-Y/N-

I trudged my feet across the sidewalk. The sun was barely out, and the weather was bleak. Small mist hung in the air around me. It would soon turn into rain. Typical Seattle weather. I kept my hood up, adjusted my backpack, and followed the hoard of kids walking to school. The music in my earbuds was soon ignored to background noise.

The bell rang just as I sat down in my first period class, I sighed, taking out my materials. I only had a couple friends, and even those were not in this class. Perhaps I'd see them at lunch...

Somehow the hour slowly passed, and the class was over. I repeated this over and over until it was lunch time. The day seemed like any other. Boring. Dull. The same thing over and over again.

But lunch would change that.

I walked over to my usual table with my friends sitting across me. They were half eating and half studying for a test in another class. It gave me the perfect opportunity to ditch them for today. I loved them with all my heart, but today I just didn't feel like interacting with them.

"Is it okay if I go to the library today?" I asked both of them. One of them nodded and the other waved me off. None of them took their eyes away from their work. So, I walked off to the library.

Ah... the library.

Filled to the brim with all my favorite adventures.

I could be a daring pirate.

A trapped princess.

A hot assassin.

I could have an enemy.

I could have a fairy as my best friend.

I could be anything and anyone.

These were my real friends. Although strange to admit, I had found a home in these pages. What seemed like ink on a page were actually people I had grown attached to. Places I yearned to go. I could sit on my chair but be transported to an entirely new location.

I walked over to the counter, looking around for the librarian.

"Mr. Carter?" I called out, peeping behind the counter. There seemed to be a man standing with his back facing me. He turned around. I expected to meet Mr. Carter's warm brown eyes, his crinkled smile, his silky brown hair.

Instead, an old man turned to face me. His hair was a mane of golden wisps. His eyes darker, somehow... eternal. The wrinkles on his face were for some reason... symmetrical? He reminded me of... a lion?

"Ah Y/N." The old man nodded to himself, walking over.

"How do you know my name?" I asked, stepping ever so slightly back.

The old man's smile didn't fade. "Mr. Carter, your usual librarian left a note saying you usually come by the library." He explained.

"Oh... well I was here to pick up a book I had a hold on." I brushed off my suspicion. The old man was just a substitute teacher.

"Ah, of course. I have just the thing." The old man rummaged in a few drawers and pulled out a book. But this book had no cover, it was simply leather bound. He reached over, extending the book to me. I took a hold of it and assessed it. The leather was cool to the touch. It wasn't a large book but seemed to weigh heavier than the ones I usually read.

"Nar...Narnia?" I read the gold lettering on the side of the book out loud. I had never heard of such a book. What was a Narnia? "I don't think this is the book I asked for..." I said, looking back up at the old man.

"I'm certain this is the one you are destined to read." The old man urged.

"But Mr- I'm sorry I don't know your name."

"You can call me 'Mr. A' for now." The old man said.

"Okay, Mr. A, I really do insist that you give me the right book. I need it for a report I have to write for my English class." I protested.

"Y/N, I'm sure Mr. Carter would want you to read this book. If you find it unsatisfactory, you can return it tomorrow. But I urge you to at least... flip through the pages." There was a certain twinkle in his eyes when he finished his sentence.

I wanted to argue a bit more, but the old man seemed persistent. He was unusually calm, acting as if he had all the time in the world to go back and forth with me. I nodded and started to open the flap of the book to turn to the first page when Mr. A interrupted, "Ah, I think it would be best not to open it here, perhaps at home." He stopped me.

It was peculiar. He was peculiar. The book was peculiar.

"Okay..." Was all I could say. He gave me a nod and turned back around. All I could do next was thank him and exit the library, clutching the book in my hands.

Somehow the mystery of the book feared and excited me at the same time. What would I find in its pages that I couldn't open right now? Was it something obscene? Or was it something secretive? I could only wait until school ended to figure that out.

