Justin flies Bonnie’s Revenge to Australia, apparently. This is an Australia that’s in his dream. Although I feel it is exactly like Australia, a little bit of my scientist mind is certain that this is because I am a dream creature. I have never been to Australia and I would not know whether this beach is authentic or not. Nor do I remember at present if Australia has a big volcano, like the one that is next to us. 

A part of me feels like this was always true. But it could be that I was created in a way that makes me easily believe the logic of dreams.

Suzy, Joy, and Master Mind descend the ramp. Suzy will play a ‘killer grandmother’, infiltrating the real killer grandmothers. Joy will play her prisoner. Master Mind will stay by the side, unnoticed, and leap into action if Joy and Suzy need saving. 

Joy has armed herself with a sword and a laser pistol in her belt and a knife in her shoe. 

As Suzy and Joy join the horde of killer grandmothers, Justin helms the ship and we fly far above the adventure. 

We lean over the railing to look. 

There is a huge horde of killer grandmothers holding their children as they queue up to enter a cave entrance at the bottom of the volcano. Suzy and Joy are walking slowly past killer grandmothers. Suzy looks around quite a bit. She’s nervous. Master Mind is a few hundred meters behind them and to the side, watching.

Joy holds her by the hand and leads her forward. 

It takes time, but they reach the entrance. 

They are about to go in, when I see Joy looking up at us. 

Justin waves at her. 

She doesn’t wave back. She seems to squint and then looks at Suzy. 

The two are talking. 

They should have walked in by now, but they’re just standing there, talking. 

Joy then takes Suzy’s hands and leads her away, back past the queue, away from the killer grandmothers. 

Justin quickly goes to the wheel. “Something’s happened. Something’s different. She wants to talk to us.” 

As we head back down to the beach, I go to him, “Did you change something in your adventure.” 

Justin shrugs. “I don’t really know how I control the adventure and I don’t know anything that happens when I’m not there. I think I did everything right.” 

We land Bonny’s Revenge and Suzy, Joy, and Master Mind board it. 

“Something’s wrong with Charlie,” Joy says. 

Justin looks around. “Did I miss Charlie coming?” 

“No. He’s not here. He wasn’t here yesterday, either. Something’s wrong. Maybe he has nightmares again. Maybe something really bad happened.” 

“He’s a kid,” says Justin. “I mean, he’s a Dreamer. He’s never in any danger.” 

“Dad. Something’s wrong with Charlie. We have to go. Now.” 

“But…” 

“This is more important than killer grandmothers. We have to go!” 

Justin thinks about it, then nods. We raise the ramp and fly off. 

(To be continued…)

—Told by Grampa Walt