W. Royce Adams

Molly plopped into a kitchen chair. She couldn't hide a long, noisy yawn. “Whew!”

"Exactly how I feel," Netty said as she dropped into a chair next to Molly, arms dangling.

Molly's mother set a plate of chocolate chip scones on the table. "Here, girls. Dig in."

"Thanks, Mom."

Netty reached for a scone and took a bite." Along with being flat out tired, I'm starving. Thanks, Mrs. Doogan.”

Molly sputtered a laugh as Netty bent over trying to catch crumbs falling from her mouth.

Molly's mother sat down and poured tea for the three of them. "Well, you two look worn out, but it must feel good to have your story for class finished. I can't wait to read it."

Molly bristled at her mother's words. She dreaded the time when her parents found out she’s still continuing the Rairarubia story she and her father made up—the story she was supposed to have stopped thinking about—the story that took her, and now her friend Netty, into another dimension—the story so real and dangerous that she couldn't share it with her parents.

"It feels great," Netty said as she took another bite. "I wasn't sure it would ever be finished."

Molly noticed Netty peek in her direction and roll her eyes. She hoped her mother didn't catch the look. She and Netty weren’t tired from writing the story. They were tired from just having lived it by helping save Rairarubia from the evil Jenuaqs, Yemor and Mas.

Dripping some honey in her tea, Molly muttered, "I hope it's finished." She hadn't meant to speak aloud.
"I thought it was finished," her mother said.

Molly had to think fast. "Oh, yeah, well, it's finished." In the past, every time she thought the story was over, she got some kind of sign from Rairarubia and got involved again. "I just meant, you know, finished, finished. We have to copy it now, make it all neat and stuff to turn in. I sure hope Miss Turner will let us share the story."

"She'd better, or I'm dead meat," Netty mumbled through another mouthful of scone.

Molly's mother picked up her cup. "Oh, I'm sure she will. You girls certainly spent enough time on it. I can vouch for that."

Molly sipped her tea, not really tasting it. All she could think about was how her parents would react when they read the story. Maybe Netty was right when she said they wouldn't care, especially since writing a story was a school assignment. Her biggest fear, she guessed, was that her parents would find out it was all a true story, that she and Netty have been traveling to Rairarubia.

Then it dawned on Molly that if the story were finished, she'd never see Rairarubia again.