The Next Right Thing

18

"Many fall down," the warden replied, "and few return to the sunlit lands. Make you ready to come with me to the Queen of the Deep Realm."

The Earthmen walked in a single file line.

The warden stopped in front of the four and Eustace asked, "What would she want with us?"

"I know not, young insolence," the warden replied. "Her will is not to be questioned, but obeyed. Well, stand up." The four stood as two Earthmen came towards them. "Now!"

They were led away and Cara couldn't shake the wary feeling, no matter how hard she tried.

They were led through a dark tunnel with only a handheld lamp for light.

Jill stopped and turned to the others before crying out, "I can't! I can't! I can't go into their kind of world!"

"You swore to the others!" the warden reminded her.

"You don't understand," Eustace said. "She hates being underground. She hates being in dark, enclosed spaces like this."

"You must go on."

Jill tried to shake them off when they grabbed her.

Cara placed a hand on Jill's shoulder. "We're here with you. If you feel scared, feel free to take my hand."

Jill nodded slowly as Puddleglum said, "I tell you what. I'll go first and you can hold onto my heels or Cara's hand, or both, and Scrubb can go behind you and he'll gold onto your heels and that way it won't be too bad."

Jill let out a small sob and looked down.

"I felt just like you do up on that clifftop when we first came here," Eustace told Jill, causing her to look at him. "Come on, you must try."

Jill let our a frustrated sigh and took Cara's hand. They continued their trek. Puddleglum was in front, Jill and Cara were in the middle holding hands, and Eustace was in back.

As they ducked to avoid hitting the ceiling, Puddleglum said, "There is one good thing about being underground."

"What's that?" Eustace asked.

"You don't get any rain."

"No."

They heard rushing water and soon passed a small waterfall as they emerged from the narrow, enclosed, short path.

Cara looked around at the rocks that had been adorned and the colours surrounding them. Puddleglum said something, but she couldn't make out what it was due to how loud the sound of rushing water was.

They carefully walked through, still following the warden.

Eventually, they came to a man with light surrounding him.

Puddleglum leaned closer to the warden and asked, "Who is that old fellow?"

"That is old Father Time," the warden replied, "who was once a King in the Overland. Now he has sunk down into the Deep Realm and lies dreaming of all the things that are done in the Upper World. They say he will wake."

"When?"

"At the end of the world." They continued walking. "Many sink down and few return to the sunlit lands."

There was a strange sound and Puddleglum started freaking out.

Jill and Cara asked, "What's the matter?"

"I'm a Marsh-wiggle!" Puddleglum cried. "I'm a Marsh-wiggle! I need- I need the sky and the wind. I need the sun. I need one of these! I need the sun, otherwise I can't take any more of this!"

"Yes you can, Puddleglum!" Jill told him.

"Need the sun!"

"You can do it. We're with you. We can't be long now."

"I need the sun."

"Shh!"

Cara smiled. "You'll see the sun and feel the gentle breeze soon enough, Puddleglum."

"Oh, I need the sun," Puddleglum said again.

Once again, Jill shushed him. "Shh!"

Cara glanced at the girl. "That isn't helping him."

"Come on, come on. Don't cry."

Jill and Cara held Puddleglum's arms as they walked with him and Eustace followed behind.

As they continued walking, Jill said, "I'm so thirsty. So thirsty."

"Don't worry, Pole," Eustace told her. "I'm sure we'll find water soon."

"No, that's all right."

They soon reached a lake and saw a boat in the water. Earthmen were working on and around the boat.

"Look," Eustace said. "Water! Come on. Come on!" He started running, and the others followed.

"What are you doing?!" the warden cried. "Stop there! Stop! Stop!"

The four companions ignored the order and ran to the boat.

The warden followed and said, "We're so tight now. Never saw the balls. All right."

Eustace and Cara turned to see rhe emblem of a woman with snake hair on the stern and the former asked in a displeased tone, "Is that the person you're taking us to?"

"Person? Hippias child. She's the Queen of all this vast underworld. So creatures of the Overworld, go on boat! Move!"

Cara came to the conclusion that going on the boat was not a smart idea.

Eustace came to the same conclusion and yelled, "I'm not going anywhere in the her banner!"

"Insolence!" the warden cried. "She is the Queen and must be obeyed without question. Come!"

Cara stared at the warden, then looked at the Earthmen with a frown.

The Earthmen, followed by Puddleglum, began walking past Eustace, Jill and Cara.

Eustace and Cara were grabbed and the two yelled, "Don't touch me!" They were taken onto the boat. "Get off me!"

The warden ordered for the rowers to row, and soon the boat was moving across the water.

Cara watched as the land grew further and further away. As they journeyed further into the pitch black, she was filled with an odd sense of hope despite the current predicament.