Battle of Fear and Trust

Dreary England

For a moment I was standing among Narnians and Telmarines taking in the lovely air of Narnia. Now my sibling and I stand in a cold and wet train station surrounded by other school children. I could smell the burning coals of the train that has just stopped in front of us.

I sigh, noticing the stiff sleeves of my red jacket as I look at my surroundings. Everything is dimmer here, maybe because it is in a tunnel as opposed to being outside, but then again, even outside, England always seems dull compared to Narnia.

"Come on, we have to get on the train before it leaves," I say before grabbing my suitcases. My siblings are doing the same. Once we got all our bags, we quickly get on the train.

"Well, now we're off to a new adventure; one of sitting behind desks and listening to long lectures full of possibly useless information," Edmund says, as the train starts to move.

"Oh, surely it's not that bad," Lucy says.

"Lucy, there's a reason they call it a boring school," Edmund tells her.

"You mean boarding school Ed," I say, maybe a little too harshly, but I am in no mood for his humor.

"I know what I said."

I roll my eyes at my little brother as he starts searching through his bag "Oh, bother! I left my new torch in Narnia" he says, and Lucy and Peter laugh, "How am I going to explain this mum?"

"You could tell her the truth," Peter says, smiling, or at least he tries to, but he only manages a small smirk.

"Oh sure, right after I tell her how many times I almost got killed. Maybe it would be better to tell her how many times you almost died," Edmund shot back.

"At least we don't have to worry about that anymore," I say calmly, causing my siblings to look at me, "There's no sense in us standing around. We should find a place to sit."

I walk to an empty carriage and put my suitcase in the compartment. Sure, it was not a long ride to the school, but I didn't want to carry it for an hour. It would be too tiring, and I had already carried it all day. I sigh and sit down by the window, staring at the buildings of London; many were still in ruins from the war that wouldn't end.

"It's going to be alright Su," I hear Peter say next to me. He must have followed me.

"How can you be so calm about this? Narnia was our home and now..." I feel my tears fall and Peter sets down beside me. I lean my head on his shoulder and he wraps his arms around me. We stayed like this for a while, mourning the place we both loved. The place that we lived in and fought for. "It was foolish to think we could stay," I whisper. After all, why should we stay in a world we're not born in?

"I wish we could have too," Peter says softly, and I almost hear the sorrow in his voice, "but we have a life here too. I mean, there's mum and friends at school. The war will be over someday and then dad will be home again as well."

If he makes it through this war. I tell myself. He's been gone for two years and there have been so many deaths in this war. "Aslan said it's time for us to live here. Sure, England will never be Narnia and we definitely won't be royalty here, but that doesn't mean can't live an extraordinary life here too." Peter tells me.

"How could Aslan just leave?" I ask. Aslan. My heart sinks just thinking about him and his sad eyes. His eyes always made me feel safe and happy. But he was a world away and I'll never see him again.

"He didn't leave us; he said he was in this world too," Peter reassures me. But where is he? I think.

"How do you know he's here?" I snap "I mean, look at the buildings outside and the soldiers we saw come on the train! Peter, if he's in this world, why would he let this war go on?" I add while staring at more buildings, are at least what was left of them. Narnia was filled with magic and wonder. What is there in this world besides heartache?