Molly plopped into a kitchen chair. She couldn't hide a long, noisy yawn. “Whew!”

"Exactly how I feel," Netty said as she dropped into a chair next to Molly, arms dangling.

Molly's mother set a plate of chocolate chip scones on the table. "Here, girls. Dig in."
"Thanks, Mom."

Netty reached for a scone and took a bite." Along with being flat out tired, I'm starving. Thanks, Mrs. Doogan.”

Molly sputtered a laugh as Netty bent over trying to catch crumbs falling from her mouth.
Molly's mother sat down and poured tea for the three of them. "Well, you two look worn out, but it must feel good to have your story for class finished. I can't wait to read it."

Molly bristled at her mother's words. She dreaded the time when her parents found out she’s still continuing the Rairarubia story she and her father made up—the story she was supposed to have stopped thinking about—the story that took her, and now her friend Netty, into another dimension—the story so real and dangerous that she couldn't share it with her parents.

"It feels great," Netty said as she took another bite. "I wasn't sure it would ever be finished."

Molly noticed Netty peek in her direction and roll her eyes. She hoped her mother didn't catch the look. She and Netty weren’t tired from writing the story. They were tired from just having lived it by helping save Rairarubia from the evil Jenuaqs, Yemor and Mas.

Dripping some honey in her tea, Molly muttered, "I hope it's finished." She hadn't meant to speak aloud.

"I thought it was finished," her mother said.

Molly had to think fast. "Oh, yeah, well, it's finished." In the past, every time she thought the story was over, she got some kind of sign from Rairarubia and got involved again. "I just meant, you know, finished, finished. We have to copy it now, make it all neat and stuff to turn in. I sure hope Miss Turner will let us share the story."

"She'd better, or I'm dead meat," Netty mumbled through another mouthful of scone.
Molly's mother picked up her cup. "Oh, I'm sure she will. You girls certainly spent enough time on it. I can vouch for that."

Molly sipped her tea, not really tasting it. All she could think about was how her parents would react when they read the story. Maybe Netty was right when she said they wouldn't care, especially since writing a story was a school assignment. Her biggest fear, she guessed, was that her parents would find out it was all a true story, that she and Netty have been traveling to Rairarubia.

Then it dawned on Molly that if the story were finished, she'd never see Rairarubia again. She'd miss Romey and Sam and all the characters she and her dad made up. But some of them she never made up and never wanted to see again.
She shivered thinking about the Jenuaqs, especially Yemor and Mas. Yes, it was probably best the story came to an end. It seemed to get more and more dangerous with every trip she took to Rairarubia. She knew for certain that Netty wanted no more to do with “the Big R,” as she called it.

Molly's mother got up from the table. "Well, girls, I have to go back to the clinic for a couple of hours. I'm going to leave you with the cleanup here, okay?"
"Sure, Mom."

"Will do, Mrs. D. And thanks again for the scones," Netty told her.

When Molly's mother left the kitchen, Netty asked, "Can I have that last scone, or do you want it?"

Molly laughed. "Go ahead. That's one way to help clean up."

After finishing in the kitchen, Molly suggested they get busy making a final copy of the story to turn in to Miss Turner.

When they entered Molly's room, they grabbed each other and screamed with fright.