You never understand

how big imagination is

until you’re

lost in it

 

I turn on the phone

peer

at the laptop

see only

white halls

empty room

“We’re in”

Mandy says

“What next?”

 

“What’s the

craziest place

you can

imagine?”

I say

“He’s probably

there”

 

“Hm..I dreamt once

that I was

riding in

a flying saucer

to save Aslan

from Smaug

the dragon”

 

As she spoke

the walls changed

to silver panels

striped with

flashing buttons

 

“Arkn?”

Evan calls

“Arkn”

 

His words

bounce back

 Arkn…

Arkn

 

“No

he’d be in

the next part”

Mandy insists

 

As I watch

wood walls

replace silver panels

a dragon forms

“Smaug in our

church?”

I exclaim

 

His unfolded wings

touch the walls

but Aslan

 a golden blur

sprang forward

 

“Arkn! Arkn!”

Grace yells

 

Smaug turns

towards them

Fire blasts

Forth

 

“Duck!”

I scream

as fire fills

the screen

“Duck, fools!”

 

“Cool your jets,

Bailey,”

Grace hisses

“We’re fine,

a bit smoky

that’s all.

I don’t think

Arkn’s here”

 

“Can I try

somewhere else?”

Evan asks

 

Smaug rears up

Aslan’s roar

shakes my ears

 

“Sure!”

Mandy shouts

 

The church shrinks

into pencil-thin

stalks of wheat

Aslan and Smaug

Vanish

 

“A cornfield?”

Renee asks

“Why a field?”

 

“Looks like

North Dakota”

I tease

 

“Look, if you want

the middle

of nowhere

this is as close

as you’ll get”

Evan replies

“Arkn? Arkn,

it’s us!”

 

“No offense

but

you’re as likely

to attract trouble

as find Arkn

by yelling,”

I mutter

 

“What are the odds

Arkn’s here?”

Renee asks

 

“As good as

anywhere else?”

Grace shrugs

 

“How can you

find someone

if we’re still

in the same place?”

Evan retorted

 

“The same way

my mom

can find things

that aren’t there,”

Mandy smirks

 

“That’s it!”

Grace exclaims

The wheat disappears

in a vision

of her room

with a memory

of her mother

staring blankly

 

“Where do

we look

for Arkn,

Mom?”

Grace asks

 

Her mother

Shrugs

“A rake?

Check

the garage”

 

“This is

useless”

Evan rolls

his eyes

 

Renee steps up

“I think

he’d be somewhere

frightening

and weaponless”

She looks

at the others

“Put down

the guns”

 

They did

 

“Stay close,”

 

tricornered hats

White, blue

RED

everywhere

“Vive la Guitione!”

someone yells

 

“The French Revolution!”

I blink

“By the lion!”

 

“Renee,”

Grace whispers

“Are you sure

we’re safe?”

 

“It’s only

our imaginations—

EVAN!”

 

The crowd

yanks him

away

 

“Get out!”

I scream

“Get out!”

 

Evan lunges forward

but

he can’t

escape

 

Others grab

Renee

Mandy

Grace

 

Renee babbles

in French

 

I think

she’s trying

to explain

 

but the screen

blinks out

“Renee!”

I scream

 

Only static

answers