---

The clock that ticked in my classes seemed to move at an infinitely slower pace for the rest of the day. I had kept the book in my backpack. Although it was a physical burden, it was almost as if I could feel the burden on my mind. But I kept it closed and unopened. Although I was tempted several times to give it a little peek, I didn't indulge.

I was thinking about it all the time. Especially in my last period. Every now and then I'd glance up at the time, then looked down at my closed backpack. I unknowingly drummed my fingers on the table. I didn't notice until someone's hand covered mine.

"Can you stop that?" The boy asked. I looked up to meet his green gaze. It was Cole, my table partner.

"Sorry." I mumbled, retracting my hand and putting it in my pocket. I glanced up at the time. 5 minutes remaining until class was over.

"It's okay." Cole nodded. "You seem tense, is everything good?"

"Uh yeah... I need to finish some missing work when I get home, I'm just a little stressed." I lied. I felt like I had to somehow hide and protect the book. I didn't tell anyone about it yet. Some voice inside of me stopped me from doing so.

"Oh okay." Cole replied. He paused for a moment, then started talking again. "Hey Y/N, you know the winter dance that's coming up?" He began.

Of course, I knew the winter dance. It was the one time in school where the girls were supposed to ask the guys to the dance instead of the other way around. People thought it was an ode to breaking the "traditional norms". I didn't particularly enjoy these things. It's not like I hated them, but I didn't like them either.

"It's coming up in a few weeks, isn't it?" I confirmed. He nodded, fiddling his hands in his laps.

"Yeah. I know the rules, but I was wondering if-"

Ding!

The bell rang and I sprang up to my feet. Swiftly I started placing all my items in my backpack, rushing to get out of here. "I'm sorry Cole, I really have to go right now. But hey, we'll talk later?" I didn't wait for him to respond before I turned on my heel, practically sprinting out of the classroom.

I rushed outside, feeling the cool air on my face. My home was only a walk away, so I forced my legs to carry me faster. I pushed through the crowds. I think I heard someone calling my name behind me, but I ignored them. Whatever was going on could wait.

I made my way to the house, fumbling with the keys as I entered in. My father and mother should be at work...unless-

"You're home sweetie?" I heard my mother call out.

I groaned internally but kept my voice light. "Yes mom, I've just got tons of work to do so I'm going to be upstairs in my room." I informed her.

"Okay, no worries." She called back. I sighed in relief. Usually, she'd ask me about school or inform me of my chores to do. But today was lucky I guess.

I ran up the stairs and went straight into my room. I closed the door behind me and dropped my backpack. I opened the zipper and took the leather-bound book out. I sat down on my bed then realized I was still in my school clothes. They were wet and soggy from the weather. I sighed, placing the book on the bed.

I changed into some sweatpants and a black tank. I took the time to catch my breath, wash my hands, and calm down. I grabbed a protein bar from my bedside table and opened it. I sat down against the headboard of my bed, snuggling in my blanket. I took a bite out of my bar before opening the book.

Without meaning to I held my breath as I flipped to the first page. On the first page were...

Words.

I was slightly taken aback. With all the mystery wrapped around the book, I had somewhere along the line thought it would have something different. But it had normal black ink, written in English, across the page.

I adjusted myself and peered at the words. Perhaps it was what was written that would be interesting. And so, I started reading.

Narnia is a mystical land created by the great lion, Aslan, and is filled with talking animals and mythical creatures. Narnia is adorned with rolling hills rising into low mountains to the south and is predominantly forested except for marshlands in the north.

Ah so Narnia seemed to be a place, I noted. A wind seemed to waft through my bedroom window. It was warmer than the usual Seattle wind, but I ignored it and kept reading.

The region is bordered on the east by the Eastern Ocean, on the west by a great mountain range, on the north by the River Shribble, and on the south by Archenland.

I could almost hear the waters of the river. I could hear the waves crashing. Perhaps it was just the rain outside my window adding to my imagination.

The Great River of Narnia enters the country from the northwest and flows to the Eastern Ocean. At its mouth lies Cair Paravel, the seat of High King Peter the Magnificent and his siblings: Queen Lucy the Valiant, Queen Susan the Gentle, and King Edmund the Just.

