In the City of Dreams

by Tony Abbott

  “Well, if Eric’s in trouble, then we are absolutely going to Dreen!” Mr. Hinkle said.

  “First of all, it’s Droon,” said Neal. “And you really kind of have to do what we say. I mean … please?”

  “Fair enough,” said Mrs. Hinkle. “Let’s go.”

  Moments later, they were crammed into the little closet under the basement stairs. They shut the door behind them, and Julie switched off the ceiling light.

  Whoosh!

  The floor beneath their feet vanished and became the top step of a staircase that curved through the air all the way to Droon.

  “Amazing!” said Mr. Hinkle. “Who built these steps? They’re very professional.”

  “Our friend the wizard Galen created them,” said Julie, remembering her strange vision again. He was so worried. I must tell him what I saw!

  Down and down they went, through swirling pink clouds, while Neal barked orders to the Hinkles every step of the way.

  “Not too fast. Hold on to the railing. The stairs are slick. And be careful where it curves. The stairs have a mind of their own. Also, whatever you do, don’t look down. Don’t look up, either. You’ll get dizzy.”

  “Neal, we’ve walked down stairs before,” said Mr. Hinkle.

  “Sorry. I guess I’m taking control again,” Neal said. “It’s the genie in me.”

  “You’re a genie, Neal?” said Mrs. Hinkle. “Congratulations.”

  “Thanks. I really like my turban,” he said.

  Soon the children spotted a vast green plain sliced by several lines of blue water.

  “Rivertangle,” said Julie. “We’ve been here before. Be careful. Beasts are everywhere.”

  “One more thing,” said Neal. “Sometimes the stairs vanish.”

  Mr. Hinkle smiled. “Now, that’s pretty clever. The stairs vanish at the bottom so that the bad guys can’t see them, right?”

  Julie stole a look at Neal. “Not always. Sometimes they disappear at other times.”

  “What other times?” asked Mrs. Hinkle.

  “Sometimes the stairs vanish before we get to the bottom,” said Neal, picking up the pace.

  Mrs. Hinkle paused. “Before? Like when?”

  “Like now,” said Neal as the steps quivered beneath their feet. “Like now. Now! NOW!”

  All at once, the rainbow stairs wobbled and wiggled and faded into the air.

  “You said to hold the railing,” said Mr. Hinkle. “But there is no railing —”

  And the two children and two parents plunged headfirst to the ground below.

  Text copyright © 2009 by Tony Abbott.

  Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Scholastic Inc.

  All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc.

  SCHOLASTIC, LITTLE APPLE, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

  First printing, February 2009

  Cover art by Tim Jessell

  e-ISBN 978-0-545-41848-5

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