Christopher's Room

Recently, Christopher had been waking up in the middle of the night. The house was quiet, and Christopher didn't like being alone, so each time, he slipped out of bed and padded across the hall to where his parents slept.

Three nights he had woken his Mommy, so he could climb into her bed. On Sunday, Grandpa Joe came for his lunch and Christopher told him how nice it had been sleeping in his parent’s bedroom.

"I'm sure it was nice," said Grandpa Joe, "but you're missing out on all the adventures by sleeping in a grown-up's room."

"What adventures?" asked Christopher, knowing Grandpa Joe was full of fun stuff to know. Grandpa Joe looked around, to make sure there were no other grown-ups listening, then he whispered in Christopher's ear a great secret.

"Little boy's rooms are magic, you see," said Grandpa Joe with a twinkle in his eye. "Things can happen there that can't happen anywhere else in the world."

"You're messing with me, Grandpa Joe," said Christopher, with a smile.

"No, it’s true! Cross my heart," said Grandpa Joe, making the sign of a cross over his chest. Christopher knew he had to be telling the truth.

"What kind of magic?" asked Christopher?

"Dreams, Christopher. Magic dreams, leading to great adventures," said Grandpa Joe.

"Mommy said dreams aren't real," said Christopher.

"She is right, most are just pictures in your head, especially the scary ones. But once or twice in a little boy's life, a special dream comes along which allows you have the most amazing adventures. One night when I was a boy, I was whisked away on a rocket ship and flew across the sky in a great 'Whoosh'. The Space Captain let me fly the rocket and we went round the moon three times, before chasing some space monkeys that were up to no good. When I woke up in the morning, I remembered everything, it just had to be real," said Grandpa Joe with a happy smile on his face.

"Do you think I might have a magic dream one day," asked Christopher, giddy with excitement.

"Absolutely, if you’re asleep in a little boys bedroom. If you are sleeping with grown-ups the dream looses its magic."

***

That night, Christopher could not wait to go to bed. He woke in the dark and thought about going to his parents, but didn't want to miss his magic dream, so he closed his eyes and soon drifted off to sleep again. He did that every night until Sunday, when Grandpa Joe came for lunch.

"I stayed in my bed every night Grandpa Joe, but I only had normal dreams, no magic ones," said Christopher, when nobody else could hear.

"You never know when they'll come, you just have to stay ready," said Grandpa Joe, with a wink.

***

Christopher stayed in his bed every night for the next week and it was nearly time for Grandpa Joe to come visit again when it happened.

In the middle of the night, Christopher felt someone shaking him awake. When he opened his eyes there was a Fire Chief standing right beside his bed, dressed in a fireman's jacket and helmet. Sitting beside him was a dog, wearing a coat that said "Fire Hound" across the back.

"Hello Christopher," said the Fire Chief, with a huge smile. "We needed a little help and knew you were just the man to go looking for."

"Me?" asked Christopher, rubbing his eyes.

"Yep, you. Time is getting away from us, you'd better get dressed," said the happy Fire Chief pointing to the end of the bed. Christopher could not believe his eyes when he saw a fireman's uniform and helmet, in just his size.

Once Christopher was dressed, the Fire Chief, Fire Hound and himself rushed into the hall. Where the front door should have been, was a silver fireman's pole.

"No time to lose," said the Fire Chief, wrapping his arms and legs around the pole and sliding down out of sight. The fire hound did just the same thing, except using his paws not his hands. Christopher wrapped his arms around the pole and with a 'Wheeee' he slid down the shiny pole. At the bottom was the biggest, reddest, fire-engine Christopher had ever seen.

"Come on Christopher," waved the Fire Chief from the driver’s seat. "We need someone to do the bell!"

Christopher jumped into the fire truck and rang the bell as hard as he could while the red fire-engine zoomed through towns and villages. In the end they came to a big hay barn that was on fire. The chief gave Christopher a water hose, and the two of them sprayed water all over the flames until they were gone out. Christopher even put up the big ladder and sprayed water all over the roof.

When the fire was out, Christopher was very very tired, but very very happy. The Fire Chief patted him on the back and said, "We couldn't have done it without you." Christopher was the proudest boy on the planet at that moment. The Fire Chief looked at his watch and said, "Goodness gracious, we had better get you back home, it'll be morning soon."

As they speed back through all the towns, Christopher rang the bell to warn everyone they were coming. Soon, he was back in his own room, and out of his fire uniform. Christopher was so sleepy, he didn't even remember the Fire Chief, or Fire Hound, saying goodbye.

***

In the morning, the sun coming in Christopher's window, woke him up. He rubbed his eyes and remembered the dream from the night before. I had been a great adventure, just like Grandpa Joe had said it would be, but Christopher knew it had just been a dream. 

Christopher threw back the covers and got out of bed. That was when he tripped over something lying on the floor. Christopher could not believe his eyes when he saw his own fire uniform and helmet, still lying where he had taken them off last night. It must be true! It had been a magic dream after all!

"MOM!!! DAD!!!" cried Christopher, as he ran to show them his magic uniform.