𝙸𝚁𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴. ➪ 𝙴. 𝙿𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚎

𝚘𝚗𝚎

Edmund had been sat at the desk in his and Peter's bedroom, when he noticed Phillis walk into her own. The windows were perfectly aligned, so he could see what she was doing. She was crying, no, sobbing. She rested her head into her palms as her body shook. Bea, the chubby ginger cat, nestled into Phillis as she flopped down onto her bed. Edmund had noticed that Bea had become a useful source of comfort for the girl, since she lost her Narnian best friend, who happened to be a big cat. The sudden obsession with the family cat, despite the fear, didn't go unnoticed by Virginia. She shrugged it off, but it was just weird.
Monday rolled around and Phillis got up, changed into her Saint Finbar's school uniform and plaited her longish hair. As Elmer and Phillis left the house, so did the Pevensie children next door. Edmund was still in a mood after Susan had told him to be nice to Phillis today. Usually, Elmer and Peter would split off and walk one way, whilst the girls would go the other, leaving Edmund to tag along with whichever group he felt like tagging along with. That day, however, he decided to go a completely different way. With the extra time he'd gained, he bought himself some sweets with some spare pocket money.
Phillis and Susan migrated to a news stand, as Susan began to flip through the newspaper. Lucy had followed Peter, and Edmund had gone to the registry office, to see if there was a different recruiting officer in that day - there wasn't.

Phillis observed the busy London streets as Susan read an article in the Picture Post. A boy slid in next to the two girls, before plucking up the courage to speak to Susan. "You go to Saint Finbar's?" he said, trying to start a conversation.
"That's right," Susan nodded.
"I go to Hendon House. Across the road," he informed her. "I've seen you... sitting by yourself."
"Yes, well, I prefer to be left alone," Susan replied, as the boy glanced at Phillis before returning his gaze back to Susan.
"Me too. What's your name?" the boy asked and Phillis was confused as to why this boy wasn't getting Susan's hints.
"Phillis," Susan replied quickly.
"Susan!" the shout of Lucy Pevensie could be heard from the other side of London. The girl ran up to the two elder ones, catching her breath slightly before saying, "You'd better come quickly."
Phillis and Susan ran after the petite girl as they weaved in and out of traffic and lonely businessmen. Lucy dragged the girls into the underground, where a large crowd of schoolchildren were gathered. They were chanting as the three girls pushed through to get a clear view. Peter was being beaten and shoved by a group of boys. Elmer was stood at the side, another boy pressing some tissue onto his nose, blood seeping through. The eldest Pevensie boy made eye contact with the girls, Lucy gave him a worried look, whilst Susan and Phillis gave him one of disappointment. Phillis, thinking she was nimbler than she actually was, pushed her way through to Elmer. He was on the other side of the fight, however. A boy, a year or two older than herself, accidentally hit her in the face. His eyes went wide as he'd just hit Phillis Opal. She was popular amongst boys at Hendon House, despite being from Saint Finbar's. "Phillis, I'm so sorry," he began before she slapped him across the face, earning a giggle from Lucy and Susan.
"Watch where you're going, idiot," she snapped, before standing by her brother's side. She pulled out a fresh tissue, and began dabbing up the blood on his nose.
She sighed as Edmund pushed through the crowd, joining the fight too. It was sweet that he wanted to help his brother, but also very stupid as there were about five more boys than Peter. Edmund had an interesting approach to fighting, where he generally tended to just jump on anyone he could. "Edmund!" Lucy exclaimed.
Two of the boys pushed Peter's head over the platform as they began kicking him in the stomach. Phillis, taking matters into her own hands, grabbed one of the boys arms and shoved him out of the way, offering a hand to Peter. She helped him up, just as Edmund jumped onto another boy. A sudden whistle rang through the station, as two elderly soldiers broke up the fight, telling the boys to start acting their age. Edmund watched with jealousy-filled eyes as Phillis helped Peter adjust his uniform. She dusted off his shoulders, before following Elmer out of the station. Why couldn't she do that to him?
Susan, Lucy and Peter sat on one of the station benches as Edmund came and occupied the last spot. Elmer was now attempting to wash the blood off of the collar of his shirt, whilst Phillis lent against the walls of the station, a black eye forming. "You're welcome," Edmund snapped.
"I had it sorted," Peter rolled his eyes, standing up. "You need to stop getting involved."
He pointed at Phillis, who winced as she tried to furrow her brows. "Me?" she glared at the older boy.
"Yes. You're always trying to play hero, and you just end up getting hurt. It happened in Narnia, and it's going to happen here," he told her.
"Trying to play hero?" she repeated. "Excuse me, if you hadn't started a fight, my brother wouldn't have ended up with a bleeding nose. I was trying to make sure he was okay, when your problem hit me in the face. I hit him back, so what? I helped you stand up, so you didn't get your head sliced off by a train or end up with a broken rib. I'm not trying to play hero, Peter, I'm trying to protect myself."
"I wouldn't have ended up with a broken rib," he rolled his eyes.
"Whatever," she snapped. He totally would have ended up with a broken rib.
"What was it this time?" Susan asked, once Peter and Phillis were done arguing.
"He bumped me," Peter replied.
"So you hit him?" Lucy sighed.
"No. After he bumped me, they tried to make me apologise. That's when I hit him," Peter answered.
"Really, is it that hard just to walk away?" Susan sighed.
"I shouldn't have to. I mean, don't you ever get tired of being treated like a kid?" Peter said.
"We are kids," Edmund rolled his eyes.
"I wasn't always," Peter snapped, before sitting back down. "It's been a year, how long does he expect us to wait?"
"I think it's time to accept that we live here," Phillis spoke up, pressing the back of her hand to her eye in an attempt to soothe it.
"Phillis is right. There's no use pretending any different," Susan backed her friend up.
Phillis glanced up and noticed the annoying boy who wouldn't leave Susan alone approaching. "Susan!" Phillis whispered, before gesturing to the boy.
"Oh, no. Pretend you're talking to me," Susan said quickly.
"We are talking to you," Edmund replied.
Susan scoffed. Suddenly, Lucy jolted up. "Ow!" she screamed.
"Quiet, Lu," Elmer told her.
"Something pinched me," she exclaimed.
"Hey, stop pulling!" Peter yelled.
"I'm not touching you!" Edmund snapped.
Phillis felt a sharp pain in her thigh. "Ow, Edmund!" she exclaimed, moving away from him.
"I'm not-" he stopped, feeling it too.
"What is that?" Susan asked as the train sped past them.
"It feels like magic," Lucy grinned.
"Quick, everyone hold hands!" Susan instructed, trying not to blush as Elmer clung onto hers.
"I'm not holding your hand!" Edmund yelled at his brother.
"Just move," Phillis sighed, stepping in between the two brothers and gripping onto their hands. Edmund's were rather sweaty, but Phillis paid no mind to it. Posters began ripping off the walls, and the tiles began to tear away. Phillis squinted as she noticed what was the other side of the station wall, turn into a sky and a horizon line. Soon enough, they were stood in a cave, looking out onto a gorgeous blue sea, with a matching sky.
Lucy gave the two girls a mischievous look, before the trio raced towards the water. Phillis kicked off her shoes and pulled off her socks. The three jumped about in the water before the three boys quickly joined them. Elmer picked his screaming sister up before hurling her into the water. When she reemerged, her uniform was soaked, her hair was soaked. She sent a glare Elmer's way before splashing him back. Phillis helped Lucy up as she tripped. Edmund sent a tsunami of water her way as she returned it soon enough, laughing as she did so.

She had missed this place.