otthatdayandnosoonerhadtheyindowntheirheadthantheyfellfastasleep.

    Thesilehedarknighttlybrokenbyshrillpolicesirensingfromallerssomefar,somenear,someloud,someremote,butallseemedtoberushingtowardsonedesigheringspot.Charina’sslumberwasdisturbedbythenoiseofseveralpolicecarswithsirensbringragthroughthequietandtranquilresidentialstreetswhereshelived.Shetossedaboutrestlesslyonthevergeofwakingup,butwasstillengrossedinherdreams.Anotherpolicecarwithhighpitchedsirenscreamingracedby,joltingCharinaawake.Sheopenedhersleepyeyesandwonderedwhathadhappened.Whyarethepolicesobtantlydisruptingthepeaceoftheneighborhoodaurbiofitsresidentswiththeirragcarsandshrillsirens?Wasthereamajorcrisissomewhere?Shefoundshewasbaherownfortablebedroom.LookingovershesawDimitri’sbaringatherbutdidobeseeingher.

    “Didthepolicesirenswakeyouup,Dimitri?”sheasked.Dimitrisighedandsaid,

    “IndomofDreamsweenteredearthquakesandtsunamiwhereIalmostlostmylife.Weebaundaneworldandfindupheavalsandchaos.Thepoliceseemtobeinvolvedinamajorcase.JustnowIheardloudspeakersshoutingaboutcapturingdangerouscriminalsandIwaswiftherereallyissuchathingasasereneandhappyparadiseanywhereonthisp”

    “Iseemedtohaveheardsomethinglikethattoo…”saidCharina,butbeforeshecouldfinishhersentenceahugeexplosionwasheardinthedireofthetunnelnearby.Theominousnoisesoundedespeciallyfrighteninginthedarknessofthenight.Maureenjumpedontothebedwhiningandwhimperingasifshewasreallyscared.Charinaimmediatelytookhimintoherarmsandpattedhimfly…

    “SomethinghashappehasreallyhappehatwaswhatIhavebeenwaboutallong…”mutteredDimitri.“Thesetwolittlepeoplecametothemundaneworldtohaveagoodtime,butlivingintheKingdomofDreams,theyknownothingaboutthisworldtheyhaveeto.Theyarepletelyignorantofhowtobehave,butthinktheyknoweverything,especiallythatMr.Finger.Heisadaredevil,recklessandimpudent.Iwonderwhatearthshakingtroubletheyhavegottenintonow...Let’shopeit’snotlifethreatening,that’sthebestsario…”

    “Youmeanthatguythatbrokeintomyhouseandtriedtorapeme?”askedCharina,herrgeeyesfulloffear.“YousaidhisnamewasMr.Fingerandhecouldgehisformatwill.Hisappearancehasalsobeenpletelyaltered.Whatifinthemidstofallthisturmoil,hebreaksinhereagaintonight,whatshallIdo?”DimitrismiledasheturoholdCharinashouldersandcaresseditflysaying,

    “Don’tbeafraid.Idon’tthinkhewoulddaretoe.EvenifhedoesIonlyhavetosayMedusa’shreetimesandshewilppearatmybeddetoyourrescue.Don’tbeafraid….”OnlythendidthelookhtanddesperationdisappearfromCharina’seyesandsheregainedherposuresaying,

    10

    “yougobacktosleep?Ifnot,Iwillmakesomecoffee,getsomethiandwejoyasnack.WetalkaboutwhatwejustwentthroughintheKingdomofDreamsandIwillwriteitalldownwhilethememoryisstillfresh.”Dimitriofcreed.

    Charinahastilydidherablutionsandwasmakingcoffee.Themethodidrhythmidofthepergcoffeepotcreatedafandcalmingeffetheturbulentnight.Charinawalkedintothelivingroomwiththecoffeeandapteofdessert.ShesatdownbeforeDimitriandhandedhimacupofcoffee.HetookitandpingitappreciativelywhenMaureen,whowaslyingonDimitri’sp,smelledthefra

otthatdayandnosoonerhadtheyindowntheirheadthantheyfellfastasleep.

