Chapter 1

2010-08-03T00:17:00.000-07:00

Elaine opened the window curtains so that summer sunshine fell onto James’ freckled cute face. She knew that all kids and, frankly saying, all adults hate to wake up in the morning but her son had a specific reason that he never told her about. Her attempts to find out failed so she gave up.

His reason was really serious for a 6 year boy: he had the most splendid dreams while he was sleeping. He could meet Schreck, walk in the Wonderland with Alice, have fights with dragons, save a princess etc. Those dreams were so colourful, real, and exciting, it was natural that he didn’t want to come back to the world of reality where there was no magic, no adventures, no wars or evil forces. In the world of reality, there were only busy city called NY where all people do is earn money or learn how to earn money. The only good reason James wakes up in the morning was his mom, whom he loved more than anything in the world. He knew there was no man beside her to protect her. He didn’t trust Tom, her new boyfriend, he was too skinny for that purpose.

It was the first day of summer and he knew that his mom would soon send him to his grandfathers farm to breathe fresh air and eat vitamins for the whole summer. All excited with the beginning of his adventures, he took his back pack and pondered over what an adventurer would need on his journey. First he needed a kind of magic wand (all magicians have one). He remembered a WipeOut tool for cleaning that his mom bought recently. When he watched his mom using it, he imagined her to be like Harry Potter’s girlfriend operating her magic wand. The process looked the same. James found WipeOut in the laundry room, he also took a lantern, rope, piece of bread, chunk of cheese, a couple of apples, few T-shirts and shorts, a sweater and jeans, jacket and a cap and some other useful trifles. He wrote a note for his mom & left it on the table:

“Dir, Mumi, I liv home to have adventures. I have many in my drimz and now want my drimz come tru. Bicoz of thet I don’t want to wake up in the morning so much. I giv Tom chance to teik care of you. Don’t worri abaut mi. I’ll bi beck soon.

With Love Jamy”

After a while of thinking he realized that he was missing something but he couldn’t remember what.

- Miaow! Prrr-prrr. – it was Leo! A red cat full of grace and pride, a miniature copy of a lion. No one knew where he came from or where he goes when he disappears for a week or two. Elaine and James loved him very much and missed him very much when he’s gone.

“Of course”, - thought James “I need a friend in my adventures. Every good adventurer has one. And Leo would be perfect.” He picked up Leo who was sleeping lazily and having no idea what was going on and left home.

He was hoping that adventures would find him right after he stepped on the street. But after a half an hour of walking he realized that maybe he should try to look for adventures instead. He asked people walking by if they needed the help of a hero with supernatural powers. He didn’t quite know yet what powers he owned, but he thought he’d know it in the process. Apparently no one needed help. They all smiled, thanked and walked away. “It’s not so easy being an adventurer.” – a bit disappointed thought Jamy.

He was sitting on a bench and stroking Leo lying indifferently beside him. Right in front of him there was an old shop, where an old lady sold old-fashioned French perfumes for old-fashioned old ladies. Her shop was shabby, dirty and unattractive. Even from the street you could see spiders making their webs and catching flies, a sign board was missing letters and said “French fumes” instead of “French Perfumes” (like there were not enough American fumes in NY) and her shop-window was almost sullen. James thought that here his help was needed, not magical but at least it’s something. When he offered the old lady to clean the shop-window she was so happy and thankful. James thought there is no more pleasant feeling in the world than making other people happy. Using his magic WipeOut-wand it was easy to clean the window. When the window was crystal pure suddenly there appeared a vortex inside of the window. James couldn’t move because he was amazed, and just then Leo pushed him into the vortex and going in circles James and Leo flew towards their new adventures…

Adventurer

Chapter 1