I could not see what happened next. Even though I had changed my vantage point, the darkness of the Night Planet was awesome. I have never seen such darkness in Dragon Father’s dreams in the three and a half years I have been here.
I heard Dragon Little try very hard and unsuccessfully not to squeal.
I heard Dragon Father’s breathing.
I heard him move the wheel of Bonny’s Revenge.
And I heard the sound of things appearing - it ist a soft sound when things that appear out of nowhere in the dream.
Dragon Father was creating something around him, no doubt not realizing he was doing it.
“How are you driving, Dad?”
“Oh, I know this place well. I’ve been here thousands of times before you were born. See here, there’s a large mountain, so I’m turning left.” I heard him turn the wheel.
“And right now there’s a jutting rock just above us, so we have to go looooowwwwwer… See?”
“Nnnnnn!” was the only sound she uttered.
“And then right… left… down… Aaaaand we come to a soft landing.”
I heard the ship touch down softly in water. The waves splashed back quickly, indicating it was some kind of harbor.
“Now, come on, climb the plank with me and we’ll jump.” I heard him step on the plank.
“Dad!”
“Come on!”
“Dad!”
“Cooooome on!” I heard her step on it - her footsteps were softer than his, of course.
“Walk the plank with me.”
“Dad!”
“Like this!”
“Noooo!”
“That’s right. You’re doing well! … That’s it that’s it that’s it! … And now we jump.”
“No no no no no!”
“It’s just below us. Look!”
I heard him jump up and immediately land. He was no doubt holding her hand the entire time, so she must have felt that it was not a big jump.
“I can’t!”
“Are you afraid, Joy? It’s okay to be afraid. Today we’re learning about fear.”
“I’m not afraid!” she said, her voice full of fear.
“Jump!”
I heard her jump, but I did not hear her land on the ground. I heard her slam into a body. She must have jumped to his chest.
“That’s a good solution. Good going, Joy! Now… Down we go.”
And for a split second, the entire planet glowed a soft light-blue glow, and it was gone. It was enough for me to get a good picture of what the planet looked like and who they were. Dragon Little’s feet were just touching the ground, as Dragon Father lowered her.
“What was that?” she said, once more in darkness.
“I don’t know. Maybe a trick of the Wicked Wizards or something. All right. Ready for an adventure in the dark?”
“Uh-huh,” she answered hesitantly. But she did not sound as afraid as before.
“Let’s go beat some bad guys!”
I grow tired now. I am afraid to tell you of the things that will come next. Let me gather my strength and I will continue recounting this story tomorrow.
—Told by The Red Dragon