Chapter 2

The next thing I knew, I was in a strange bed, in a strange room, surrounded by strange people. It was all very…strange. The first thing that hit me: THE BOOK WAS GONE!! The second thing that hit me: THE STRANGE MAN IN BLACK WAS HERE!! I gasped and struggled out of the bed, trying to remember what happened last night. All I remember is being followed and running with a book. “Excuse me,” I said to a pretty young lady who appeared to be a nurse, “where am I? What day is it today? Who are you? Where’s my book? Who’s that man right there?” “I’m sorry; all of that information is classified.” She said straight-forwardly. “What?” I thought. “Classified?” that’s once again strange. Wow, I must be losing it. As the thought hit me, the stranger was at my side. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I screamed and ran out of the room. I was so scared that I didn’t notice the doctor’s bag that was on the floor. My foot hit it hard and I went tumbling down. My whole world was blacking out! Why did this have to happen to me? In a cold sweat, I woke up and found myself in the forest. Flaring my head around rapidly, looking for anyone who was in that strange room, I noticed a sign that I had never seen before. “BEWARE: IF YOU FALL ASLEEP HERE, YOU WILL NOT WAKE UP UNTIL YOU DIE IN YOUR DREAM.” Wow, strange! Good thing I woke up! Who knew that I would fall asleep in a magic forest and wake up a few hours later? I pushed myself up, grabbed my book, and then ran. I seemed to have so much energy! My adrenaline was rushing me out of the forest and out of the hands of the magic in the forest. At the end of the forest, I stopped in a meadow, glanced at my watch and cursed the short life of watch batteries. I just decided to guess that it was 1 in the morning. I suddenly remembered why I was running: to go home! Of course, duhhhh stop thinking about stupid things, Joel! I ran for a while. Eventually, I sprinted, which is strange because I am not the exercising type of guy. Before I knew it, I collapsed in the middle of the meadow. I stroked the soft grass. I rested for a few minutes when something hit my eye. It was the stream that I saw yesterday! You don’t know how long I’ve been longing for this. I slithered to the stream, and cupped my hands in the water. I sipped it’s sweet, rich flavor. I had never tasted water so good before! But as I raised my head from the crystal clear water, I noticed a sign. “WARNING: ANYONE WHO DRINKS THIS WATER, BEWARE OF SQUADALEEPODS JUMPING UP AND BITING YOUR FACE OFF.” “What are squadaleepods?” I thought. As the thought occurred, I saw something in the water. Oh no! A squadaleepod! The way the sign put it, I decided to be scared and back off, but I was too late. An enormous fish, about the size of a tennis racket, jumped out. I only had a second to see what the fish looked like. It looked a lot like a piranha, with a marlin’s sword nose. I jumped back, but the sharp blade of the squadaleepod sliced at my cheek, leaving an inch deep cut. Did I ever mention how much I hate big animals? Well, I do. Starting now. My finger darted toward my cheek, where the cut took up half my face. I stared at my bloody hand and clutched the book with the other hand. My finger went back to my face, but the cut was gone! I look at the book. Ok, I may sound a little crazy, but I think the book is magic. I know your laughing right now. This is just my opinion! I got up and started to walk. I wasn’t in a running mood. I entered another forest, and then I soon near a shack that seemed pretty friendly, but yes, of course, another sign. “Why are there so many signs in the forest?” I screamed. Then I heard a knocking noise. I turned my head and saw a guy placing a sign on a tree. He looked at me. “Oh, sorry, I’ll be going now…” Ok that was weird. I looked back at the sign next to the shack and squinted my near-sighted eyes at the sign. I have glasses, but I hate them. It’s not that they make me look dorky, I could care less, but they are uncomfortable, and you can do a lot more stuff with them off. On the sign, it said…pie. No seriously, it said pie on it! And there’s a picture of pie on it too. Well, nothing dangerous! I walked in. There was a poster inside. Well, at least it’s not an annoying sign. I am completely sick of those. The first thing I noticed about the poster is the year, 2021. Ha ha, must be a typo! As I thought this, my stomach growled so loud, it could start an avalanche! I turned my head and saw a buffet table. Hey, what are the odds! I stuffed my face for about 3 hours and hit the road, er, grass. There is no road.