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Category:
Fantasy
ISBN-10: 1777751594
Type: Fiction
Pages: 150
Copyright: Nov. 6, 2025
ISBN-13: 9781777751593
Price: $4.99 (eBook)
Emma tells the story of how Ruby's human sister Lucy came to the Castle of Imagination and became the first Dreamer. Without her the magic would fade and darkness would return.
While riding the Yellow Dream Train through a mystical Halloween night, Emma tells Danielle and Nina the story of Lucy — the very first Dreamer to visit the Castle of Imagination over a century before.
Each night, the Rainbow Dream Trains would circle the globe, rescuing children from the nightmares that haunt their sleep. But then, some trains began returning with their precious cargo of special powers never used.
Children are disappearing. The castle’s magic is fading. And Lucy arrives just in time.
Is the Dark Phantom stirring again? And can one brave young girl make a difference?
Excerpt
Lucy did indeed like the idea of going horseback riding with her sister. So the next day, which was Saturday, the two sisters saddled up and rode out into the fields just to have some quality time together. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and the birds were singing, and there wasn’t a sign of a single nightmare lurking in the shadows.
At noon the sisters dismounted and opened the lunch packs their parents had packed for them. “Thanks for suggesting this, said Lucy. “It’s nice to get away once in a while.”
“You’re welcome,” said Crystal. “It’s nice out here, isn’t it?” She looked at their mounts, Jewel and Harmony, grazing nearby. “I know what it’s like to be a machine,” she said. “But what do you think it would be like to be a horse, or some other animal?”
Lucy laughed softly. “I don’t know. They seem like they have pretty simple lives. Not at all as fast-paced as our human lives.” Then her face fell. “Crystal?”
“Yes?”
“Will you be staying long here?”
“I told you Lucy, I’ll be here as long as you need me,” said Crystal.
“Why did you come to me as your old self again?” Lucy asked. “Don’t you like being Ruby the Red Dream Train?”
“Of course I do,” said Crystal. “It’s probably the best and most important job in the world, leading the Rainbow Dream Trains. But, well, I told you that Dad told me that you didn’t want to see me. That made it clear that something was indeed bothering you.”
Lucy looked at her sister nervously. “You thought something was bothering me for a while?”
“How long have I been you sister?” asked Crystal.
Lucy gave a little laugh and said “For all our lives.”
“Yeah, that’s about right,” said Crystal. “Anyway, since you weren’t sure if you wanted to see me, I figured that whatever is bothering you has something to do with me and the other dream trains. So some part of me seamed to say that it might be easier, for both of us, if I came to you as my human self again. And I’ll have you know that I wouldn’t have asked to be changed back unless it was for something as important as this, because undoing the transformation from human to machine was easier said than done.”
“Why are you here? Really?” said Lucy, looking right into her sister’s eyes.
Crystal stared back. Then she took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure that the time was right to tell Lucy the truth, but on the other hand, she just couldn’t lie to her sister. Especially in the state she was in. Besides, it might make her come clean on whatever’s troubling her.
“Lucy,” she said, very carefully. “Every time I took you for a ride as Ruby, you always asked me if you can come live with me and the others, but I’ve always said no because I didn’t want Mom and Dad to lose you too.” She paused for a moment, then asked “Why did you always ask me that”
“Because I wanted to help you,” said Lucy, without a moment’s hesitation. “I don’t think I want to be turned into a train engine, but you’ve always done so much for me. I just wanted to do something for you as a way to, you know, repay you for everything you’ve done for me. And I know I have what it takes. At least, I thought I did.”
Crystal’s eyes widened. “Why didn’t you say so?” she asked. Lucy just looked down at her feet. Crystal reached over and put her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “What if I told you that I came so that I could say yes to that request?”
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