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[fantasies]

[Guess who's a pro at this journal thing by now? That's right, Henry is. Magic 1 "Real World" 0.]

Sooo... is that normal? The changing worlds thing. Because it didn't seem like you guys were that surprised by it, but I always thought it was a big deal to go between worlds like that.

I mean, I didn't mind. Summer camp is great! I wish I got to go more often.

[And by "more often" he means "ever."

There's a pause, then hurriedly, like he forgot:]

Oh, yeah! And is there a lost and found somewhere? I'm looking for something.

Comments

[fantasies]

I don't think so. [Read: He doesn't WANT to think so.] I always have it with me. And my other stuff came too, so....

[sometimesbeth]

But the book didn't.

[fantasies]

Or it did and I lost it.

[sometimesbeth]

Is this book important?

[fantasies]

Yeah. I need it so I can figure something out.

[sometimesbeth]

Maybe it's your loss.

[fantasies]

What's that?

[sometimesbeth]

Everybody loses something when they're brought here. It can be anything.

[fantasies]

So, what, the castle just takes it from them?

[sometimesbeth]

Uh huh.

[fantasies]

From everybody? What for?

[sometimesbeth]

Nobody knows. The castle and its magic never makes sense here.

[fantasies]

Magic always makes sense, even if it doesn't seem like it. [a pause.] Maybe that's how the curse is powered? That's how it usually works.

[sometimesbeth]

What curse?

[fantasies]

The one that's trapping everyone.

[sometimesbeth]

[ A pause. ]

What are you, a wizard?

[fantasies]

[He laughs!]

No. But I know a lot about this kinda stuff.

[sometimesbeth]

There's magic where you come from, huh?

[fantasies]

Uh, sort of. [He's starting to figure out that this is complicated to explain.] But not really. My world doesn't, anyway.

[sometimesbeth]

That doesn't make any sense.

[fantasies]

[Yeah, okay. Let's try again.]

My world doesn't have magic, but I've read a lot about one that does.

[sometimesbeth]

So you know of other worlds? [ Huh, that's pretty cool! ] I never heard of other ones till here.

[fantasies]

I only knew about one other than mine. I didn't think there were so many.

[sometimesbeth]

I know, right? [ A pause. ] Especially the ones with monsters or places I've never heard of.

[fantasies]

Yeah! I actually think it's pretty cool.