Chapter 1
It was a late January night, and three teens were walking in a darkened Californian meadow. One of the girls, Willow, spoke up. “ Don’t you think this is a bad idea, Margo? I mean, it would be bad if we were doin’ this during the day, but at midnight?” “ Relax, you chicken. Farmer Britt won’t miss these oranges.” Another girl, Jesse, said. “That pig pays people to farm for him.” Willow shook her head, and Margo gave her a gentle push. She tumbled into a ditch, and she barely missed tumbling into farmer Britt! “ H-hello Mr-Mr. Britt. How-How’s the orange- I m-mean the farm goin’? Farmer Britt gave her a withering glance, then his gaze turned to the girls. “ Some varmint’s been stealin’ my oranges. I’m gonna catch the thief- then- he’ll pay.” He gave Willow another suspicious stare, then spoke again. “ I hope you haven’t- STOLEN MY ORANGES!?” His face was as red as, well, an orange, as he watched Margo offer Jesse a ripe, delicious orange. “ I’M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKERS!!!!!!” He screamed while making a wild dash for Margo and Jesse. The girls saw, and they ran as fast as their little legs could carry them. Suddenly, the ground caved in, and they fell into a large grotto filled with bottles! Jesse was the first to recover, and she then saw farmer Britt shaking his fists at her. “ You deserve it.” He gave her a sly smile. “ I’ll be back, you thief.” He walked away. Jesse decided then to observe the bottles, and just as she was about to sniff a bottle, Willow woke up. “ STOP! Those could be dangerous!!!” But it was too late. Jesse slumped to the dirt floor.
Chapter 2
Meanwhile, Jesse was having a dream. She dreamt she was walking along a deserted beach. “ Boy, this place should be packed… it’s gorgeous!” She thought to herself as a lone seagull flew lazily across the sea. She suddenly saw a black cloud of dust drifting towards her. It was slow, but eerie nonetheless. The dust freaked her out, and she screamed. “AUGH! HELP! HEEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!” She was near hysterical. “ IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, HELP, HELP, HEEELP!!!!!!” Her scream lingered in the salty sea air. As if in answer to her plea, a single bunch of balloons floated down to her. A voice whispered a command. “ Float away on the soft sea breeze… Do it soon, please…” A tear trickled down her cheek at the couplet. She was saved! She grasped the balloon, and she was lifted up high into the sunset. She flew high above the beach, which by now was covered in ugly black cloud. Suddenly, the balloon popped. She was falling… falling… falling into the sea.
Chapter 3
Jesse woke up. She was really shaken up, and she was sweating like crazy. She saw Margo rubbing rubbing her shoulders, and Willow waving an old piece of paper, trying to cool her off. “ Thanks, guys, but I just had an epic dream!!! She told the two about the dream, and at the end they were sitting open-mouthed and wide-eyed. “ I-I’m speechless.” Margo stuttered. “ I would’ve fainted.” Willow agreed. “ That’s it.” Margo said determinedly. “ I can’t stand the suspense.” She ran over to the bottle collection, dragging the other two with her. She popped open a bottle, and held it over their noses. “What are you-“ Jesse started to speak, but she then slumped over in a deep sleep. This time, the dream was more intense.
Chapter 4
Now the three girls were in a large ship. There were men everywhere, rowing. Some looked very tired, in fact, one man looked as if he was about to faint. “Wow” Willow breathed. “ It smells bad in here.” “ Well, duh. We’re in a packed room in a stinking ship.” Margo sassily replied. Jesse went pale. “ I’m-I’m getting seasick…” She stuttered. “ Put a sock in it.” Margo said. Willow grumbled. A short man walked over to the trio. He handed them a pair of oars. “ Start paddling.” He shortly commanded. Before they could even start, the ship rumbled loudly. Another man ran into the rowing room. “ Oy! Oy! The ship’s hit an iceberg and I can’t hold er’ much longer Cap’n!” He said with an Irish accent. “ Where are we, sir?” Willow asked the Irishman. “ We’re a few hundred miles off the coast of Newfoundland, lass,” He said. Willow gulped. “ Isn’t that where a certain ship sank in 1912?” The girls looked around nervously. “ This is like reenacting the Titanic, except in an old English ship!” Margo stated. “ Boy,” Jesse said. “ it’s like Noah’s ark, too!” She pointed to a large monkey swinging from a potted plant. Water started to seep in through large cracks in the wood floor. Suddenly, the whole boat capsized! Strangely, the girls could breathe underwater. They saw all the rowers struggling to get to the air, but then, they saw another sight. The Irishman had grown a tail and fins, and he didn’t even try to get to the top for air! “ Ahoy, lasses,” He said as bubbles burst from his mouth. “ I’m a born merman.” He disappeared.
