‘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.

#261: To the Rescue - Part 4

Dragon Father picked up the sword, this time with calmness and confidence. 

Dragon Little was sitting atop the highest branches of the tree, looking down at the clearing. She was five and a half years old and with five and a half years of experience in doing exactly what she wants rather than what her father wants. 

The Big Bad Wolf, a giant, black-furred villain that walked on two, stood opposite Dragon Father and smiled, ready for a true and vicious fight this time.

Dragon Little had refused to free Dragon Father as a joke. When she did he tried to show her that he was helpless and that harm would come to him. But that backfired, since he could not be harmed within his dream, and since Dragon Little had full confidence that he would not be harmed. 

Now he had another idea. 

He raised the sword and yelled, “Let’s do it!” 

The Big Bad Wolf lunged, jumping into the air, talons out.

Dragon Father hit the side of the Wolf’s head with the side of the sword with his full dream force. The Wolf was thrown against a tree and knocked unconscious. 

The Wolf’s many minions attacked all at once from all directions. 

“Looky looky,” Dragon Father said as he whirled around himself, sword ready. “So many enemies and just me to fight them!” 

“Wha--!” Dragon Little shouted from the treetop, finally realizing what he was planning. 

The minions attacked, and Dragon Father attacked back, hitting two at a time, constantly spinning around himself. “And it’s all for me to handle, with my swashbuckling ability!” 

“Wait! Wait!” Dragon Little began clambering down the tree as fast as she could. 

“Oh, no! Two down! Five down! Seven down!” 

“Wait!” 

“Nine down! And no one here to help me! All alone!” 

“Dad, wait!” 

“All of them are down, and one big villain,” he spun around one last time. The minions all lay vanquished on the ground just as The Big Bad Wolf rose slowly. “Also down!” With those words, he hit the Wolf again with the side of his sword, and the Wolf was knocked unconscious again. 

Dragon Little reached the bottom of the tree and drew out her sword. It was too late. 

“You need a lesson,” Dragon Father pointed at Dragon Little with his sword. “When you don’t help others, no one helps you. And when you don’t help, you do things all alone. Got it! All alone!” 

And with that, as if the moment was planned, Dragon Father vanished and woke up. All the minions vanished with him. The Big Bad Wolf vanished with him. For a change, even this big villain did not remain behind to be put in the Infinite Prison. 

The land and most of the trees began to vanish as well. But then they glowed for a split second, and the land and the path back to Bonny’s Revenge remained behind. 

Dragon Little looked around. 

Her head low, she walked back to her ship.

—Told by The Red Dragon

#262: Monsters under the Bed

#260: To the Rescue! - Part 3