We make our way to Angel Chrysalis’ dream. It is the slowest we’ve ever gone from dream to dream. It is the most silent and somber jump from Shroom to Shroom that I have seen. 

I know of the bad things that happened there. I know that we could have lost Joy there. But they never told me the full details. 

Justin, Joy, Master Mind and I reach the Shroom. 

Justin gives Joy a look. She gives him a serious look back. They go in. Master Mind and I follow. 

We reach the end of the tunnel and look down. 

I look from further away. 

This is, indeed, Hell. The ground is made of infinite fires, where in other dreams there would be ground or in Justin’s dream - an ocean. A pillar of fire stretches high and moves slowly. Hundreds of winged demons fly around. 

Joy points quietly. There, right there, is Angel Chrysalis - an angel with wings of fire. We do not know what his name is in the real world. We only know what he called himself here.

Angel Chrysalis has a human woman stand in front of him on a floating rock. 

He speaks to her and she screams. 

She waves his hand and she collapses on the rock, lifeless. 

It is such a harsh thing to see, not fit for a seven-year-old. But Joy does not look away. 

We sit there, at the edge of the tunnel, and just look at his dream. 

He punishes two more men and a little girl, one at a time. 

Then, at the end, Justin sighs. He looks at Joy and motions with his head back out to the Dream. She nods. 

We begin to move out of the tunnel. I feel my stomach turning from seeing the dark subconscious of this Dreamer. 

As we see the light at the end of the tunnel, Justin freezes in place. 

“Dad?” Joy whispers to him. 

A sly, mischievous smile appears on Justin’s face. Oh, he is definitely Joy’s father! “I have an idea,” he says conspiratorially. “Just five more seconds.”

Joy smiles as well, in expectation. 

He turns around and walks back. 

(To be continued…) 

—Told by Grampa Walt