The rain pattering outside seemed to only get louder. I tried to ignore it, but when I looked up, some of the water had entered my bedroom. I yelped and set the book aside, immediately standing up. I strode over to the window where the wind was relentless, and more water was rushing in my room. I had never seen anything like this. I closed the window and watched the rain thrash onto the pane.

Rain couldn't break through a window, I assured myself.

I turned around to go back to my bed. But I had barely made it to the foot of my bed before I heard glass break behind me. I turned around in fear to see the water was now openly spilling into my room, flooding the entire place.

Rain couldn't do that.

"Help!" I screamed, running over to my bedroom door. I rattled the doorknob, but it did not budge. The water was only rising and now was up to my knees. I looked at my window and could only see deep blue water. It was as if my room had been lowered into the ocean. Surely my mother would notice the noise. The storm? Something? Anything!?

I waded in the water and went over to my phone. If only I could reach it and call 911. But the water was rushing, and it made me lose my balance. I tripped, splashing in the water. I thought it would be cold, but the water was surprisingly warm. I crawled on my knees to get to my phone. I made it all the way across my room to my dresser. I grasped the phone in my hand, the water now up to my shoulders.

I reached my arms above the water to type in the number. 9...1...My head got pushed under the water. I dropped my phone and used my hands to keep me afloat. I let my head up out of the water, taking in a gulp of air before the water pushed me under again. I tried to look around in the water, but it was murky and bubbly. I closed my eyes, unable to keep them open any longer.

By now my entire body was submerged. I was immediately grateful for the swimming lessons I had taken. Even without my eyesight, I knew one simple rule that applied to any body of water.

Swim up and you reach the surface.

So, I used my arms and legs to pull my body upwards. I thought I should've hit the ceiling of my room, but I kept swimming upwards without any obstacles. A weird sense settled in me... it made me feel like I was in a larger place than just my bedroom. The water was getting saltier.

But before I could think that I was trapped in an endless ocean; I felt my arms break the surface. I pulled my head up and gasped, taking in the air. I squinted at the shining sun.

This was not Seattle.

I didn't have much time to observe my scenery before another wave came crashing down.

"Help!" I yelled out before becoming submerged again. It was hopeless and stupid to scream for help. From what I could deduce, I was somehow in the middle of an ocean. There wouldn't be anyone from miles around. I pushed upward again, trying to see if there was an island nearby. I think I saw one, not far away. "Help!" I waved my arms around before I was once again submerged.

An island nearby may have people on it. It was the barest glimmer of hope, but it was all I could manage right now.

As my head broke the surface again, I thought I saw four figures in the distance. I thought I heard some laughter. But maybe I was just hallucinating with the amount of sea water I had inhaled. "Please help!" I screamed out once again.

When I entered the water this time, my limbs were too tired to keep me afloat. I tried to keep my legs kicking but they had gone numb. As a last resort, I raised my arms above the water, waving them.... Or at least trying to.

My lungs felt like they were about to explode. I couldn't hold onto my breath much longer. I could feel myself slipping away, getting more unconscious. Right when I dropped my arms I started to sink.

Dread filled me as I felt my own life slip away from me.

And then... I felt a tug on my arm. I felt a grip on my waist. And then suddenly my nose was unclogged, and air entered my lungs. I gasped in response.

"Don't worry." I heard someone say. I think they were carrying me. I could do nothing but let my head rest on their warm chest. The sun glinted and burned through my closed eyelids. I could feel myself being lifted through the water and then lowered onto the sand.

"Is she okay?" I heard a young girl's voice.

"Who is she?" Another girl asked.

"What is she wearing?" A boy commented.

"Give her a second, she just needs to take in more oxygen, and she'll be fine." Another boy chimed. He was right. As crisp air filled my lungs, my other senses started to return. I could feel the wet clothes hugging my body. I could feel the soft sand beneath me.

Slowly I opened my eyes, trying to sit up. As I focused, I saw four people in front of me.

"Where...where am I?" I coughed and managed to say.

