SELCOUTH - P. PEVENSIE (1)

I. Dépaysement

 Dépaysement - when someone is taken out of their own familiar world into a new one.

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Why are tears so cold?

And why must they come now?

The compartment was nearly as cold as her face. Though all around her families were saying goodbye, she was alone in every sense of the word. No one was physically there; no one was emotionally there. She was alone.

All Lilith Chapman had were her books, clothes and self. There was no money, no family, no good memories, no food. She had a notebook where she wrote her own stories and favorite words, her most treasured possession. That was it, that was all.

Scripturient: having a consuming passion to write. That was the word for her current feeling. Something she found useful in knowing all of these words was that she always had a way to describe how she felt. There was something for every situation, a sense of consistency. Unlike her previous life. Her foster parents were selfish jerks who only took her in for the money, treating her as if she were household help rather than their foster child. They took the first opportunity to get rid of her they could, sending her to the train station to be taken away. She seemed to be going to a professor's house, or at least that's what her tag said. Professor Digory Kirke. She wondered if any other children would be there. Maybe a girl her age?

"Pardon me, miss," A voice snapped her out of her reverie. A boy her age with blonde hair, a girl maybe a few years younger, a girl substantially younger and a boy a little younger all stood in the doorway to her compartment. They all had tags and bags in hand, and the little girl clutched the older boy's hand. "Are we all right to join you?"

"Yes, of course." Lilith replied, moving closer to the window. The family moved in, placing their things up on the shelves. Lilith pushed herself up further as the oldest boy sat next to her.

Boketto: the act of gazing into the distance vacantly without thinking. Another word. There was nothing more to do as she listened to the siblings bicker, not willing to involve herself in such conflict. She also tried to sleep, but it was to no avail. She just stared at the trees as the train sped past them.

"Miss?" the little girl was talking to her. She turned to look at her with a small smile, trying for comforting. It seemed to work, for the girl continued immediately. "What's your name?"

"Lilith Chapman. What's yours?"

"I'm Lucy. This is Susan, Edmund and Peter," she replied, pointing at each of her siblings in turn. All except Edmund nodded at her politely.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Are you going to the professor's house as well?" the older boy - Peter, as she had just learned - asked. She was slightly taken aback, not knowing exactly how he could know or guess that. He must have noticed her look of surprise, because a quick smile spread across his face as he pointed at her tag. "I read it when we came in."

"Well, then I suppose you know the answer, don't you?" her voice came out more snappish and impolite than she meant to, which she regretted instantly. His smile dropped a little before he caught it again.

"Yes, I suppose I do." His voice had become harder, and he looked away from her as soon as he said it. Her goal was not to put him in a bad mood or make him angry at her on their first day together, but apparently that's what she had done. Maybe she could have been a little nicer? Too late now.

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"You're it, then?"

The train had long since come to a stop. They were standing in front of a small carriage with one horse and one woman. She was a severe looking person; the wrinkles on her face were not caused by a smile or laughter, but very possibly by much yelling and frowning. She was surveying the five of them with minor distaste. If Lilith had to make an assumption, she would guess that the woman didn't like children.