Could Have, Should Have, Didn't - A Narnia Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty-One: Goodbye And Hello

Cheery. In his mind, that would've always been the word he used to describe America, though he'd never seen it.

Everyone always said it was the greatest place on planet Earth. Bright and airy and blue and wonderful and big. But not so big that it would be unwelcoming. No, he'd thought it would be a land with a welcome feel to it. Full of love and happiness.

Of course, why shouldn't it have been? Susan had always described it as wonderful, all he'd heard about it were good things.

Yet his opinion on the broad country had changed the minute they'd sailed into the waters, the ones that felt the same under the boat. Docked at land, but unable to exit the horrid boat. Unable to get to their families, even when being so close.

A country illustrated as so good. A country that wouldn't even let a sick child through to their mother because they could contaminate others.

Then finally, Edmund and Lucy and the rest were allowed to go; after the first-class citizens had gotten off, of course. After the people who weren't immigrants got off.

Once on deck, after three agonizing days of simply waiting, with the warm wind fluttering across everyone, he'd seen the Statue of Liberty, mint in hue and towering in size, intimidating; not so welcoming. A flick of his gaze a lot more feet down, and he'd seen Ellis Island— dull green trees and bushes surrounding the buildings.

Small, but at least that wasn't where they were staying. That was just where they'd been sorted. Sorted. With tags and nods and lines. Checked. To make sure they didn't carry weapons or substances or diseases.

He knew that none of them carried any of this, but when he'd tried to speak up, they'd been angry and told him to shush.

So he had, not because he'd miraculously changed in personality, but because he wanted his family and friends to get safely to where they were going. To see their families again.

Then they'd been processed. Then they'd waited.

And after all of that, they'd gotten back onto the boat and sailed to their final destination. America. New York.

More hours, then they'd be able to get off of the boat.

Those hours were up.

Edmund scrambled with the three suitcases he held, watching as everyone shoved and cursed to get in line ahead of anyone they could.

They hadn't gotten any sleep, and it was dawn, making everyone grumpy. The minute it had been announced they were to form a line, everyone was running to gather everything; smothering any late stragglers to the side or jamming them to the floor.

Nothing mattered when it came to who went first, manners were tossed away, and only the need to get there first outweighed everything.

Thank goodness Lu had woken him up early and had convinced the rest to finish packing. Now they had a pretty okay place in the line, not too far from the front, not near it either but, not as far as some.

A slender man in a pin-striped suit with near black eyes picked up his luggage, consoling his frantic son with a piece of heavenly candy.

Candy that would sure taste good right now. He held his stomach to try and make the urge go away.

"I wonder if America will be any better then London?" Edith asked, swinging her suitcase around her legs.

Noise threatened to drown out her voice.

Timothy upped his chin. "The people don't seem an ounce friendlier, but, maybe I'm judging too harshly, after all, we haven't arrived in New York yet, only Ellis Island, maybe the mainland will be kinder."