Justin stares at Madelyn. “You want me to what?”

Madelyn looks down at her legs. She is still wearing the shorts, standing taller than Justin on her two new legs - on her two old legs, actually - the legs made permanent by Joy. 

“I have taken time,” Madelyn says. “I have thought about it. I do not want my legs. I do not want the temptation in the dream to run and walk and jump. I do not want to dream of it and then wake up with no legs. I must not have legs tomorrow when I fall asleep. I must lose my legs.” 

“Okay,” Justin says. “I get that. So does Joy, she’s not going to do that again, are you?”

Joy pouts, and mumbles, “I’m sorry.” 

Madelyn nods. “I will wake up soon. I have tried to burn my legs. To shoot my legs. To cut them with a knife. But I cannot. I cannot harm myself. You must do it for me.” 

“What? What?” Justin stammers. 

“Please. It is not my real legs. You will not really hurt me. This is just a dream. Take this axe,” she hands him an axe. “And cut them.” 

Justin looks at the axe and doesn’t touch it. 

“Zhoy,” Madelyn hands her the axe. “Make it permanent.” 

Joy, from the hammock, looks at the axe, at Madelyn, then at Justin. “I don’t want the axe to cut you, Madelyn. I don’t know what to do.” 

Justin shakes his head. “I can’t do it.” 

“You must! I have seen you cut enemies.” 

Justin takes a step back. “They aren’t alive. They aren’t real.” 

“I am not alive. I am not real. This is a dream.” 

Justin takes the axe. He looks at his grip around it, then at Madelyn. He considers things for a long time, then shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Madelyn.” 

“You must! I cannot have legs!” 

“I will do it,” Master Mind’s voice surprises me. He is standing next to Joy, making sure she doesn’t hurt herself. “But only if the Pirate approves.” 

We all look at Justin. 

“Please, Justin,” Madelyn says simply. 

Justin thinks again. “Madelyn is right. Nothing will happen to her. The plan is good, I just can’t do it myself. Master Mind, if she’s serious about it, you can do it.” 

Master Mind takes the axe. “As I do it, I will allow my evil side to enjoy it,” he says. 

Justin nods. “That’s fine. Do it?” 

“Do it,” says Madelyn. 

(To be continued…) 

—Told by Grampa Walt