Hi, everyone! I know I have two incomplete stories, but I wanted to participate in the Madrigal's prompt. This is just a one-shot anyway.
As I've said above, this is for the Madrigals prompt. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I do not own The 39 Clues.
Just a Dream
Dan Cahill was bored.
His sister was using his laptop for research. He didn't understand why she didn't just go to the library like she usually does and research there.
There wasn't anything good on TV. Dan checked every single channel. He even tried to watch National Geographic, but he got bored with it after a few minutes.
He scanned his room for something to do. On his desk, he spotted a small matchbox. He picked it up and checked if there were matches left. There were only five matches inside. He cautiously picked one up.
"Well, I don't have anything better to do." He said to himself.
He struck a match. Nothing happened. He struck it again. The match lit up.
Dan blew out the flame. He smiled. He finally had something to do!
He struck another match. This time, it burned on the first try. Dan smiled and blew it out.
Now, you might be asking, 'Is he a pyromaniac?' No, he isn't. He's just a very bored kid.
He got a piece of paper and lit another match. He carefully burned the paper. It blackened and turned to ash. He got another piece of paper and burned it again. After burning a dozen more pieces of paper, he blew out the match.
There were only two matches left. Dan considered putting back the matches where he found them, but he was having fun. This was the most fun he's had this entire day. But then, he tried to think of what he had done this whole day. He couldn't remember anything besides feeling bored.
"Eh, it's probably nothing." He thought out loud. For some strange reason, he actually meant it.
He lit another match and burned more papers.
"Good morning, Dan." Fiske passed by Dan's open door.
"Hey, Uncle Fiske." Dan continued to burn paper.
Dan didn't even think it was weird that Fiske didn't scold him for playing with matches. Nor did he notice that his door was closed just a while ago...
He blew out the match and struck his final one.
"Dan, here's your laptop." Amy appeared holding Dan's laptop in one hand... And someone's hand in her other hand.
"Hello, Daniel." That someone happened to be no other than Ian Kabra.
"What are you doing here, Cobra?" Dan asked angrily. He still hasn't forgiven him.
"I'm just here to apologize to your sister." Ian answered.
"Amy, did you forgive him?" Dan asked his sister disbelievingly.
"Yes, I did." She said.
"Why on earth would you do that?" Dan scolded.
"It's none of your business, Dan!" Amy shouted.
"None of my business?" Suddenly, Dan wasn't holding a match anymore. It turned into a flamethrower.
"Dan—" Amy tried to warn him.
"What do you mean none of my business?" Dan shouted.
"Uh, Dan—"
"I'm your brother!" Dan ignored her.
"Daniel, uh, please—" Ian tried to say.
"Be quiet, Cobra!" Dan accidentally pulled the trigger of the flamethrower. Flames shot toward Ian.
"IAN!" Amy shouted.
Dan couldn't stop the flames. His entire room was on fire. He knew that he had probably killed Ian and maybe even his sister, but he couldn't see them through the smoke.
The doorway was blocked by falling debris. The windows wouldn't budge. He had no way out.
"HELP! NELLIE! UNCLE FISKE! ANYONE!" Dan desperately shouted. No one came to his aid.
The whole house was on fire... and it was all Dan's fault. It wouldn't be long until he was killed by the fire or the toxic fumes.
He couldn't breathe anymore. He wheezed, desperately trying to get oxygen. He looked around for his inhaler. It was nowhere to be found.
I'm going to die. He thought. What is it with Cahills and fire anyway?
He began feeling light-headed, and closed his eyes.
"Dan? Dan, wake up!" Someone slapped him.
"GAH! FIRE!" Dan shot up from his bed. "Huh? What happened?"
"You were screaming in your sleep." Amy said, standing next to his bed. She was obviously the one who slapped him. Nellie was standing beside her holding a glass of water.
"Whoa, Dan, you're burning." Nellie put her hand on Dan's forehead. "Lie back down. You need rest. Here, drink this." She handed him the glass of water.
Dan finished the glass quickly. "I had this horrible dream. You were in it, Amy. So was Uncle Fiske and Ian..." He told them his nightmare.
"Dan, it was obviously a dream from the start! Why would Amy borrow your laptop when she could go to the library?" Nellie asked him.
"I don't know!" He replied.
"And why would you think that I would forgive Ian that easily?" Amy asked him.
"Maybe because you still like him?" He answered questioningly.
"Pssh... No I don't!" Amy said.
"Whatever you say." Amy rolled her eyes at her brother.
"Why would you be playing with matches?" Nellie asked him.
"Because I was bored!"
"Haven't you learned not to waste matches?" Amy asked, and then she flinched remembering the Korea incident.
"Stop blaming me! Blame my brain for making me dream it!" Dan shouted.
"Okay, let's stop the interrogation. Dan needs rest. He has a fever." Nellie said.
"Get well soon, dweeb." Amy said and left.
"I'll bring you breakfast. Be right back." Nellie left his room.
Dan lay down on his comfortable bed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small object on his desk.
"AH! GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!" Dan shrieked from his room.
Nellie ran up the stairs with a plate of waffles and a glass of orange juice on a tray. Miraculously, none of it spilled.
"Dan, what's wrong?" Nellie ran into his room.
Dan was hiding under his blanket. His head emerged from the blanket when he heard Nellie.
"Nellie! Get that thing out of my room!" he shrieked and pointed to his desk.
"You want me to move your desk?" Nellie asked.
"Not my desk! What's on it!" Dan said.
"Your laptop and your math homework?" Nellie asked.
"NO! That!" Dan kept pointing to his desk.
Finally, Nellie saw a small box on the desk.
"You're scared of a matchbox?" Nellie chuckled.
"Please get it out of here!" Dan cowered back under his blanket.
"Alright, calm down." Nellie picked up the box and put it in her pocket. "Breakfast is served." She put the tray on the bed and left Dan's room.
"Nellie, what's wrong with Dan?" Amy asked, her head poking out from her room.
"He's scared of a little matchbox. Can you believe it?" Nellie chuckled, taking the tiny box from her pocket.
"Who knew one dream could give my brother Spirtophobia?" Amy muttered.
"Spir-what?" Nellie asked.
"Spirtophobia is the fear of matchsticks." Amy said.
"Oh. Well, I hope that fear isn't permanent."
"Knowing Dan, he'll probably be fine in a couple of days."
"I hope you're right."
How was it? Good? Bad? To let me know your opinion...
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