The Girl Who Could Travel Through Books

Chapter 2 - escape from reality?

I looked at my grandma like she just said that our house was on fire. "Huh? Is this alcohol? Cause if it is Grandma, I'm not interested." I stood up from my chair and handed the flask back to her.

She started laughing. "Oh June, no its not alcohol. It's a potion."

I scrunched my eyebrows and blinked. "What did you just say?" I pointed at her. My hand was shaking so much that I had to hold it to make it stop. My grandmother looked like she didn't just say the word "potion". She looked like she just said the word drink. I turned my head sideways. Why does she look so calm?

My mom always said that grandma has her ups and downs, but I didn't know that it was this bad. "I said it was a potion, darling." Now she's looking at me like I'm the crazy one here.

Ok maybe this is a dream. Maybe I'm asleep all cosy and comfortable in my bed. This calms me down a little. I pinched my arm. "Ow!" Nope definitely not a dream.

"Are you alright?" I looked back into my grandmothers gaze. "No everything's not alright! You just said the word potion! Magic isn't real Grandma!" I said in a frightened voice.

"Oh but it is real June," she said with a calm look on her face. "Here bring me one of your books. Any one is fine." I quickly run to our bookshelf and choose The Wizard Of Oz. I run back and give it to her. "Ahh my favorite. Just what I wanted."

She put the book on the ground and opened it  up to the very first page. She handed me the flask. "Here June, I want you to do it."

"Do what?" I asked while I took the flask out of her wrinkly hands.

"I want you to pour this potion on the very first page of the book." She said while curling her fingers like she has the flask in them and pretending to tip it over.

"You want me to pour this liquid on the book? Wouldn't it ruin it?" I asked while putting the flask down. She shook her head.

"No, it won't ruin it don't worry. Now come on pour the liquid on the page. Very first page don't forget." She picked the flask up and put it back into my hands.

Hoping to change the subject I asked, "How's Grandpa doing? Is he any better?" My grandfather had a heart attack a few weeks ago and it didn't look so good. We were at the zoo when it happened. I don't even wanna think about that memory. July (my little sister) was crying all day so I had to comfort her a lot. August (my older brother) wasn't taking it so well either but we all got through it.

"Your grandfather is fine, dear. He's been eating and drinking just fine. He's still your regular grandpa. Nothing has changed. Oh that reminds me! I still have to get him some medicine when I'm on my way home," she dozed off for a little, mumbling about how she was going to get his medicine. "Oh excuse me missy!" I looked up from the ground and saw my grandmother glaring at me.

"You changed the subject on purpose didn't you? Oh I can't believe I fell for it! Now go on spill the potion on the page!" She said impatiently, pointing to the first page of the book.

I gulped and looked down at the book. I don't want to ruin mom's favorite book. She'll kill me if she ever found out that I spilled on one of her books. I looked back at Grandma, who was still glaring at me.

"Ok Grandma but if I get in trouble with mom, I'm just going to tell her that you told me too." I said while pulling off the cork that was in the flask.

"You won't get in trouble dear. Now go on, pour the potion on it. I don't have all day you know." She said, practically pushing my hand toward the book.

I gulped one last time and I poured the liquid on the page. It felt like it went in slow motion. The blue sparkly liquid slowly fell onto the page and all of a sudden BOOM. The book lights up and sparks or stars shoot up in the air. I screamed and jumped back in surprise.

I turned to my grandma and saw that she was smiling like a maniac. "Grandma? What's happening to the book?" I yelled over the noise that the book is making. It sounds like a earthquake mixed with a volcano. I feel the floor vibrating and I felt like my heart went up my throat.

She turned to me and said "It's making magic June! For 40 years I've waited! 40! You can only make it do this if you have the true power and you my darling have the true power." Just then wind came rushing out of the book and it blew me over. I stood back up.

"True power? Magic? Waiting for 40 years? Grandma do you know how insane you sound right now?" I asked, putting my hands over my head so the wind wouldn't get in my eyes.

"I know I probably sound insane but it's the truth! And if you want proof I'll show you!" She yelled over the noise. I looked over at her and wondered what happened to my grandmother. She would never do this. But then again people are full of surprises.

She smiled when I put my arms down and I walked over to her. "What proof do you have?" I yelled.

Her smile broadened and she stood up. She put her hand out indicating that I take her hand. I hesitate at first but then I grab on. "Now I want you to always remember this yes?" I nodded.

"You can't go into books unless you've said these two words 'I believe' understood?" I nodded again still speechless that this book is creating light and giving off sounds. Wait wouldn't mom be hearing this? I look around for her but I can't see anything.

"Ready? On the count of three we say those 2 words! 1....." she crouched down, getting ready to jump. I followed. "2....." I gulped and starting breathing fast. My heart felt like it was running a marathon. "3!"

We jumped and went down into the book. "No never mind! Never mind! I changed my mind! I don't wanna go!" I screamed but just before I finished the last sentence, the book sucks us in like a vacuum.

I started screaming and I knew I was up in the air. Clouds surrounded me and nope it sure didn't hold me up. Whenever I landed on a cloud it would keep me for 3 seconds and I would fall again. I kept turning and twisting.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I kept screaming and screaming. When I turned back around toward the ground, a bird flew into my mouth. I spat it back out and gagged. "Oh that was disgusting! Never in my life have I ever tasted a dove feather."

I started twisting again. "Oh right, I'm falling." I continued screaming until I hit the ground.
"Ow! Holy fudge! I can't move my butt! I can't move my butt!" That's when I heard giggling behind me.

I turned around and saw a little girl that looked about 10 years old. I shot up from the ground and stood up. "Oh bad idea!" And I fall right back down to the ground.

The little girl giggled. Wait, wheres grandma? I turned and looked around for her and I saw that she's coming toward me. I looked around at everything and saw that this wasn't home. I let my head drop and I saw a yellow brick road. "Oh no oh no no no" I mumbled to myself.

I turned to the girl and asked her, "Where am I?"

She giggled again and said, "The Wizard of Oz, of course."

And that's when I fainted.