The comic writer. Grayson sat back and lifted his comic page up towards the light. It was looking awesome, even if he did say so himself. Which you got there, Grayson asked Page, his older sister as she passed his room. It's my new comic, said Grayson proudly. I've still got most of the drawing to do, but all the writing's done. He turned the page so Page could see the grid work of boxes with neatly lettered word balloons alongside a handful of black and white drawings. Page tilted her head
to read the first few panels. What's it about? She asked?
What's what about?
Demanded Caitlin, Grayson's other sister. She was younger than him and wearing one of her many Hello Kitty t shirts.
Can I?
She asked, making a grab for the sheet of paper. Hey careful, said Grayson, snatching it away. It's about a boy who falls into a comic page. He explained, that could never happen, snorted Page. That's exactly what my character's sister says in the story, replied Grayson, right before he falls in. I don't want you to fall in, whined Caitlyn as she grabbed her brother's wrist. Don't worry, Caitlyn, grinned Grayson. In my story, you have to say the
magic word to make it happen. Page gently turned the paper in Grayson's hand to see what the word was. Zizzle frizzle, she said out loud. In an instant, the three children vanished, and the comic page floated to the bedroom floor. Grayson, Page and Caitlin were stood in a hot tropical jungle. It wasn't just the heat that came as a shit shock, but the loud noise of the insects that buzzed and chirped around them.
Grayson, where's your bedroom?
Wailed Caitlin. This this is how I imagined the island looking in my story. Grayson gasped, exactly like this. He realized his older sister had her hand over her mouth. She looked stunned. You okay, Paige, I said the magic word, She muttered. I didn't mean to make this happen. It's not your fault, Grayson replied, reassuringly. I didn't mean for this to happen when I wrote it either. Are we really in your story? Asked Caitlyn, still holding her brother's wrist. Yeah,
I think so, he nodded. It's too hot here, complained Caitlin.
I want to go home. Yes, we should probably do that.
Grayson agreed and quickly why, asked Page, sounding worried. He was already moving, pulling Caitlin along. Page rushed to keep up, because if this is my island from my story, I know what happens next, he said.
Is it something dangerous like a spider?
Squeaked Caitlin. Bigger than a spider, said Grayson. He caught sight of a rocky peak through the trees and changed direction toward it. Page gasped, We're not going to get chased by a tiger? Are we bigger than a tiger? Said Grayson, urging them onwards. An elephant then suggested Caitlin getting closer, Grayson said, as something crashed through the trees behind them, sending woods splintering. The three of them turned to see a large dinosaur following them.
Is that real?
Shrieked Page, as they all broke into a run. Don't worry, shouted Grayson. In my story, my character makes it to safety, But what about his sisters?
Do they make it?
Fretted Page, I don't know admitted Grayson. His sisters don't fall in with him. Page grabbed her sister's hand, pulling her forward. Well, I'm not willing to find out if I'm a dino snack, she announced. The dinosaur bellowed, but the three of them didn't dare turn around. Grayson's short glimpse had shown that it was uncannily like a doodle he had done in his notebook of a t Rex with some extra spiky bits. Nearly there, he panted. As
they ducked beneath a gigantic fallen tree. The hunter behind them was forced to go the long way around, buying them valuable seconds. They pushed through some broad, heavy leaves to arrive at the base of the rocky peak Grayson had been aiming for. There was a triangular door doorway cut into the rock. It's right behind us, screamed Page. As they heard the pounding of the dino's heavy feet. They crashed through the doorway seconds before the open jaws
snapped shut behind them. The dinosaur was too big to follow them inside, so roared its frustration at them. Instead. Feeling safe, the three of them slumped against the tunnel walls to catch their breath. Can we go home now, Caitlyn puffed. Not just yet, warned Grayson. But we do need to hurry if we're gonna be back by bedtime, why, asked Page.
What happens if we're late? Uh?
Well, in my story, you'd be stuck here, Grayson explained, looking guilty. Couldn't you have written a comic about someone eating pancakes or something, complained Page. I guess I thought this was more exciting, ANDed Grayson, with a small smile. Look, we really should get moving. Why are more dinosaurs coming, Page asked, as they followed their brother down the tunnel. Not dinosaurs, said Grayson. As they entered a cavern with
an enormous hole in the floor. The space should have been in darkness, but was lit by a warm glow from within the pit. Putting his finger to his lips, Grayson led them to the edge, where they could see a sleeping dragon curled up below. Don't tell me we're going down there, whispered Page. No, that would be crazy, said Grayson. We're going up there. He pointed up to where the cavern formed a chimney up through the rocky peak. Roughly cut steps lined the tube of rocks spiraling upwards.
Come on, best, get movin'. A single flight of stairs is easy to climb, and even climbing several flights wouldn't challenged most people. But these steps just went on and on and on. Several times Grayson reminded them to be quiet, so they climbed in silence, with only the noise of the dragons breathing echoing around the chamber. A baseball sized chunk of rock lay in their way about half way up, so Grayson made his sisters aware of it by making
a big deal about stepping over it. Page copied his actions for Caitlin's benefit, but the youngest sister had other plans for the big stone. Rather than step over it, she kicked it aside no yelped Grayson. As the rock tumbled downwards toward the snoozing dragon, three of them broke into a run again far below, the rock bounced off the dragon's scales. It was enough to wake it, and the first thing it saw was the three fleeing children
high above breakfast. It muttered as it began to uncurl and stretch.
Are we going to make it?
Panted Page. I don't think so, warned Grayson. There were still a lot of steps ahead of them. He chanced to glance downwards to see the dragon beginning to climb, using its claws to haul itself up the chimney. It wouldn't take long to reach them. Do something, Grayson urged. Caitlin. I can't, spluttered her brother. I'm just as trapped in here as you are.
Yes, but it's your story.
Insisted Caitlyn. She's right, agreed, Page. If you were writing this, wouldn't you create a way for your characters to survive?
They were right.
Grayson thought he would write it that way. So if he was writing this story, how would he save them? The dragon was catching up fast, its eyes fixed on its triple meal. Look for a gap in the wall. It'll be small, urged Grayson. Suddenly here, shouted up Caitlyn from the back. Her siblings had run straight past it. She wasted no time in scrambling through. Page dropped to
her knees to follow, with Grayson piling in behind. They emerged in another tunnel and could see light ahead, but Grayson grabbed his sisters and urged them to climb instead. They were soon on a ledge above the gap they had crawled through, and just in time too. Several seconds of superheated dragon breath roared up the tunnel, bright and hot. That was close, said Caitlyn. If we'd run up the tunnel,
we'd have been cooked, exclaimed Page. They waited until they were sure that the dragon was gone, then raced towards the daylight. Emerging on a platform high above the jungle, Grayson pulled his sister's back as the dragon wings opened. W glided from the peak above, off in search of easier prey. This way, said Grayson. More steps took them higher still, to where the chimney opened on fresh air. The sun's nearing the horizon, said Page. It'll be bedtime soon.
It's okay, smiled Grayson, ushering them up the final steps to a stone arch. It was like something you'd see at Stonehenge. All we've got to do is step through, he said. That was fun, announced Caitlin, as she walked through, vanishing from sight. She's right, agreed Page, as she followed her sister. You should write more comics like this. Grayson stood alone atop the island he had created and grinned. Yeah, he said to himself, I think I will