After a couple of minutes just resting, lying on my side on the ground of the tunnel, I decide that I’m not going to die. It doesn’t look like I’m going to lose consciousness if I keep resting.
That’s good. I haven’t lost that much blood.
I wonder if I should take off my jetpack, which is making it hard to lie down.
No. I should wear it. Just in case.
I decide I’m good enough to crawl to the tunnel entrance and peek down.
I try to move, but it hurts so much more now, that I find that I can’t. I did something wrong when I moved and now the entire left side of my body is pulsating in pain, even though I’m not doing anything.
I open my eyes and realize I’ve been unconscious.
I look up.
Master Mind is standing above me, leaning down in the tunnel.
“Master Mind! Is Joy okay?”
Master Mind shakes his robotic head. “I am sad beyond belief, but it has been more than ten hours. The dream is full of fog. I cannot find or hear The Little Pirate, the Dreamer, the children, or anyone.”
“Oh, no!” I say. “No! Nothing!” Ten hours?! Having been kidnapped by a man who shoots others easily? Ten hours?!
“I have flown in every direction. I cannot find them. I came here to see if she made it back.”
I look around. “She didn’t.”
“My heart is 99.9% sad. Sadness is permeating my entire body. My stomach is sad. My toes are sad. My fingers are sad. My butt is sad.”
I laugh, but then I am sad, too. “Ten hours,” I say. “That is terrible. Do you think there’s any chance she’s still alive?”
It is so alone here, without Justin, Madelyn, or Charlie to help us.
Suddenly, Master Mind’s head swivels to look at the tunnel exit. He walks towards it and peers outside. “The fog is gone! The wind is gone! The Dreamer has awaken! I must go and find her!”
“Go, go!” I say. “Go!”
Once more, he jumps out of the tunnel and into the Dreamer’s empty dream, activating his jetpack.
(To be continued…)
—Told by Grampa Walt