Chapter 5
Just at that moment, the girls woke up. “ ‘I’m glad that’s over,” Margo said. “ That was one weird dream!” Jesse looked relieved to not be on the ship, and all the color returned to her face. “ I just thought of something.” She stated. “ Remember when I waved that piece of paper to cool you off, Jesse? Well, I thought I saw some writing on the back, and I’d like to read it. I think I know where I put it.” She reached to the top of a shelf, and pulled the piece of paper down. It read:
Dear Mr. Britt,
I’ve heard about your amassing of dreams. I have written because I learned about how you experience them. I feel it is my infinite duty to inform you about the worth of your business, which is a fortune! I have made reservations to take you on a ship, otherwise known as the Elinor Mary Louise. It shall take us to a bustling scientific center in the South Pacific, which will test out your invention upon your consent. We shall set out tomorrow, so be sure to pack!
Best Wishes,
Dr. James Spielberg
“Oh no, Oh no, Oh no,” Willow said over and over to herself. “ Oh no.” “ What’s wrong?” Said Jesse. “ Uh… guys,” Willow replied. “ I learned about this ship in history last week. It sunk back in the 1800s!” “ So that means-“ Jesse started. “ Mr Britt and Dr. Spielberg are deceased!” Margo interrupted. “ I just realized something…” Willow said. “ The letter said it was to “ Mr. Britt”, and there’s a Farmer Britt alive today! They must be related!” The two other girls gasped. “ Well,” Jesse stated “ I think he needs to know. “ All right girls,” Margo said. “ Save your breath, ‘cause we’re gonna get peoples’ attention.
Chapter 6
The girls took deep breaths for a few seconds, then screamed at the top of their lungs. “ HEEELP!!!” Willow screamed. “GET US OUTTA HERE!!!” Jesse yelled. “ WE’RE GONNA DIE IN HERE IF YOU DON’T GET US OUT!!!” Margo exclaimed. “SAVE US!!!!!!” The girls cried in unison. Finally, a familiar face came to their rescue. “ Mom?” Jesse said. Willow stared at her shoes. Margo tried to hide behind an old shelf. “ GIRLS!? I was so worried ‘bout you! Don’t you EVER scare me like that AGAIN!!! Not to mention, you stayed out ALL NIGHT! You tricked me into thinkin’ you were asleep!” Her soft drawl turned into a loud yell. “ Yer grounded for a week, ya hear?” “ Yes, mama.” Willow whispered. “ Wait-wait, mom,” Jesse said. “ This place, here, is some sort-of place were this dude collected dreams! We had two adventures!” “ You sure ‘bout that?” Their mom said in confusion. “ Sure I’m sure. Come and see yourself.” Jesse replied while helping her down. “ Wow…” Their mom said, speechless. “ This place looks old!” Margo took a bottle down from the shelf, took off the cap, and held it under her mom’s nose. Their mom fainted. After an hour, she woke up. “ I just dreamt somethin’ awesome!” She said immediately. “ I was in this garden, and I met this crazy lookin’ gnome! He took me to his little home, ( Not to mention, I was a gnome’s size.) and we had tea! During the drink, he told me his town, Bubbly Brook, needed help. There were invading hornets from all sides, and they bugs were winning. I put on some interesting armor, and went to the battlefield. I launched an attack on the hornet’s nest, and I won! It was so exciting!” The girls gaped at her. She blushed. “ I forgot to show you this, mama.” Margo said as she showed her the piece of paper. As she read it she made some funny faces. “ There’s a farmer named Mr. Britt, too…” she commented. “ That’s what I said.” Willow replied. “ Well, girls,” Their mom said. “ I Think he aught to know about this.” The teens solemnly nodded their heads. They searched for a way out, and their search was rewarded when they found an old, deteriorating wooden stepladder in a corner. They climbed out, and Margo was last. As she was trudging up the ladder, one of the rungs splintered and broke. “ AURGH!!!” She shrieked, afraid to fall back into the darkness, but luckily, their mom helped her out. “ I’m goin’ to work, okay?” She said. “ You go on and tell Farmer Britt the news.” “ Mom, can you do us a favor?” Margo asked. “ Sure, hun.” Their mom said. “ Shoot away.” “ Can we watch the sunrise?” She asked. “ Go on ahead, darlin’.” Their mom said. “ Thanks!” They said at once. The girls set off to Farmer Britt’s house. “ What’re you thieves up to this time?” He said. “ We came to tell you you’re gonna be a millionaire.” Jesse blankly replied. She told him the whole story, and in the end, he was hugging and kissing them. “ THANK YOU!!!” He exclaimed for the fourteen millionth time. The girls rolled their eyes. They left him in his glee. As they were going to the lake to watch the sunrise, Jesse entertained them. “ Who knew mean old Mr. Britt had potential-as a millionaire inventor!” The girls giggled. At the lake, they watched a gorgeous sunrise, in fact, they say it was the most beautiful in California!
THE END