‘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.

#203: Joy's Broken Heart, Part 2

Dragon Father appeared on the deck of Bonny’s Revenge and, as usual, went into Dragon Little’s cabin to wake her up. 

He found her lying on the cot and crying into the pillow. 

“Joy, Joy,” he sat next to her. “What happened?”

She looked up at him, then thrust her entire 5-year-old body at him and hugged him. 

“What happened?” he held her tight. 

“It’s--it’s--it’s--” she could not get the words out from crying. “I never want to talk to him again!” 

“To who? What happened?” 

My sharp dragon eyes could see through the window from my hiding place that she shrugged her shoulders but said nothing. 

“Who, Joy?” He thought for a few seconds, then came up with the only logical answer. “One of the prisoners?”

She nodded, her head buried inside his stomach. 

“Did one of them escape?”

She shook her head. 

“Did… one of them say something?”

She shook her head. 

He put his hand under her cheek and raised her eyes. “Show me. Show me.” 

She hesitated. 

“You’re fine. I’m here. Nothing bad can happen when I’m here.” 

Dragon Little sniffed and stopped crying. With her hand, she reached out to hold his. He took it. 

Dragon Little led the way out of her cabin, through the entrance to the Infinite Prison, and down the stairs, out of my view. 

It ist hard for me to remember Dragon Little’s pain. I need to stop. Tomorrow I will continue and tell you what happened next.

—Told by The Red Dragon

#204: Killing Is Wrong

#202: Joy's Broken Heart