Hope [Edmund Pevensie] (UNDER HEAVY RECONSTRUCTION)

Chapter 4

     February 3, 1936 

Deep within the tangled woods just outside of Finchley, a quintet of rambunctious children disturbed the peaceful slumber of the hibernating creatures. They were easily recognizable, their laughter a common sound within the neighborhood. Completely lost in their own chaotic world, none of them noticed the sun had begun its retreat to the other battlefield, leaving behind its colors as a token of remembrance. 

         "You're it Lu!" Edmund Pevensie shouted when his arm made contact with his younger sister's. 

Lucy let out a frustrated groan; in the hour or so they had been playing, she had been it 12 times. Her short legs were unable to carry her as far as the rest of her siblings, and her chest puffed from its lack of sufficient oxygen. 

Ashlynn, forever observant, purposely slowed her stride so the youngest could catch up. Lucy noticed the strange adjustment but chose to ignore it. She was exhausted after all. Ashlynn acted surprised when Lucy grabbed ahold of her sweater and announced the change in positions. Continuing to wear her mask, she grumbled in annoyance. Susan and Peter laughed at her frustration and relaxed against the nearby trees. They knew Ashlynn only had one target. 

The black haired boy had darted further into the tree line before Lucy had touched the blonde. He too knew he was Ashlynn's sole purpose. He could hear her surprisingly graceful footsteps approaching, their volume increasing as the distance decreased. Ashlynn had always been the faster runner. He used to think she had wings hidden somewhere alongside her halo, completing her identity as an angel. 

Ashlynn should've seen the branch. Her normally observant vision had tunneled around Edmund, turning the rest of her surrounding into nothing but ink. Her determination to capture her prey led her straight into a trap. Colliding full speed with the surprise wood, she felt her forehead split upon impact. The floor swayed beneath her and her legs were no longer able to hold her up. Falling flat onto the freezing powder, Ashlynn gazed at the blurry sky. 

Edmund heard the thud and knew something was wrong. Halting his departure, he adjusted his course back towards the blonde. He noted her figure laying vertically on the ground and immediately rushed to her side, calling his brother's name. He panicked when he was the crimson flowing across the young girl's perfect skin, his cries becoming more desperate. 

          "Ash?" He asked, taking her cold hand. "Ash, can you hear me?" 

Ashlynn's eyelids fluttered. Edmund's words were entering her mind, but she didn't have the strength or ability to reply. The trees entered in and out of focus, like a camera trying to find an invisible subject. Her forehead felt warm while the rest of her body continued to freeze against the ground. 

Peter Pevensie liked to be prepared. He was the protector of the family, ready for any enemy to strike. Unfortunately, all his preparation went out the window when he saw Ashlynn's body.