Joy leads us from planet to planet, from a fairy world to the dragon world, from a robot world to abandoned mine worlds. And they are all empty of dragons and empty of the dust that would mean that the Red Dragon is dead. 

Joy doesn’t stop. 

“She’s not just obsessed with finding the Red Dragon,” Suzy whispers in my ear. “She has to keep herself busy from thinking about what happens when Justin and Charlie return.” 

As soon as she says it, it becomes obvious to me. Joy’s entire future hangs in the balance as Charlie will try to call Justin in the waking world, the ‘real’ world, and get him to remember the daughter he has in the dream. 

“Joy is overwhelmed by the emotions she feels,” Suzy whispers to me. “She needs something to do or she feels like she’ll explode.” 

I nod. 

We are now sailing through a space with no planets. Space seems to go on infinitely ahead, but the planets are behind us. 

“That’s so strange,” Suzy leans at the railing and looks outside. “Truly empty space.” 

“It is logical to be distressed at seeing outer space without planets,” Master Mind says, joining us at the railing. “My circuits feel an emotion I have never experienced before. I believe it is called… loneliness. I have never felt so alone.” 

“Master Mind, you’re not alone,” Suzy touches his arm. 

“I am quite aware, Mother of Pirate, that I am not alone. My loneliness is but a trifle of the loneliness I could feel were I alone. But I have never felt lonely before and therefore it is the most lonely I have ever felt.” 

She stares at him for a second, then recovers. “Ah, well, that’s all right, then.”  

“It is not strange that space is empty here,” Master Mind says. “We have learned that without a Dreamer in the dream, there should be only emptiness. The thing that is strange is that over the years the Little Pirate has caused entire planets to remain behind.” 

Suzy and I look at the planets and solar systems behind us, those we have visited and those we haven’t. “Oh,” I say. 

“Wow,” Suzy says. “That is a talent.” She turns back to call Joy, “Joy, all of this is your doing. Look what you’ve done--Oh!” 

I turn as well and see that Joy has fallen asleep while standing. She has fallen on the wheel, her arms fitting through it and holding it and her straight. 

I laugh. 

“I’ll take her to bed,” Suzy says. “We’ll wait for Justin and Charlie.” 

Suzy helps Joy back to her cabin while Master Mind turns Bonny’s Revenge and heads back home, where we will wait to hear what happened with Charlie and Justin.

(To be continued…)

—Told by Grampa Walt