Chapter 1: The Nightmare.

For Jake Long it was a wonderful feeling to know that he was successful. Full of pride he watched how the thief was escorted away, and Jake handed the witch her bracelet back.

The witch, a young woman of 28, was so grateful that she hugged him when he transformed back. She kissed him on both cheeks, crying happily. They stood under the Manhattan-Bridge, between some old abandoned buildings.

"Thank you... thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said over and over again. "This bracelet has great magical-powers, I got it from my grandmother... oh thank you!"

The witch could not stop her happiness. The thief, a big old ogre, was escorted through a portal on one of the bridge-pillars to one of many magical worlds. The witch still muttering thanks, left Jake and followed the others through the portal. It closed and with its light disappearing it left Jake alone in the darkness of the chilly October evening.

„Well, that was a success, right?" he asked his friends as he turned to them, freezing as he spotted their looks.

Trixie Carter and Arthur 'Spud' Spudinski where looking angrily at Jake. Both where soaked, their faces where white, their clothes drenched by 40 degrees cold water. To take away some of the cold both where wrapped in blankets the witch had given them.

Everyone who had arrived later saw them had to suppress a few chuckles. Their own mood was best described as sour. They had nosedived into the East River as they assited Jake in the chase of the thief.

"Oh... I'm soooo sooorrryy!" Jake apologized, however, he could feel their anger.

"Jakey..." Trixie began. „This... was one of the most embarrassing moments in my life! Didn't you see how they laughed about us?!"

"And... the water is freezing!" Spud continued.

"I know... but remember! The witch got her bracelet back. The thief's arrested, and you... you," Jake began but could not finish because he had no clue what to say now.

The rest of the evening they spend in silence at Lao Shi's electronic-shop, who was preparing a sign for the front window. 'Closed till November!' Jake was supposed to be happy, but somehow he wasn't. Tomorrow was the day he would fly with his parents to Portugal for a week. The trip was a present from the dragon's council for the great job on Victoria Peak some months ago. First they offered a magical way to travel, but Jake's father preferred the human way to travel. That wouldn't scare him too much! He said once.

"Jake, did you prepare for the flight?" his grandfather asked trying to break the silence. "To be prepared for everything is really important for..." he began to say but he saw that Jake didn't listen. "Ugh… fine!" the old dragon mumbled and left the room, leaving Jake and his friends alone.

The three teenagers remained silent. Jake had this strange feeling to say something. "All better now?"

Trixie and Spud, who were wrapped in towels now seemed to agree. Trixie shook her head and turned to Jake.

„I don't even know why I was so mad! I mean it was our fault," Trixie said frustrated.

„As sidekicks we are no-goods!" Spud said. „If we didn't fall into the water, you had caught him sooner."

Jake looked at his friends and realized the thief really almost escaped. They were very lucky that Jake was able to catch him. Jake new he had to say something to motivate them, however, he wished he'd knew the outcome of his try.

In the other room Fu Dog was listening to everything they said ear pressed to the wall. Lao Shi was about to tantrum as he also caught some of the words, his interest peaked he now too had his ear to the wall.

"Come on now..." Jake said with a smile on his face. "Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, I mean I've accepted yours all the time."

After this sentence, Trixie and Spud stared in shock at Jake. They couldn't believe that. Behind the wall Lao Shi and Fu Dog were shocked too. Jake suddenly realized what he said, and clasped his hand over his mouth.

"WHAT?!" both asked angrily.

"Oh... no, no, no... I didn't mean that!"

"So what did you mean?" Spud demanded.

"I... I..." Jake tried to say something but before he could Trixie and Spud got up and headed for the door. "Wait!"

They stopped and turned.

"Shall I fly you home?" Jake asked. That was the only thing he could say.

"No thank you! Maybe we make a mistake... and land in the wrong neighborhood!" Trixie said and left the shop followed by Spud and smashed the door close.

"AW MAAAAAANNNN!" Jake moaned when he realized what he just did.

One hour later...

Spud was standing under the hot shower and thought about that what had happened in the shop.

"We were too harsh, I know he didn't meant it like that," he said to himself when he stepped out of the bathtub and prepared for the night.

His parents were shocked when the wet Spud entered the house. But it rained outside, so they didn't question him. They sat in front of the TV and were watching a comedy movie. Spud, however, was not in the mood to stay awake. It was just half past 8, but Spud got into his bed and stared at the celling for hours.

Trixie did the same. She felt also felt like crap. Okay, Jake exaggerated a little bit, but that can happen, I mean... he is Jake!she thought. For her the whole situation was also blown out of proportion.

They both had the same idea. Tomorrow before his flight they would apologize. As they fell asleep they remembered, that not one of them didn't knew Jake's flight schedule.

When Spud opened his eyes later he was shocked. He wasn't staring at his ceiling and that his bed had become quite hard. He looked left and right and found that he was in a plane cabin. Left and right of him people, sitting in seats, talking, drinking, reading books and newspapers. Spud stood up and realized that all was in time-elapse. Nobody realized that he was there, although he was wearing a pajamas. He walked but, he moved so slow...

Sometimes he saw everything colored... followed by black and white. Thenn he saw Jake and his family. Jake sat in an aisle-seat next to his sister, who sat on the window-seat. On the other side of the aisle his father said next to his mother and his grandfather. On the wall some rows behind them he saw the logo of the airline. A woman with blonde hair and a colorful dress, sitting behind Jake, stood up. A male flight attendant was walking up the other aisle. Spud didn't know why... but he looked at the flight attendant because of a gut feeling.

Everything was moving so slowly, that Spud was horrified much more when the flight attendant was thrown through the cabin, screaming. All other passengers, began to scream too and widened their eyes as something pressed them into their seats. The flight attendant smashed his head against the wall. The woman in the dress was swiped of her feet and smashed with her body against the other wall.

This slow motion screaming sounded like the pure horror for Spud. When he turned to see Jake he could see him and all others slowly disappear like ghosts. The lights became darker and the cabin empty. Than a hooded person appeared in front of him.

"I knew it... you are one!" the hooded person said.

Spud, who still only could move in time-elapse speed tried to run away. But the hooded one moved with normal speed.

„DON'T EVEN TRY TO..." the hooded person began and lifted his hand to hit him but Spud woke up and screamed in horror.

Spud sat upright in his bed and looked around. It was just 4:24am. It was very cold in his room and he was wet again this time sweat being the culprit. Spud held his head and switched on the light. What for a nightmare? Was he so mad on Jake? The rest of the night, Spud spend awake, staring at his celling...

End of Chapter 1

This is the beginning. I hope you will like the story. It's my first story mainly focusing Trixie and Spud. Please review.