Clockwork City

Back on Track

Just as Sandra tapped the bead there was a flash and a sphinx stood in front of them, They clambered onto its back and it rose high into the air. It flew higher and further from the palace. They flew over tall mountains that stood to some strange large monuments built by some ancient giants.

They flew over valleys with glittering rivers flowing through them. They finally arrived at Sandman's place. The Sandman almost leapt off the sphinx and walked upto the front door. He unlocked the door and walked inside.

"We need to go to get to the Phoenix Palace where your friends are," said the Sandman, looking up at the sky which was growing pale.

"But they might have set off to try and find me," said Sandra, thinking out loud.

"Well, in that case, we will have to visit them by dream. Quick, we better hurry," said the Sandman picking up a dish from his mantlepiece.

"What is that?" asked Sandra, looking at the dish. Unlike an average dish it had clouds painted on it. There was a dreamcatcher painted on it. The Sandman sprinkled dust on the dream dish. Now think of one of your friends and touch the dream dish.

Sandra thought of Teddy and touched the dream dish, The dream dish began to glow. The Sandman touched the dish.

They were back in the desert and the Sandman raised his hand towards the clouds. There was a flash as it came down and there was a carpet instead of a cloud. "Are we in Teddy's dream? What happens if we arrive in a dream where we are already being dreamt about."

"Then the dream version of us disappears because reality is more magical than mere dreams," said the sandman as he climbed onto the carpet. Sandra followed the sandman and soon the carpet was sailing over a vast expanse of sand spread as far as the eye could see.

The wind whistled in Sandra's ears as they sailed above the desert. The sandman took the compass he had out and looked at it. They sailed on and on with the moon high up in the sky. It all looked so real, it was difficult to tell it was Teddy's dream.

They flew towards a tower that Sandra recognised as being the same tower. They sailed towards it on the carpet and got down by the tower. The carpet sailed lower and lower as they got closer and closer to the tower.

They sailed down to the foot of the tower and entered the tower. The giant was still asleep. They walked to the exit and the sandman opened the door. They opened the door and there was a blinding flash and they were standing in a room. Teddy was just stretching himself and gasped when he saw Sandra and the Sandman standing in his room.

"Who are you?" he asked Teddy because Sandra was still in disguise. The sandman snapped his fingers and Sandra and he turned back to look at what they were in reality.

"Sandra? How did you get into this room? Who is this man?" Teddy asked as he quickly got off his bed.

"Well, it's a long story but in short I met the sandman, and this is him. I'll tell you everything when I have time. Right now we need to focus on stopping Apophis."

"Well, how are we going to do that?" Teddy adjusted his spectacles, as if to make sure he was seeing right.

"We must hurry up, the dawn is almost upon us," said the Sandman, as he took out the bottle and placed it on the bedside table.

"What must we do?" asked Sandra, as the Sandman took another box out of his cloak.

"You will have to do this on your own. I wish you had help," he said looking at Teddy.

"I will help," said Teddy, looking at the bottle by his bedside table. "What is inside that bottle?"

"The nightmares of apophis. Now when you are ready I will open this bottle. Both of you place your hands on the mouth of the bottle when I take off the cap. And Sandra, when the nightmare ends you will be with Apophis. I will give you some sleeping dust to sprinkle on her so that she falls asleep again and you can escape," he said, pulling out a small box and handing it to Sandra.