Blog — The Lost In Dreams Universe

‘The Squashbuckler Diaries’ are the daily tales of Joy Shelley’s Life in the Dream. The ‘Lost in Dreams’ books will tell the story of what happens to her at ages 6, 9, 12, 15, and so on. The diaries tell us what happens before, after, and between the books.

All in Told by Grampa Walt

Jul 11
Jul 11 S02E243 Happy Kids

Age: 8.5, Told by Grampa Walt

“Young lady, you are not getting on this ship!”

Justin appeared on Bonny’s Revenge a few moments ago. For some reason, he had fallen asleep in the middle of his night. Charlie and Joy had time to have their own adventure, with Master Mind and me chaperoning and no adult Dreamers around.

Charlie created marsh country, a land of swamps interrupted by a lot of trees and shrubbery. The two played catch and hide and seek for hours while Master Mind and I watched from the deck.

Justin appeared a few minutes ago and looked at them play and laugh.

Finally, tired, they began climbing the ramp. That is where Justin blocked them by firmly standing in their way.

“It’s my ship!” Joy says.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Jul 4
Jul 4 S02E241 Colors, Part 11, Joy’s Destiny

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

“Joy, what’s going on?” Justin takes a few steps towards her with arms open after she asks everyone to get off her ship.

Joy shrugs and looks away.

“Joy, did I offend you?” Amahle says. Elvis, her seeing eye dog, appears at her side, and she begins to walk in Joy’s direction.

“GET OFF MY SHIP!” Joy yells at us, her face red. “Now! Everyone!”

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Jun 12
Jun 12 S02E240 Colors, Part 10, The Wonders of Things Not Seen

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

He docked the ship right outside one of the suns, and Master Mind went to check, quickly returning with Amahle.

“But even though I forgot my dream, my heart was pumping! I felt I had a great inspiration! There was music inside me. And I was certain I could feel what the color blue was, even though I knew I’d never seen it.”

“What?” Justin says. “Really?”

“You could see blue in the waking world?” Charlie asks, just as surprised.

[Click on the title to read/listen to the entire diary entry!]

Jun 12
Jun 12 S02E239 Colors, Part 9, The Plank

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

I dock Bonny’s Revenge right next to one of the suns, with the plank as close as I could get it. I’m not doing this as good as Justin or Joy or Master Mind. But it’s close enough. Suzy and I both put on one of the jetpacks that Joy had made permanent. Just in case one of us falls here or outside the Shroom.

Suzy’s first on the plank, and the plank begins to wobble as soon as she’s on it.

“Oh, no, no, no!” she says and comes back. “I’m not doing this!”

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Jun 11
Jun 11 S02E237 Colors, Part 7, Amahle’s Return

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

It’s been a month since we’ve seen Amahle. Master Mind had been checking every day to see if she was waiting for us on top of her Shroom. But since she hadn’t been there for a long time, we’ve gotten out of the habit of looking every day.

It has been a month since we’ve gone into her dream and learned she was experimenting with colors and finding music that fits those colors.

We’re headed out today to Madelyn’s dream: Joy, Charlie, Justin, Master Mind, and I - when Joy spots Amahle standing atop of her Shroom.

“Amahle!” Joy yells.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Jun 10
Jun 10 S02E234 Colors, Part 4, A Colorful Darkness

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

It’s been a week since we’ve seen Amahle. She usually waits for Master Mind at the edge of her Shroom before any other Dreamer arrives. But she hadn’t come recently.

When Charlie arrives, he and Joy decide to go visit her dream, and I remind them to never leave the Dream, certainly not to Amahle’s dark dream, without Justin.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

When Justin arrives, she convinces him to go, and we all go: Joy, Charlie, Justin, Master Mind as security, and me in the role of the-guy-who-just-wants-to-see.

We stand at the edge of the tunnel and look into the complete darkness that is Amahle’s dream. Even after spending a year with us, even after being able to somehow summon up and feel colors, Amahle’s dream is all darkness.

I know Charlie’s elevator is right there in front of us, taking us to the ground in her dream. But it’s drowned in the darkness of her dream.

Jun 10
Jun 10 S02E236 Colors, Part 6, Suzy’s Theory

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

“Let’s go,” Suzy tells me as soon as Justin takes our little granddaughter to her cabin to tell her a good night story.

