The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Magical Rings

Chapter 5

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." – C.S. Lewis

Thomas's eyes follow the contours of Amanda's body. She's lying on the sand not far away from him. They both decided to go sleep as well, but he has trouble sleeping. He tries to get a better look, but it's too dark. He jolts when she suddenly turns around. 

"Are you cold?" Amanda asks.

"N-no, not at a-all." Thomas tries to steady his voice, but he's shivering too much. "N-no, you don't have to take i-it off," he says, when he realizes Amanda's taking off the jacket he gave her earlier. 

He sits straight as she stands up and sits down next to Thomas. She pulls a part of the jacket over his shoulders. This way they're both half covered. 

"Now we're both a bit cold," Amanda jokes.

The jacket seems to have other plans, as it immediately glides off her shoulder. Amanda tries it again and this time the jacket stays on her shoulder. She proudly looks at Thomas, but again the jacket glides off her shoulder, making him laugh.

"If you think this is funny, I'll just keep the jacket," she giggles.

Thomas takes the jacket off the floor and shakes the dust off of it.
Amanda looks at him in surprise when he suddenly puts his arms around her. He lays down and gestures her to do the same. Once they're both lying down, he pulls the jacket over himself and Amanda.

Amanda can feel his warm breath on her skin, making her heart thump in her chest. 

You can't feel these things. Stop it. He's not nice. He doesn't care about you. 

"Amanda?" Thomas whispers.

Don't answer him. Pretend like you're asleep.

"Amanda? I can tell you're still awake. Plus, no one falls asleep this fast."

A soft breath escapes her lips. "Reepicheep did."

"Okay. No one except for Reep."

"What do you want to know, Thomas?"

"Did you really forget everything that happened before Tashbaan?"

"I do remember a bit, but not much."

"What do you remember?"

Should I tell him?

"You can tell me. I don't expect you to trust me, but you can."

Maybe I should tell him. It's not like he can do much with this information anyway.

"There was this place with a lot of nature and— it was very beautiful. It did feel very strange, though. And there was this other girl, Macy. I think I already knew her as I remembered her name. But that's all I remember, really."

"I was eight when I fell off a cliff," Thomas blurts out.

"What?"

"I'm not from here. I lived in a country named England."

"Wait. Why are you telling me this? I thought you didn't trust me."

Thomas sighs. "I don't— I don't trust anyone, okay. But I don't know, I feel like I can tell you this."

"You can." Amanda turns around to face him. "What happened?"

"I was on a holiday with my parents in a country named Italy. We visited the most beautiful places, it was very impressing. The thing I remember most is a really big church, the Basilica di San Pietro. I wandered around the place for hours, feeling like I was in a very special place."

"Basilica di San Pietro. Hmm. Somehow that name sounds familiar."

"Do you think you've ever been there?" Thomas asks, surprised.

"I don't know. Maybe." She pauses for a second, then continues. "What happened then?"

"After we visited the church we went hiking in the mountains. That's when it happened. We were walking on top of a mountain, but I was way too curious and walked too close to the edge. At some point I lost my balance and fell. I remember closing my eyes, knowing this was the end of me. The strange part was when I opened my eyes again and I was suddenly in Tashbaan. First I thought I was dead, but after a while I figured I wasn't."

"So you're saying you somehow ended up in another town in another world without knowing how, even though you should have dropped dead?"

"Well, yes. It sounds pretty unbelievable if you point it like that."

"It actually makes a lot of sense."

"It does?"

"Yes, everything that has happened to me is strange and unbelievable. I don't see why I shouldn't believe your story."

"So you do believe me?"

"Yes."

∞∞∞∞  

Macy quietly sits in the tent next to Edmund. They were having a lot of fun during dinner, but Edmund's mood completely changed once they were finished. Macy doesn't exactly know the reason, but she thinks it has something to do with his little sister, Lucy. 

"Are you afraid we won't find Lucy?"

Edmund shrugs. "I don't know. I suppose we will. I'm just not sure we'll find her in time. I don't know what to do if—" Edmund swallows his last words. 

Macy feels very bad for Edmund. She takes his hand in hers and squeezes it. "It's going to be alright." For a moment she thinks he might pull away, but he doesn't.

"Thank you. For everything."

"That's okay. You don't have to thank me for that."

Something in Edmund's eyes seems to change. He gazes at her like she's the only thing around.
Her heartbeat rises as he strokes her arm with his fingertips. 

"E-Ed..."

"Shh." He puts his finger on her lips. 

Her eyes grow wide when his mouth suddenly reaches for her lips. Just as his lips touches hers, she pulls back. "What are you doing?"