Fearless • P. Pevensie

Lucy

The patter of footsteps running down the hall wakes me from a deep sleep. I've always been sensitive to sounds in the night, so I'm sat bolt upright within a few moments.

Lucy.

In a moment, my feet are landing on the wooden flooring of my room as I feel around in the dark. My hands finally land on a matchbook as I grab around the base of a candle. It takes me a moment to light it, but once I do, I'm off through the house.

The Professor and Mrs. Macready are heavier sleepers, I've learned. I've woken up with a little bit of a scream a few times from nightmares, and they've been none the wiser. Nightmares about monsters with horrific animal heads. Chasing me, following me down halls. Something burning. Everything burning. I open a door, and there's stillness on the other side. I try to run into it, but then I'm suddenly jolted awake. I'm always safely in my bed. But, the fear lingers for a few moments anyway.

The voices come to a head down the hall. Ahead of me, I watch as Susan and Edmund enter into the other bedroom. Lucy's voice is prominent as I finally get inside.

"You've been dreaming, Lucy." Susan dejects.

"But I haven't! I saw Mr. Tumnus again. And this time, Edmund went too." Lucy tells her older sister as Peter sits up in bed.

I become horrifically aware that I'm dressed in a simple nightgown. My robe is still sat hanging from a hook inside of my room. To combat this, I cross my arms over myself and avoid looking at Peter as if he's got Spanish Flu.

The four of us all turn to look at him.

"You...you saw the faun?" Peter asks Edmund, as Lucy sits on his bed beside him. The two of them look at Edmund expectantly, as Edmund and I exchange glances.

He shakes his head. I feel a tad bit of anger welling up inside me. Why would Lucy ever involve Edmund in this if she didn't actually see him? It doesn't make any sense. Unless, of course, she's truly dreaming. It's seeming more and more likely from a realistic standpoint. Though, there's still something about her belief that makes me second-guess myself.

"Well, he didn't actually go there with me. He..." Lucy looks concerned for a moment as she turns around to face the youngest brother. "What were you doing, Edmund?" She asks.

I wait a few beats. His face changes, as if he can't recall. Or as if he's making up a lie.

"I was just playing along."

I close my eyes, taking a small breath as I know his answer is only going to cause problems.

"I'm sorry, Peter. I shouldn't have encouraged her, but you know what little children are like these days. They just don't know when to stop pretending." He basically insults her, staring her down as I can't help but to feel bad for the girl.

Lucy cries, running off into the hall past me.

I'm the first one on her trail out of a mixture of my own maternal instincts, and the desire to not be berated by Macready in the dead of night. Lucy continues down the hall as I can hear at least two of her siblings behind me. Probably Susan and Peter, if I were to guess.

My eyes widen as Lucy runs into the Professor.

I try and stop in my tracks, but due to the wooden flooring of the house and the fact that I was in a dead sleep no more than five minutes ago, It's a lot easier said than done. I spill out in front of him as Lucy wraps her arms around his torso.

He looks up at me. I feel genuine fear as Susan and Peter come up beside me.

"You children are one shenanigan shy of sleepin' in the stable!" Macready's voice causing my head to snap over as she approaches. My stomach lurches with nerves as she seems to glare straight into my soul.