Charlie looks around helplessly as one of the dark creatures attempts to grab Joy.
Joy leaps out of the way, but it was close.
Joy’s weapon needs to recharge. Justin, whose dreams these are, is an obsessed dreamer and can’t snap out of it. And Master Mind’s weapons aren’t working on them.
Charlie raises his hand as if about to conjure something as a dreamer. But he doesn’t. His mind is clearly a blank.
Master Mind leaps at one of the creatures now flying above the ship, who is trying to grab Joy. He grabs the bottom of its taloned leg and is now rising into the air with the creature.
“Little Pirate, it is you they want,” Master Mind calls. “Run into the Infinite Corridor! Let the ship protect you!”
And with that, Master Mind snaps the leg of the creature. The creature screams. Master Mind lets go and falls to the deck even as the creature flaps its wings and falls to the sea.
“Ohhhh,” Charlie whispers, looking at Justin. I think he has an idea.
Joy throws her energy bazooka thing to Master Mind and ducks into the Infinite Corridor. Master Mind catches it.
Charlie puts his hand on Justin and concentrates. He then picks Justin up with one hand as if Justin is a box of cereals. A demon grabs the sail. Another grabs the roof of the Infinite Corridor. Another is about to grab Suzy and me.
Master Mind fires at the demon above me and Suzy, and it falls backwards and out of the ship with a hole in its chest.
“What are you thinking, Little Dreamer?” Master Mind shouts at Charlie.
A jetpack appears on Charlie’s back. “Hold them off just a few seconds,” he tells Master Mind.
With Justin in his arms, he rises into the air and gains speed.
Master Mind fires a barrage of his own missiles at the creatures, enough to hold them off.
I can see what Charlie is doing. He’s flying Justin into one of the suns.
One of the creatures attacks Master Mind from behind, taking the robot into the air.
Joy peeks out of the Infinite Corridor. “Grampa! Grandma! Come on! Get to the prison!”
I look at Suzy and she looks at me. Do we dare?
“This is a nightmare,” she says in disgust.
Suddenly, all the creatures are gone. Master Mind falls to the deck, seemingly unharmed.
I look up: Charlie and Justin can’t be seen. Charlie had flown Justin straight into the tunnel, causing everything they dreamed to vanish: The creatures as well as Charlie’s jetpack.
Joy peeks out of the Infinite Corridor, then steps out.
“Master Mind, are you all right?”
“I am unharmed, Little Pirate.”
Joy looks up at the suns. “Charlie! You saved the day! Woo-hoo!”
“Woo-hoo!” Comes Charlie’s response from far, far away.
(To be continued…)
—Told by Grampa Walt