After the End (Narnia)

Chapter III - In the Footsteps of Ghosts

Susan awoke to a knock at the door. Throwing herself out of bed, she hurriedly straightened her clothes and washed the tear stains off of her face. Whoever was knocking at this ungodly hour - oh, it was actually a decent time - would pay for their crimes. The door opened to reveal a smiling young man holding a bouquet of flowers. His hair was dripping wet, but the poor boy looked like he'd just won the lottery. "I got these from across the city. I thought you might like them." The bright flowers seemed to bring light to the small room, and Susan accepted them gratefully.

Since leaving school, Susan had obtained a ridiculous amount of affection from boys. The attention was nice, but to her they had all seemed quite predictable. This particular boy had been doting on her since her school days, where she had often caught him staring at her from the boys' school across the road. He was a sweetheart, but all too clingy, and smelt oddly of musty rooms. "I know the weather isn't ideal, but there is a wonderful film being played just down the road," his desperate face made Susan almost pity him. "Not today, Ernest. I'm dreadfully sorry." Susan almost sighed at the pathetic look on his face.

With a small but broken smile Ernest stepped back outside, closing the door behind him. Susan knew that he would be back the next day. She shook her head as she began to change out of yesterday's clothes. It seemed that she had cried herself to sleep. Suddenly Susan knew what to do. It was still raining slightly, but a visit to the Professor's country manor was most likely in order. A spot of cleaning would give her something to focus on for the time being. Gathering her cleaning supplies, Susan stepped outside to hail a cab.

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The house was still a grand place, despite having been abandoned for many years. Susan had heard many rumours about the place after old Professor had moved out, including it being used as a convalescent home for soldiers, but she had only visited the place once since staying there as a child, and on that occasion her eyes had been too misty to observe anything much.

With surprise, Susan realised how beautiful the house was. As a child, the manor had seemed a scary, foreboding place, signifying the war and uncomfortable newness. Now, although obscured by overgrown gardens, the manor was a place of elegance and grandeur, a stately estate that seemed to say to itself "I deserve to be here". Susan marvelled at the ornate chimneys and the fine brickwork for a moment, before fumbling for the key.

Finally locating the ancient key from the confines of her coat pocket, Susan slid it into the lock, surprised at how cleanly it turned in its place. Opening the heavy wooden door, Susan slid inside and closed it behind her. Immediately the dusty air filled her lungs, and she coughed as she observed the room.

Every piece of furniture was draped in a white cloth, immaculate and silent, almost as if Diggory Kirke had simply left for a long holiday. Little things had been left in place, the ashes of a fire in the grate, a book on the side-table, a record ready to be played to her right. A further inspection of the house proved the other rooms to be much the same. The room the Pevensie siblings had slept in as children remained virtually untouched, the heavy dictionary Susan once read, still sitting on the shelf. A quick search found one of Lucy's shoes behind a cupboard and a nonsensical note written by Edmund underneath the dresser. Susan laughed despite herself. She had always wondered where that shoe had gone.

Cleaning supplies forgotten, Susan continued her journey through the manor. Little remnants of their time at the manor still lurked in corners, although it had been ten years since their arrival at the house. Susan found herself laughing at all of the memories made in the house, and for a short moment, she felt as if her siblings were with her. Oh, to be young again!

Finally there were only two doors left unopened - the wardrobe room, and the library. Susan walked to the least threatening of the two. The door to the library was a heavy, unyielding thing. Susan struggled to push it open, before encountering yet another round of sneeze-worthy dust. Rows and rows of musty tomes filled the shelves, sunlight streaming in through the stained glass. It was beautiful in an specific kind of way, Susan decided. This room seemed almost sacred, despite its obvious neglect.

A row of paper notes in a corner caught her attention. As she drew closer, Susan realised that they were documents and drawings, unceremoniously pinned to the ageing walls. What a peculiar collection! The seemingly random arrangement of paper seemed so out of place in the otherwise ordered room. On closer inspection, Susan noticed one common word. Narnia. Everything on the wall surrounded the topic, varying from experiences, drawings of the places 'inhabitants', and historical pieces. Diary entries dotted the collection, Diggory's, Eustace's and... Lucy's. Susan took one of the papers off of the wall with disbelief. The girlish handwriting was a note, all about Susan. It read:

15th of August, 1948

Dear Diary,

I am concerned about Susan. Ever since we first went to Narnia, she had believed that it was real. In fact, she had defended me when no one else had. But, you know diary, things are changing. She's stopped believing. Peter says it's just a phase, but I'm not sure. I wish things were the way they used to be. I wished we could just go back in the wardrobe, back in time. I wish Susan remembered Narnia, where she belongs. Come back Susan, come back.

Replacing the paper like it was on fire, Susan climbed upstairs to face the final room - the room containing the wardrobe that started it all. A small flicker of hope arose in her heart. Maybe she hadn't been dreaming. The doubt crept over her like a wave, slow and murderous in its path. Climbing into the wardrobe, she curled herself into a ball, waiting for what seemed like hours. The tears began to fall. Silly girl. It had all been a dream.

[Author's Notes]

Hey Readers! 

It feels like it's been forever, probably because it almost has (oops!). Believe it or not, I started the first draft of this story five years ago! Time has flown. 

So, here's the new and final version. I've worked really hard to try and ensure that the plot remains while slowing it down and adding a bunch of fluff to even everything out, cause isn't that what fanfiction's for?

Anyway, I plan to try and edit and upload at least once a week, but it really depends how busy I am. My summer break has filled up all too quickly, but I hope I'll have enough time to get this done.

I'll also be uploading a new book in the near future, which is an original mystery, written specifically for you guys! So, keep your eyes out for that. It's going to be great! 

Thanks for sticking by me for so long and coping with my twelvie writing. Love you all!

Sincerely,

The Author