The Land of Stories: The Adventure Continues

Falling

Carrie drove all the way to her fathers house quickly.  She thought that he might have some answers to what had just happened.  Carrie drove up the driveway and noticed that her sister Elizabeth's car was also just driving into the driveway. Carrie parked next to her and got out of the car. Elizabeth got out of the drivers seat and Matthew got out the other side.

"Carrie what are you doing here?" Matthew asked.

"What are you two doing here?" Carrie asked.

"We are here to tell Dad the news. So he could be ready." Elizabeth said. Carrie rolled her eyes and shook her head. She still couldn't believe that her siblings would do this to their father.

"Just so you know, I haven't changed what I think about this." Carrie said. "I still think this is an awful plan."

"Carrie, it's the only way. He'll get the help he needs there." Elizabeth said. Carrie sighed, and reached into her car for the book and shut the door behind her.

"Where did you find that Carrie?" Matthew asked. "I haven't seen that in forever."

"Oh um, Dad gave it to me to read to the kids." Carrie said. "They love this book, I just came to ask him a question about it."

"Carrie what have I said! You shouldn't read this stuff to your children, or else they start to believe in things that aren't real." Matthew said.

"Do you think I listen to you?" Carrie said and rolled her eyes. "No I don't."

The siblings walked up to the front door, and Matthew knocked on the door. There was no answer. He knocked again...still no answer. Elizabeth pulled out her keys, and stuck one of the keys into the lock.

"Elizabeth what are you doing?" Carrie asked.

"Getting in the house.  Dads probably napping, so we should just go in." 

"What!  No we wait out here until he answers.  We don't just go in, that's rude!" Carrie said.

"What if Dad needs our help, and he can't open the door?" Elizabeth said.

"Open the door." Elizabeth continued to unlock the door and siblings went in. Inside they were surrounded by different pictures. Pictures of them when they were younger, pictures of each of their wedding days, and even their parents wedding.

"Wow, how long has it been since we've seen that smile?" Matthew said and picked up the picture of his parents on their wedding day.

"Dad smiles a lot but nothing like that anymore. Not since Mom died. Wow, can you believe that that's actually them." Carrie said.

"Not really.  It's been a while since that photo, when was it taken?" Elizabeth said.  She turned the photo around and saw the year Spring of 2026.

She turned around and saw a whole wall dedicated to old family photos.  Photos of when they were younger, older, and even now, and their father was in each one with that same signature smile.

"I wish Mom was here, to tell us what to do. Matthew I'm having second thoughts."  Elizabeth said.

"You are too." Matthew said. "I'm sorry Carrie. You were right, we can't do this to Dad.  We are going to have to help him.  Let's go."

"Wait, let's look for Dad.  Maybe he does need our help."

The siblings looked all around the house, in each bedroom, bathroom, his office, their moms old office, and they couldn't find him.

"He's not here.  Where could he be?"  Carrie asked worried.

"You don't think he drove anywhere right?"  Matthew said.

"No, I checked his car is in the garage still.  It hasn't moved in a year."  Elizabeth said.  Her phone then rang, she got it out of her purse and saw who it was.  "It's Charlie's teacher.  Hey maybe Charlie knows where he went.  She was over here yesterday....Hello, yes this is she.  What!  What do you mean she's not there?!  Thank you for calling me."

"Where's Charlie?"  Matthew said.

"I don't know, they just said that she didn't go to school today."  Elizabeth said panicked.  "Great now we have two things to worry about."

"Elizabeth...I know where Charlie is."  Carrie said.

"You do!  Where is she?!"

Carrie handed Elizabeth the book.  Elizabeth grabbed it, and looked at her sister with a very confused look.

"Carrie, what does this book have to do with my only child going missing?"

"I think she's in the book."

"WHAT?"  Elizabeth and Matthew said.

"Carrie, this is crazy, and this is serious!"  Elizabeth said.

"I am being serious.  Charlie was at my house this morning, and she brought this book.  She said it glowed.  Now Matthew, I didn't believe her at first, but I saw it.  It actually glowed."

"Maybe it has batteries, or it's solar powered."  Matthew said.

"No, it's not.  It glowed, and Charlie...she, now I know this sounds crazy but...she fell inside."

"Carrie, I don't really appreciate this.  Now please tell me, WHERE MY CHILD IS!!!"  Elizabeth yelled.  The book then started to glow.  Elizabeth gasped and dropped it.  Matthew picked it up and examined it.

"It doesn't look like it has batteries."  He said.  Matthew opened it up, and tried to touch the pages but his hand kept going through.  "Um, Elizabeth I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think Carries right."

"What?"  Elizabeth grabbed the book from Matthew and did the same thing.  "Whoa, so did Charlie actually fall into this?"

"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes."  Carrie said.

"Charlie?"  Elizabeth said into the book.  When there was no answer Elizabeth set the book in between them. "We're going to have to go in as well.  I'm getting my child back no matter how crazy this is."

"Ok, well ladies first."  Matthew said.  The girls rolled their eyes at him.  "Fine all together."

"Ready?"  Elizabeth said. 

"Wait do you know what will happen when we jump in here?"  Matthew asked Carrie.

"I have no idea."  She said.  They all took a deep breath and they jumped in, leaving the Land of Stories book in the empty house.