The Dream Keeper

Chapter 11: Being Brave

Chapter 11: Being Brave

Parker watched in awe as, with a small nod of the pirate’s head, his ship came to life. It was eerie and spectacular all at once. Things were moving about on board with no one controlling them. Ropes flung themselves from the side of the craft and wrapped protectively around Gladamyr, and soon the Dream Keeper was hoisted aboard the ship. A large plank carried by invisible men lowered down from the ship and Captain Bootie quickly hobbled up it. Cerulean followed and, with a little help from Kaelyn yanking on Parker’s arm, they were soon standing on a plank of wood lifting high above the platform and out over the rolling water. Parker’s stomach churned just a little, but then he remembered this was the coolest thing he had ever done. Any thought of sickness left immediately.

“Welcome aboard the Dreamer, arr,” Captain Bootie said as the plank touched down on the ship’s deck. As if the ship knew its name, everything at once shifted. The boards, the ropes, the canons, and even the mop buckets; they all seemed to salute the new arrivals. Parker hopped off the plank and peered around wide-eyed.

“Never been on a ship, have ye, lad?” Captain Bootie asked.

“No, Sir . . . er, Captain.”

“Call me Loofyn or Bootie, no formal dealings today, arr. 'Twill take ye a moment to get yer sea legs, but ye’ll get them soon enough.”

“Loofyn,” Cerulean interrupted. “Where can I find Gladamyr?”

The pirate leaned his head to one side as if listening to something and Parker thought he heard a whisper, or perhaps it was just the rustle of the sails. A second later, Captain Bootie nodded toward the large ornate door at the rear of the deck.

“Dreamer had him laid in the Captain’s quarters, arr.”

“Well, if you will please excuse me, I need to see if there is anything I can do for him. Kaelyn, will you please come with me? I might need your assistance.”

Kaelyn looked at Cerulean, and then at Parker and their locked hands. Parker had been wondering the same thing: Did they even need the dreamstone anymore? It seemed as if the thing had become useless to them. Parker was able to see Dreams as it was without touching the dreamstone or Kaelyn.

“I guess I’ll be right back,” Kaelyn said with a smile, letting go of his hand.

Parker had to admit that it was kind of weird to hold a girl’s hand all the time, but when Kaelyn let go he felt as though something left him. Call it the dreamstone’s power, or just the fact that Parker had grown to like Kaelyn, but it was something, and it wasn’t just the warmth of another person.

“If ye want, lad, we could paint a picture of her. It would last longer.”

Parker shook his gaze away from the door he had been staring at for who knows how long, and looked at the pirate. A wide and toothless mouth barked out chuckles of laughter. The dreamling reached out and put his over-large fuchsia colored hat on top of Parker’s head. The brim fell down and smacked the bridge of Parker’s nose.

“First lesson: look the part. We’re goin’ to the No More, lad, and the way don’t smile upon cheeky boys. 'Tis time to become a man. Come up to the crow’s nest for a bit and it’ll make a man outa ya.”

Before Parker knew it, he was in a small barrel-like thing atop the highest mast on the ship. Loofyn crowded in next to him, and the large feathers in the hat Parker wore was apparently tickling the pirate because he kept chuckling.

“Quite the sight lad, aint it?”

It was! The wonder and beauty of the scene before Parker was one he would always remember. The three moons danced next to the stars on the surface of the dark ocean before them, and it seemed to go on for eternity. Parker had a sudden urge to throw his arms out and shout that he was the king of the world, but that made him feel silly for thinking it. Honestly though, high up above the ship and looking out on a deep ocean of moons and stars, Parker did feel like the king of the world.