Sydney

It's impossible to describe the feeling of absolute unknowingness. I don't think I've ever, in my life, not known at all what was happening with me. The only times I had ever had out of body, unnatural experiences was when I was dreaming or when I was on drugs. So naturally, trying to think logically, I assumed that that guy… Sebastian? Had put something in my drink, a drug so extreme and unreal, that I actually felt the sunrays on my cheeks and was sure that what I felt beneath me, was grass. My body was completely relaxed, my breathing was slow and even. The scent of grass and lake and trees and fresh air almost overwhelmed me. It took my brain a second to remember what had just happened.

Sebastian "Bash" and I had been on that date that he had promised me. Had I had a drink? Yes, surely. Had I gone to the bathroom? No. When had he snuck anything into my tonic water? I scrunched up my eyebrows, but relaxed my forehead again quickly.

There was no point in worrying. Everything was fine. Was it mandrake? Deadly nightshade? I had never taken those deliriums, but I had heard of them and they weren't ones to make jokes with. What a dick.

Bash and I had been holding hands. Bash and I had been crossing the street. Bash had tried to pull me away from the truck that was sliding across the ice. Had Bash succeeded?

I clenched my fists, suddenly scared to open my eyes, although my heart beat was still ever so slow and calm and my breathing was floating in and out of my lungs, as if I were in a constant meditative state.

Maybe I wasn't buzzed. Maybe this wasn't some drug that was making the sun and the grass feel so utterly real. Maybe this was heaven? Immediately, I was sure of it. I was dead. Bash wasn't the villain here, he was a victim. Had he also been hurt? I tried to imagine the scene of my death, me laying on the ground, completely smashed by the truck, Bash next to the whole thing, bawling his eyes out, feeling guilty. "I should've jumped in front of her. This is my fault." I heard him say in my thoughts. What a hoarder. He didn't even like me.

"Peter!"

The sudden yelling would've normally made me jump, but I was still in my trance-like state. Still I wanted to see what was going on, so I tried to squint my eyes open. Prying them open, I was looking up at a completely blue sky between tree tops. Plants were growing all around me and I felt strangely secure, bundled up in plants and nature and tranquillity.

"Peter!"

I wanted to tell that girl to shut up. I was dead and done with life, so wasn't I allowed to get a little nap before having to explore the heavens. At least that's where I hoped I had landed – I had almost never done anything to hurt other people and I was a vegetarian. Plus, the orphanage took us to church every third Sunday and I thanked the Lord after every meal. Not that I believed in God, but if there was one and he had created heaven, then I should be in the right place.

I closed my eyes again and let the sunshine warm my face.

Steps were running up to me through the bushes. Somebody put their warm, rough hand on my forehead, then on my cheeks, then on my neck, checking for a pulse.

"Who is she? I've never seen clothes like that… anywhere," a masculine voice said.

I pried my eyes open again, mostly annoyed with these people. This time I really did get a fright. A young man was leaning over me. His blonde hair fell in front of his eyes, which were blue like the sky behind him. He was wearing a blue robe and brown leather boots that went to his knees and brown leather pants. And a crown. Jesus Christ.

He looked a little confused as I opened my eyes. Then another face appeared above me, a girl. Younger than I was, definitely, with crooked teeth and brown hair and freckles, but I couldn't recognize much else, because she was upside down from my perspective.

Along with my tranquillity, I had also lost any possible form of energy it seemed, so I couldn't even explain myself. "Hello," I muttered.

"She's alive," the girl breathed out, relieved.

"I am?"

The two exchanged looks.

"Can you sit up?" he asked me. I did, staring at his crown. Once I was sitting, I rubbed my eyes.

"Where are you from?" the girl asked me, mustering my clothes. I was wearing blue jeans, which strangely, had ripped on the knees and thighs and a black hoodie, which was much too warm here.

"London."

The guy raised his eyebrows, making his crown tilt.

"You're not from around here?"

I stared at him. "I'm from Europe. Great Britain. Planet Earth."

"How did you get here?" he asked, glancing back at the girl. She looked excited.

"I don't remember. I think I got hit by a truck. Which is why I am assuming that I am dead and this is heaven?" I paused, seeing that he looked a little confused.

"You're not dead."

"I disagree."

He looked at me from underneath his lashes. He was really, really attractive, I realized.

"You're the first human who has entered since us."

I crossed my legs. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, as far as we know, you're not on planet Earth. You're in a different dimension. A different… world, if you will.

"A different world," I echoed.

The girl sat down next to me, smiling. "Narnia."

"'M sorry?"

"Narnia. This is Narnia," she grinned widely. "I'm Lucy, this is Peter."

"And you're… the Queen?" I lowered my chin.

She smiled and nodded. She couldn't be much older than 12, but I decided not to question it for the time being.

"And you're the King."

Peter self-consciously pushed his crown back onto his head, so that it was sitting straight. "High King, actually."

I nodded. Okay. Cool.

"I'm Sydney," I said. "And I'm hungry."

Lucy grinned, as she seemed to do 99% of the time. She was cute though and I felt a liking for her growing in me. "You've come to the right people."