Joy, Justin, and Master Mind are quick with their jetpacks, flying off to Bonny’s Revenge, to see what’s wrong with Charlie. 

I could follow them, but Suzy is having trouble with her jetpack. She hardly ever leaves Justin’s dream, so she has only used the jetpack a couple of times. It is frightening and takes some getting used it.

“Aw, shoot,” she says, as she looks down at the buttons. “I don’t think I should do this.” 

“Hold on,” I say. “Hold on. Press this to fly, move your hands right and left, and click this to slowly go down.” 

She looks down at it. “I’m not an adventurer. What am I doing trying to fly on a jetpack?” 

“It’s fun, I promise. And it’s easy.” 

Lightning fills the sky. Thunder fills our ears. 

We look up. “Something’s happening,” Suzy says. “You should go. I’ll walk.” 

“Nope. I’m with you. We’re together.” 

Suddenly the sky is clear of clouds and the storm is gone. Something is definitely happening.

“Come on, Suzy, click it and try. This is an adventure!” 

Her eyes don’t light up like mine or like Justin’s or like Joy’s at the sound of harmless ‘adventure’. 

She touches the button reluctantly and jets into the sky at breakneck speed. “Aaaaaaah!” 

I fly after her, realizing suddenly there’s no jet behind her now. She’s going to fall! And I’m not strong enough to catch her!

“Turn it on!” I shout. “Turn it on again!” 

She does, but doesn’t aim. She flies sideways, straight at a building. I can’t breathe for a second as she doesn’t slow down. But then she steers just at the last second, so that she doesn’t slam into a wall, but rather into a window.

The window breaks noisily and I hear a crash inside the building. 

I fly in right after her, to find her lying on top of a big double bed. I land next to her, as I calm down and understand she isn’t dead. 

“I AM NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN!” she shouts. She takes off the jetpack and throws it at the ground. “I could have broken something! I could have died! I could have died!” 

I nod, take off my jetpack, and get on the bed. I hug her, and she hugs me back. We feel each other breathing, and relax a little. 

We let go and I lie down next to her. “Let’s, uh, take a few minutes,” I suggest. 

“And then we walk all the way back.” 

“All the way back!” I agree. 

The storm and the lightning return outside the window. 

We’re going to find out what’s happening with Charlie after the fact. 

(To be continued…) 

—Told by Grampa Walt