For a change, Joy’s been up for quite a few hours before Justin arrived, which means she’s just tired enough for her father to put her to bed.

“Where are we going?”

“To talk to Justin,” she says.

We walk slowly up the ramp to the deck of Bonny’s Revenge. Master Mind is standing guard silently near the wheel. Justin is still in Joy’s cabin.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!’

Jun 10
Jun 10 S02E235 Colors, Part 5, Do Killer Robots Have Meltdowns?

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

I am surrounded by darkness. I’ve been here before, in Amahle’s dream, a dozen times at least. But it doesn’t get easier. And it doesn’t get less spooky that there isn’t even a little bit of light, so your eyes never get adjusted. We are right next to the sun in her dream, and yet there isn’t a photon to be found.

But then, that’s not the only change. As soon as I walk into Charlie’s elevator in Amahle’s dream, there is music. I don’t recognize many of the instruments. But I do recognize the voice. There usually isn’t a voice when Amahle’s music is played outside her head in the Dream. But now… She’s singing. Without any words, just singing…

“The music is making the hair on my hand stand,” Charlie says.

“It’s beautiful,” Justin says.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

May 16
May 16 S02E234 Colors, Part 3, Pink Emergency

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

We are on an island Justin created for this purpose, in the middle of the ocean in his dream. Bonny’s Revenge is docked to the side. Master Mind remains on the deck. He is always ready to leap into action, but with two dreamers protecting Joy, there’s probably not going to be a need. Quite possibly, it’s more likely he’ll protect Suzy and me. We stand right next to him, just in case.

“Ready,” Amahle says.

“Ready,” Justin says, fists tightening.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

May 16
May 16 S02E233 Colors, Part 2, Fight for Survival

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

I hardly have enough time to register that Amahle had accidentally dragged Joy underwater. Joy! I think, as Suzy gasps, and Master Mind from the deck of Bonny’s Revenge exclaims “By my evil maker!”

My mind registers too slowly that Amahle does not need to breathe in the Dream, while Joy does. Master Mind leaps off the deck, but even while he’s in the air, something even crazier happens.

The top of Joy’s sword appears above the water. As it moves up, it brings with it Amahle’s back. The sword is coming out of Amahle’s back.

Another split-second and Joy’s head emerges. Both her hands are on the sword, which she had put right through Amahle’s stomach to come out of the back.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Apr 23
Apr 23 S02E231 Never Let You Go

Age: 6, Told by Grampa Walt

Even though we see Justin and Joy every day, we have begun this practice of the two of them coming to our house for a Saturday dinner. Just as if we were living next to each other in Toronto.

Justin and I play chess in the living room. Joy plays with some of Justin’s old toys, plays with Justin, and with Suzy.

Right now I’m sitting in my Archie Bunker chair while Justin sits on the sofa. Joy leaps at him, and he grabs her tightly.

“I gotcha!” he exclaims and she shrieks in happiness. “I gotcha and I’m never letting you go!”

Joy struggles in his arms. “I’m never ever ever letting you go!” he says as she struggles. He releases his hold just enough to allow her to escape.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Apr 19
Apr 19 S02E230 Suns of the Eternoon, Part 6, Being Different

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

Amahle sits down on the deck and Joy sits cross-legged beside her. Amahle practices ‘looking’ at the orange sun, with Joy holding her hand.

When it becomes clear that this is going to be Amahle’s and Joy’s day, and that Justin is going to remain with Joy, Colin and Yumio each go to their own dreams. Madelyn goes elsewhere in Justin’s dream to dream about whatever she wants to.

Suzy, Master Mind and I remain on the deck.

Justin joins us in looking at them from the opposite railing, as we watch the two try out different things.

The setting sun Amahle has summoned moves right and left. Amahle shakes her head.

“She didn’t see movement,” I tell Justin and Suzy.

“Nope,” Justin says.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Apr 19
Apr 19

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

Master Mind has brought Amahle from her dream back to Justin’s dream, where we’re all waiting for her.

Back on the deck of Bonny’s Revenge, Elvis, her seeing eye dog reappears. Along with the cane in her right hand, which she moves to her left.

We wait for her to explain what the danger was that she sensed around us before she disappeared and woke up.

“I do not know what it was,” Amahle says. “I have never felt anything like it. It felt like someone was hitting me in the head.”

