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Chapter Two

After enjoying my breakfast, I hurried to my room complete my homework. Before I knew it, I heard my mother calling me from the kitchen, “Anne, it’s time for lunch! Please come to the kitchen!”

“Alright mom, I’m coming!” I called, hurriedly trying to finish my last math problem.

Yes, I finished all my homework! Now I can read my book, ‘the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe’ after lunch!

I picked up the conversation at lunch. “Mom, I finished all my homework already! May I go out outside after I’m done eating?” I asked hopefully.

“I guess so, but only for an hour, alright? I need you to help me with supper soon,” replied mom, after thinking for a moment.

“Thanks!”

After lunch, I rushed to my room to retrieve my book, ‘the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe’ and opened the back door leading to outside. My family loved nature and as the result, we had lots of flowers adorning around our home. I walked over to our tree swing and sat on it. I faced all the flowers in the garden.  Red and yellow cosmos, bright and cheerful zinnias, great golden sunflowers, and lavender Forget-Me-Nots faded in the background as I turned my attention toward my book.

 I highly enjoyed the Chronicles of Narnia series since I was a little girl. I was grateful that my parents had allowed me to read the Narnia books, considering my cousins were not allowed to read them because they were more conservative Mennonites than my family. Of course, I still respected and admired the more conservative families although they didn’t allow some things.

My vision cleared as I snapped out of my thoughts to see my older brother Daniel wave his hand in front of my face.

“Anne, Anne! Anne Elise Rilla Yoder!” he laughed when he saw that I was startled out of my reverie.

Sigh. I did not like it at all when Daniel called me by my full name. He was one year older than I am and as most boys like to do, he always looked for terrific opportunities to tease me. For example, like now.

“What, Daniel?” I asked beginning to feel irked.

“You were in another world just now!” he taunted.

“And how does that apply to you?” I said indignantly.

“I’m just telling you!”

“Do you realize that I’m on a one hour break and I’m trying to read my book?” I asked.

He said,” Oh, sorry! But then, you were always such a bookworm!”

“Daniel,” I replied back calmly. “Please leave me alone. What you’re doing right now isn’t very Christ-like. Please stop.”

He finally left realizing that I wasn't that fun to tease after all- probably leaving to find someone else to tease!

I read for about half an hour, gripping myself into the story. I started from the very first sentence in the book and followed Lucy into the wardrobe and then read about her meeting Mr. Tumnus, Peter and Susan talking with the Professor, and Edmund meeting the White Witch and gobbling down the Turkish delight, Then, I finally fast forwarded to the death of Aslan. It was one of those books that warmed my heart. I have read it so many times that the cover was wearing out. I closed my eyes imagining the predicament of the Pevensie siblings. I loved the story even more because as I grew older I realized that Aslan represented Jesus, the White Witch represented Satan, and Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy represented followers of Jesus.  And the spell that the Witch cast on Narnia--that it would always be winter and never Christmas, was the bondage Satan keeps us in if we are unbelievers. And I found out so many other similarities between the C.S. Lewis’ books and the Bible!

I closed the book slowly, closing my eyes.

I did enough reading for today.

I was starting to get very tired. So I kept my eyes closed. I yawned. My eyes started to get as heavy as lead. I just couldn’t resist so…slowly, little by little, my eyes began to close. A tenth of a centimeter, another tenth of a centimeter... click.

I had a very strange dream. I dreamed that I was in Narnia with Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. I dreamed I was cheering with the crowd, “Long Live High King Peter the Magnificent! Long Live High Queen Susan the Gentle, Long Live King Edmund the Just, Long Live Queen Lucy the Valiant!”

I dreamed that I was standing beside Aslan when I heard Him say to the four royals-to-be, “Always a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen.”

I dreamed that I actually went through the whole journey with Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy.

I dreamed that I was actually there!

Then I awoke. At first, I was puzzled about my surroundings, wondering where I was.

Oh right, I was reading and then I fell asleep.

My stomach had a strange feeling in it. Some sort of queasiness.

I thought, “This was not just an ordinary dream. It’s a bit different; something important is tied to it.” I felt that soon something incredible would happen--something…magical. “Ugh, am I reading too much Narnia?” I thought.

But then I questioned myself, “A dream is just a dream, right? Or is it?”

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