The Amulet is a series of graphic novels created by graphic artist and master storyteller Kazu Kibuishi. This and all the others after are what I imagine this series might be like if it were written in traditional storybook format, with a bit of artistic license.

A small car drove down a highway. On one side was a short stone wall about ten feet high; on the other was a guardrail to keep traffic from accidentally driving over the sheer cliff face and falling to the base fifteen hundred feet below. The highway had two lanes, both of which were just wide enough for cars to travel single-file, and streetlights spaced at regular intervals provided illumination. But this was a simple back road between Los Angeles and Sacramento, and was traveled by both family and corporate vehicles. It was dark and cool because it was winter, but winter in southern California is quite mild compared to other places in North America, so there was no ice, which was good.

But this winter was peculiar. That morning, it had gotten just cold enough to snow and stayed that way all day. Earlier that evening, the sky decided to shake its head again and dumped five inches in two hours. Due to this rare phenomenon, and the fact that the weathermen were predicting the sudden chill to persist, the school district had declared a break through the weekend. After that, if the weather lifted, school would resume. But just because there was snow on the ground gave no reason for traffic to cease. So the little car drove on, virtually unhindered by the current conditions other than a reduced speed warning.

Inside the car was a young family. In the front were the parents, David and Karen Hayes, both about thirty years old. In the rear-left seat was their eleven-year-old daughter, Emily, who was somewhat an odd product of her parents' strong relationship. While her father was a dark brunette and her mother was a sandy blonde, Emily's hair was red like a late sunset. In sharp contrast to her mother's lanky face and her father's square frame, Emily's face was round. Indeed, the only things that might be considered "normal" were her eyes, which were hazel, a common outcome when the genes for brown and green eyes mix.

Karen looked at the clock. "David," she said, "we're supposed to pick up Navin at eight o'clock; we're late." Navin was their six-year-old son, who had just started school that past week.

David, whose mind seemed to be somewhere else, was rather oblivious to the time displayed. "We've got plenty of time," he replied. "At least a half hour."

Karen gave him a confused look. "Honey, we're supposed to be there at eight and it's seven forty-five; fifteen minutes is not half an hour."

In the back seat, Emily giggled. "I think Dad lives in an alternate universe," she said. "Time moves slower there."

"That would certainly explain a few things," Karen grumbled.

David looked at his wife. "I'm sure Navin won't mind playing video games a few minutes longer," he told her.

Emily leaned forward and asked, "Hey Dad, I get to play a game when we're there, right?" David nodded. "Yes!"

"Sit back down, Emily," Karen chided. "And put your seatbelt on." Then she addressed her husband again. "David, it's already late. By the time we get back home, it'll be past eleven."

David sighed and nodded. "You're right, you're right." Glancing back at his daughter, he said, "Hear that, honey? Sounds like we'll have to postpone our game for next time."

"Aww."

Karen pointed forward. "David…"

"I see it," he said. A pickup truck had turned the corner, and the high beams were glaring at full power. "Guy's not paying attention to his brights."

The vehicle's driver must have been drunk or tired, because driving while either was just plain stupid. Just as the two passed each other, the pickup's driver blew the horn, startling David. As his eyes readjusted to the dark, another car on their side of the road became visible. Its hood was up and smoke was rising from the engine, and the driver was standing at the back of it with his hands on his head in disbelief. He turned and saw them heading straight for him just as Karen shouted, "David, look out!"

At the sound of her voice, David stomped on the brakes. But the road was just slick enough that the wheels couldn't grip it enough to stop the car. "Hold on!" The car slammed into the guardrail and smashed right through it. Emily screamed in terror as it slid down the slope that luckily was there rather than the cliff. Due to David's attempt to swerve and miss the broken-down driver, the wheels were still turned. The car turned in that direction and the momentum flipped it upside down. Finally, the car slid into an old tree that stopped it cold…

Right on the cliff's edge.

David opened his eyes, glad to at least be alive. But his own physical condition was a fleeting concern next to that of his wife and daughter. Looking at Karen, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Karen held a hand to her face. "My nose is hurt," she answered. Then her eyes flew open. "Emily. Where's Emily!?"

David looked in the back seat. "Emily!"

Emily appeared to be okay. She was hunched over in as tight a ball as she could manage, shivering with fear. "I'm fine, Dad," she answered shakily. "Just scared."

David heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank God," he breathed. "Okay, here's what I want you to do. I want you to unbuckle yourself and climb out through the front." Emily nodded, and pressed her thumb into the buckle release. With a thump, she fell to the roof of the car and began crawling forward. "That's it," David said. "Keep going." Emily pulled herself from the car through the front window. "Good. Now get away from the car, Emily." As Emily put some space between herself and the car, David turned to his wife. "Okay Karen, your turn."

Karen unclipped her belt, then pulled herself from the car with Emily's help. David unbuckled his belt and tried to exit the car after them, but felt something like a serrated blade cutting into his legs. "Dad!" Emily said. "Give me your hand!"

"It won't do any good, honey," he told her. "My legs. They're jammed under the dashboard." There was an ominous creaking noise, and the car began leaning toward the cliff.

"Daddy, please!" Emily begged. "Just give me your hand!"

"Em, you can't do it by yourself," he told her. "You'll need help."

"Mom!" Emily cried. "Dad's stuck, help me!"

Karen was there instantly. "David! What are you doing? Get out of there now!"

David shook his head gravely. "Karen, my legs are stuck, and something's cutting into them. We'll need someone to pry me out…" He seemed to remember something. "That guy on the highway! Find him. He might have something that could—"

"David, we don't have time!" Karen told him and the metal groaned. "The car's tipping! Just give me your hand!"

David did as he was told. But when Karen tried to pull him out, he let out a yell of pain. "Stop, stop! I can't move! Keep pulling and all you'll get is my arm! I can't do it, Karen."

"You're gonna have to try, David! Please, honey, just try!"

"I am! My legs are stuck under the dash and it feels like something's cutting into them. Even if I could get out, I'd bleed to death before help arrived."

The car leaned further. Emily ran around to the front and jumped up, grabbing hold of the bumper and trying to use her weight to balance it. But an eleven-year-old child weighs an average of a hundred and ten pounds, and a Ford Escort weighs in at just over half a ton. The only thing keeping it from falling over the cliff was the old tree, which was slowly coming loose at the roots. Emily willed herself to weigh more, but the car was winning and soon lifted her off the ground.

"Karen, let go," David said slowly.

"What?" Karen couldn't believe what she was hearing. "David, no!"

"You need to look after Emily and Navin," he told her. "Let go."

Emily could hold on any longer. The cold was numbing her hands and the metal was cutting into her fingers, and she dropped to the ground. "Mom, Dad! Get out!"

David's hand was slipping out of Karen's grip. "Honey, please. Cruel as it is, this is my fate." Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision. "Please, Karen…let go."

"David, I'm not letting you go!"

But the car was tipping further, taking David with it. "Karen…" His fingers started to slip. "I love you." His hand slipped from Karen's grip and Emily pulled her out of the window just as the old tree supporting the car came free and fell, followed by the car with David still inside. Karen let out a shriek of disbelief and agony, and held onto Emily for all she was worth.

Emily stared on in horror, her mind unable to accept what had just happened. She was in such shock that she didn't feel the freezing breeze or hear the sirens of approaching law enforcement and fire department vehicles.