    Thesilehedarknighttlybrokenbyshrillpolicesirensingfromallerssomefar,somenear,someloud,someremote,butallseemedtoberushingtowardsonedesigheringspot.Charina’sslumberwasdisturbedbythenoiseofseveralpolicecarswithsirensbringragthroughthequietandtranquilresidentialstreetswhereshelived.Shetossedaboutrestlesslyonthevergeofwakingup,butwasstillengrossedinherdreams.Anotherpolicecarwithhighpitchedsirenscreamingracedby,joltingCharinaawake.Sheopenedhersleepyeyesandwonderedwhathadhappened.Whyarethepolicesobtantlydisruptingthepeaceoftheneighborhoodaurbiofitsresidentswiththeirragcarsandshrillsirens?Wasthereamajorcrisissomewhere?Shefoundshewasbaherownfortablebedroom.LookingovershesawDimitri’sbaringatherbutdidobeseeingher.

    “Didthepolicesirenswakeyouup,Dimitri?”sheasked.Dimitrisighedandsaid,

    “IndomofDreamsweenteredearthquakesandtsunamiwhereIalmostlostmylife.Weebaundaneworldandfindupheavalsandchaos.Thepoliceseemtobeinvolvedinamajorcase.JustnowIheardloudspeakersshoutingaboutcapturingdangerouscriminalsandIwaswiftherereallyissuchathingasasereneandhappyparadiseanywhereonthisp”

    “Iseemedtohaveheardsomethinglikethattoo…”saidCharina,butbeforeshecouldfinishhersentenceahugeexplosionwasheardinthedireofthetunnelnearby.Theominousnoisesoundedespeciallyfrighteninginthedarknessofthenight.Maureenjumpedontothebedwhiningandwhimperingasifshewasreallyscared.Charinaimmediatelytookhimintoherarmsandpattedhimfly…

    “SomethinghashappehasreallyhappehatwaswhatIhavebeenwaboutallong…”mutteredDimitri.“Thesetwolittlepeoplecametothemundaneworldtohaveagoodtime,butlivingintheKingdomofDreams,theyknownothingaboutthisworldtheyhaveeto.Theyarepletelyignorantofhowtobehave,butthinktheyknoweverything,especiallythatMr.Finger.Heisadaredevil,recklessandimpudent.Iwonderwhatearthshakingtroubletheyhavegottenintonow...Let’shopeit’snotlifethreatening,that’sthebestsario…”

    “Youmeanthatguythatbrokeintomyhouseandtriedtorapeme?”askedCharina,herrgeeyesfulloffear.“YousaidhisnamewasMr.Fingerandhecouldgehisformatwill.Hisappearancehasalsobeenpletelyaltered.Whatifinthemidstofallthisturmoil,hebreaksinhereagaintonight,whatshallIdo?”DimitrismiledasheturoholdCharinashouldersandcaresseditflysaying,

    “Don’tbeafraid.Idon’tthinkhewoulddaretoe.EvenifhedoesIonlyhavetosayMedusa’shreetimesandshewilppearatmybeddetoyourrescue.Don’tbeafraid….”OnlythendidthelookhtanddesperationdisappearfromCharina’seyesandsheregainedherposuresaying,

    10

    “yougobacktosleep?Ifnot,Iwillmakesomecoffee,getsomethiandwejoyasnack.WetalkaboutwhatwejustwentthroughintheKingdomofDreamsandIwillwriteitalldownwhilethememoryisstillfresh.”Dimitriofcreed.

    Charinahastilydidherablutionsandwasmakingcoffee.Themethodidrhythmidofthepergcoffeepotcreatedafandcalmingeffetheturbulentnight.Charinawalkedintothelivingroomwiththecoffeeandapteofdessert.ShesatdownbeforeDimitriandhandedhimacupofcoffee.HetookitandpingitappreciativelywhenMaureen,whowaslyingonDimitri’sp,smelledthefra