"You're in Narnia of course." The youngest girl replied with a smile.

Narnia?

That was... that was the name of my book! The one I had been reading back home.

"No no, it can't be. Narnia is a made-up place. I'm from Seattle." I told them. Confusion spread across all their faces.

"Could she have arrived here like we did... from the real world?" The older boy looked towards the older girl.

"Seattle? Is that near London?" The older girl asked.

"London? No, Seattle is in Washington. In the United States." I explained.

"You're from the States!" The little girl squealed.

"How did you get here?" The older girl asked.

I was overwhelmed with the questions, but I tried my best to answer them. "I- I was just reading a book. A book about Narnia actually. And suddenly water filled up in my room. The whole thing was submerged and the next thing I knew I was in the middle of the ocean!" Panic filled me as I started talking and realizing where I was.

I wanted to go home, a small voice piped inside of me. I felt like a little vulnerable girl. I couldn't help it.

It seemed like the older girl sensed my discomfort.

"We know how you feel. It's going to be okay. My name is Susan." She said warmly.

"I'm Lucy." The younger girl piped up. "This is Edmund." She pointed to the dark-haired boy. "And this is Peter, he's the one that pulled you out of the water." She pointed to a blond-haired boy. He hadn't said a word to me yet. His gaze unnerved me ever so slightly.

"I'm Y/N." I introduced. "How do I get back?" I immediately asked.

I know I always said that I wanted to have an adventure, but it was a different feeling when I was actually living it as opposed to just reading it. I'd much rather enjoy this from the comforts of my home.

"You can't until Aslan decides it. For now, you're stuck in Narnia." Susan shrugged.

"B-but, I have to go back. I have school, and tests, and projects, and-" Lucy put up a hand to stop me from talking.

"Time stops when you're here." She said. "It'll resume when you go back, it'll be as if you never left." She assured me. "For now, you can stick with us." Lucy extended a hand. I looked between all of them, deciding what to do.

I could decline their offer. I could try and stick up for my own here. But I think I'd be much safer if I stayed with them. They seemed to know their way around this odd place. I took Lucy's hand and stood up.

"You guys seem familiar." I noted, crossing my arms and shivering. I had forgotten I was still in a tank top which was now soaking wet. They started treading away. I kept a short distance behind them, racking my brain trying to remember. I felt like I had seen their names before...

"Wait!" I stopped in my steps. Peter and Susan turned back. Lucy looked at me. Edmund was in the middle of taking off his coat, but he too paused for a moment.

"You're... you're King Edmund... the Just." I pointed at Edmund. The words were flowing into my mouth, the memories suddenly appearing. The book had mentioned these people. "You're Lucy the Valiant." I looked at Lucy. "You're Susan the Gentle." I pointed at Susan. "And you're-" I turned to face Peter who had walked closer silently; I almost bumped into him not realizing how close he'd gotten.

"And I'm...?" He asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. His gaze unnerved me even more with how close he was.

"You're High King Peter...the Magnificent." I gulped.

He didn't respond but his smile grew ever so slightly. "This should keep you warm." He said, reaching behind me and draping something over my shoulders. He stepped back and joined his siblings. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until he was farther away from me. I cleared my throat and looked at all of them.

"You're all the siblings who rule Narnia." I announced, recounting my book. "You're the Kings and Queens of Old."

"You're right, we're the Pevensies." Edmund nodded.

"But I don't remember any ruins in Narnia...?" Lucy pointed upward at the rubble atop one of the cliffs overlooking the ocean.

"Let's go check it out." Edmund started walking off. Lucy tilted her head, urging me to follow as Susan and Peter started walking too. I shouldered Peter's jacket, pulling it closer to feel its warmth and followed them.

My life in Seattle seemed ages away... almost like a distant dream. At first, I thought this place was a dream. But Narnia seemed like a shocking reality. Everything here was vivid, and bright, and... so realistic. But after multiple pinches and failed attempts of waking up, I had to come to terms with the fact that this was all happening. For real.

What had I gotten myself into?