyes passed over him, they did not stay.

"Please, Ed, I'm sorry!" Peter was frantic; his arms beat against the air like windmills. Why can't he see me? "Edmund!"

But Edmund didn't respond. His eyes seemed sad as he turned away and disappeared inside, and a sinking feeling grew within Peter's stomach. He's gone.

But there was no time to grieve.

"PETER!"

Susan's scream cut through him like a knife, and he spun quickly. The girls. He had forgotten the girls.

Susan and Lucy were just a few yards away, backed against a tree. And a wolf was slowly crawling towards them. No, Peter thought to himself, this isn't happening. That wolf should be dead; he had killed it only yesterday. He reached for the sword that Father Christmas had given him, but was horrified to find it gone.

"Where's Peter?" Lucy was looking around desperately as she clung to Susan. "Won't he come?"

"I'm right here!" Peter cried, but the girls didn't look up; their expressions remained ones of pure terror. Lucy buried her face into Susan, too frightened to look at the wolf anymore. "Peter's supposed to protect us, Susan!" she sobbed. "Mum made him promise!"

"It's alright, Lu," Susan said, her face ashen as she tried to be brave for her sister. Then, as if repeating it would make it true: "You're alright. You're alright."

Peter reached desperately for a large stick. "Hey!" he shouted at the wolf, "hey! Come and get me!"

The wolf didn't even register his existence. It bared its fangs, preparing to sink them into Susan and Lucy. Peter tried to run forward and hit the wolf, but he wasn't moving fast enough. It was as if he was trying to run through tar.

The wolf pounced.

Peter stopped short, then looked away in horror as slowly their screaming stopped. Despair swallowed him up like a ravenous beast until all he could hear was the echoing of his mother's voice. Take care of them! I asked you… Peter, I asked you…

He threw himself to the ground. He never cried. He never cried, so why did he find himself sobbing? I failed. I failed.

I'm so sorry, Mum.

From far away, the Lion roared.

And then Peter woke with a gasp.

He bolted upright in his tent, his heartbeat thudding in his ears. Save the dim moonlight outside, all was dark. A gentle breeze was making the folds of his tent billow in and out. Across the room, Edmund was sleeping peacefully.

Just a dream, Peter told himself, his breath coming shakily as he lowered himself back into his hammock. You're in Aslan's camp. We have Edmund back. The girls are safe. You're alright. And before he closed his eyes again, he added-

We're all alright.