‘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.

S02E95 A Busy Dream

Today is quite a busy dream. 

Colin flies into the dream early, since he’s in the earliest time zone. Suzy and I keep him busy in the living room while he waits for Justin. Master Mind follows him in, watching the Dreamer carefully in case he becomes obsessed. 

Charlie appears first on the deck of Bonny’s Revenge, next to Joys cabin. He wakes Joy up, and joins her as she has her morning routine of breakfast, washing up, and all that down in our apartment. 

Justin appears soon afterwards on the deck of Bonny’s Revenge, near the mast. Once he sees Joy isn’t there, he joins us. 

As Joy finishes breakfast, Madelyn appears on the deck of Bonny’s Revenge, next to the wheel, with her regular wheelchair. She doesn’t like using the permanent super wheelchair except for safety reasons when going outside a dream. 

She rolls down the ramp and joins us as well. 

And now that we’re all here, we split up. Colin and Justin want to go on their own thing. Madelyn wants Joy and Charlie to join her in a race, and it seems like Suzy and I get some alone time. 

Colin and Justin just fly off. Madelyn summons a personal seaplane right outside our island. She, Joy, Charlie, and Master Mind as security for Joy, all board it and fly off. 

Now it’s just Suzy and me. 

“Come on,” she offers her hand. “Let’s go on the ship. Maybe I can fly you somewhere romantic like the moon.” 

I like the idea. And I like some free time with her. 

We go up, raise the ramp, and head off. Suzy handles the wheel, and she’s pretty good for someone who originally was too scared to do it.

Suddenly, there’s noise behind me and a slight shift of the air. I look back.

“Holy shit,” I say. 

Suzy looks back with me. It’s Amahle. She just appeared on the deck next to the plank! 

Amahle is with her seeing eye dog, Elvis, and holding her cane. 

“Walter?” she says. “What are you doing in my dream?” 

“Oh, boy,” Suzy says. 

—Told by Grampa Walt

S02E96 Beach Time, Part 1

S02E94 Going to See Madelyn