“What?” Joy is concerned. After all, nothing had been close to any of our heads.

“It was a pounding,” Amahle continues. “From inside my head. Like something was pushing me to the ground.”

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Apr 17
Apr 17 S02E228 Suns of the Eternoon, Part 4, Joy’s Touch

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

There is a deep sense of strangeness when Amahle disappears. Johannesburg disappears. The sunset disappears. And the full light of the two suns return. The half-darkness, was caused by Amahle. Now that I think about it, its creation was also aided by Joy holding Amahle’s hand.

And then there’s silence. Strange, awkward silence.

“What the hell happened?” Colin asks.

Joy is looking at her own hands.

“Joy,” Justin moves closer to her. “Do you know what happened? Do you know what she was talking about?”

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Apr 17
Apr 17 S02E227 Suns of the Eternoon, Part 3, Amahle’s Sunset

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

Amahle puts her right hand to her temple. “I will try.”

The last sunset disappears and all around us, on top of the permanent ocean, the streets of Johannesburg appear.

“Can you see it, Joy?”

We all look around. “We see Johannesburg, Amahle,” Madelyn says. “But there is no sun.”

Joy reaches out to hold Amahle’s left hand, but Amahle raises it to her temple as well. “Sun,” she says. “Sun.”

And a sun appears right above the horizon. An orange sun about to set. Unlike all other sunrises, this time the sun’s light does not influence the sky. The blue sky doesn’t change color. Just there, at the bottom, there is powerful, setting orange sun.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Apr 14
Apr 14 S02E226 Suns of the Eternoon, Part 2

Told by Grampa Walt, Age: 7

“Joy, do you want to see a sunset from Japan?” Yumio says.

“Yuh-huh.”

Everything around us changes. In front of us is a river. Far ahead is a mountain, and the sun is setting behind it, its orange colors spreading across not only the sky but the mountain and the river.

Joy stares at it with eyes agape. Suzy gasps. Madelyn takes in a deep breath.

“Fantastic!” Colin said. “Where are we?”

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Apr 14
Apr 14 S02E225 Suns of the Eternoon, Part 1

Age: 7, Told by Grampa Walt

“Why are we here, Madelyn?” Justin says.

She had asked to take us to the middle of the ocean.

“I think it is time to show little Zhoy the things she cannot see in this world.”

“Like what?” Joy says.

“Zhoy, in this world you can see anything. But one thing you have never seen, I believe, is a sunset.”

“What’s a sunset?”

“In the…uhm…waking world,” Madelyn says. “The sun rises on one side, goes up, and goes down on the other side.”

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Apr 13
Apr 13 S02E224 Girls’ Night Out, Part 5, Sleeping Suzy

Age: 8.5, Told by Grampa Walt

After all the congratulations and the happiness at Amahle’s news, Madelyn wakes up and disappears. Immediately afterwards, Amahle disappears.

Justin puts his hand around Joy’s shoulders, “How was the Girls’ Night, Joy?” he asks with a smile.

“It was fun! Amahle let me taste a little bit of something called ‘Liquer’.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Just a little bit!”

“How was it?”

“I spit it out!”

Justin laughs.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Apr 13
Apr 13 02E223 Girls’ Night Out, Part 4, Amahle’s News

Age: 8.5, Told by Grampa Walt

The music that fills the dream feels drunker and drunker as the hours pass. I didn’t know if people can get drunk in the dream, but from the music that comes from Amahle’s head, it certainly sounds like it.

Eventually, the limo returns to park right next to our island.

The limo driver takes Madelyn out and places her on the wheelchair that appears on our island next to him. Amahle steps out with Elvis. Suzy is after her.

But Joy doesn’t come out.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]

Mar 30
Mar 30 02E222 Girls’ Night Out, Part 3, Father of the Year

Age: 8.5, Told by Grampa Walt

About an hour into their ‘girls’ night’, music begins to fill Justin’s dream.

This is Amahle, no doubt. She is a singer, she writes and composes songs. And there’s music in her head, which in the dream is music we can all hear.

This is really happy and exciting music. Were I any good at dancing, I would be moved to dance. But I am a man of thought, logic, and brain. I am not that good with my body, not with sports and not with dancing.

A few minutes later, there are fireworks over Johannesburg.

[Click on the title to read the entire diary entry!]