Lizzie's Dream Journal

By Charlie King

After the death of her father. Lizzie Barnes finds her life taking an interesting turn when her mum brings home a new writing journal for her. She soon finds out it is no ordinary journal, as her stories become realistic dreams. The dreams are filled with adventure, new friends, and scary bad guys. But not everything is always as it seems. Can Lizzie learn the journal's secrets and find a way to fix her broken heart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: CAAB Publishing Ltd
• Release date: Dec 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005670030

Charlie King

Charlie King is an Author from London who began writing from an early age, leading him to write his first book published in 2017 and he hasn't looked back since then.Charlie has always considered writing to be a hobby no matter the content. That is why he runs a blog on his author page to discuss everything from TV and Film to Book Reviews, observations of life as an author, and even satirical articles.Working as a legal assistant at a law firm, Charlie enjoys the balance of the real world and creating new worlds. When not working or writing, Charlie unwinds by watching TV and playing video games.

Book preview

Lizzie’s Dream Journal

Charlie King

Lizzie’s Dream Journal

Published by CAAB Publishing Ltd (Reg no 12484492)

Foxbridge drive, Chichester, UK

www.caabpublishing.co.uk

All text copyright © Charlie King

Cover design copyright © CAAB Publishing Ltd

Additional photoshop elements from brusheezy.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be

scanned, uploaded, reproduced, distributed, or

transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever

without written permission from the author, except in

the case of brief quotations embodied in critical

articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business,

events and incidents are the products of the author's

imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living

or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

First Published 2020

Printed in the UK

British Library Cataloguing in Publication data available

Chapter 1

Dynamic

Lizzie burst through the door without saying a word and ran up to her room, not daring to look at her mother or brother. Neither of them called out to her as they trudged into the house and made their way to the living room instead. Lizzie entered her room and closed the curtains right away while getting straight into her pyjamas. She flung herself on the bed, relieved that her mum hadn’t followed her upstairs, as she held her beloved teddy bear close.

She always kept Rodford by her side, even though Mum told her that ten-year-olds shouldn’t be sleeping with a bear still. There was something about the big, bold eyes and the unusual blue-coloured fur that always comforted Lizzie, which today she needed more than ever.

The pages of stories plastered on her bedroom walls, along with colourful drawings, were of no comfort to her as she buried her head into the pillow. Downstairs, Lizzie’s older brother Billy and mum Patricia were sat down in the front room, staring out into space.

She’ll be okay, Mum, said Billy. Patricia smiled briefly at him. I can help you out whenever you need it.

What about you? Are you okay? You shouldn’t have to worry about helping me, you’re still a kid, she said as her voice cracked slightly.

I’m fifteen! he exclaimed, ignoring her questions.

You don’t have to be tough for me. If you reacted the same way as Lizzie did, I’d understand. Billy sighed.

It will be tough, but I will be okay. Lizzie’s the one who needs you the most. I’ll try and do what I can to help you get her through this.

The tears that had threatened to stream from Patricia’s eyes were now in full flow even though she didn’t let out a sound; Billy didn’t want to say another word for fear that he might get choked up while speaking. Patricia leaned over to Billy and hugged him for what seemed like forever; for once, it wasn't embarrassing to be hugged by his mum.

Why don’t you see what’s on TV? I’ll go make us something to eat.

Patricia left Billy sitting there as he flicked through channel after channel, puffing his cheeks out every few seconds.

She made her way out to the kitchen, popped some bread in the toaster, and looked out at the back garden through the window.

The sun shone down on the garden on both the recently mown grass and the long and overgrown grass which the lawnmower was positioned beside. The flowers continued to wilt. It seemed no matter how many times new flowers were bought, no matter how much attention they received, they never survived.

Lizzie hadn’t slept, at least she didn’t think she had, not with her thoughts and the home phone constantly ringing. She had no idea how much time she had spent lying on her bed cuddling Rodford before there was a knock at the bedroom door.

Lizzie, I won’t come in if you don’t want me to, but I have made you some jam on toast if you’d like it, said Patricia. Lizzie didn’t answer her right away. She wasn’t hungry, but she also didn’t want to ignore her mum.

Lizzie put Rodford down and slowly got out of bed, pulled the curtains back open, and made her way to the door before stopping as she thought about what to say. By the time Lizzie opened the door, her mum was no longer there, although she had left the plate of toast on a table to the side.

Thanks, Mum! Lizzie shouted towards the stairs. She went back into her room and closed the door, but left the curtains open. She took a seat on the edge of the bed, plate in her lap, and looked around the room at all the bits of paper hung up.

Lizzie walked around the small bedroom to get a close-up look. She caught sight of herself in the mirror. She saw her once shimmering brown hair, which had been neatly brushed, was now tufty, faded, and stuck up like bed hair. She peered at one piece of paper which had a comment saying it was a ‘good effort which shows promise’; Lizzie scoffed as she read the comments back.

She pulled the paper off the wall, scrunched it up, and threw it on the floor. She continued to do the same for pieces with suggestions for improvement, scribbling out the comments in the process. The writing was often accompanied by hand-drawn pictures of a man in a costume with a crest on his chest with the letters ‘DD’ written on it. There was another knock at the bedroom door.

Lizzie, are you okay in there? What’s all that noise? Lizzie’s mum had returned upstairs. Lizzie froze exactly in the spot she had been when the knocking started. I’m coming in, okay? She slowly opened the door as Lizzie stood surrounded by balls of paper on the floor.

I was just… just getting rid of some of these.

Why would you do that? The teachers loved your work.

You’ve obviously never read it, Lizzie muttered under her breath.

What was that? she asked calmly.

The teachers didn’t like all of them.

What matters is that you like what you wrote. It wouldn’t have been up on your wall if you didn’t like it.

It was true that Patricia had never fully read Lizzie’s work before, but she knew the teachers were complimentary. She bent down and opened up one of the paper scraps to see a man in a police uniform, altered to look more like a superhero costume, with short brown hair.

I see, she said to herself quietly. She held Lizzie close and kissed her on the forehead before chuckling. Look at your hair. She started messing Lizzie’s hair up some more with her hands. Lizzie laughed in embarrassment before a silence fell over the conversation as Patricia observed the paper on the floor. If you really want to throw these away, you can, but how about you keep hold of them just a little bit longer?

Okay, said Lizzie. She smiled briefly at her mum, who smiled back at her.

If you’re up to it, why don’t you join Billy downstairs and watch TV? Lizzie nodded. He’s not going to let me watch what I want, thought Lizzie.

She went downstairs into the living room where Billy was spread out across the sofa, half-asleep with his long raven-coloured hair covering his face. His eyes were close to being fully shut before they pinged open when Lizzie walked into the room. He immediately stretched and let out a yawn.

Here you go, said Billy, handing Lizzie the remote. There’s nothing on that I want to watch. He just about finished speaking before letting out another yawn. He pulled his legs away to make room on the sofa for Lizzie to join him. Lizzie took the remote and immediately knew what channel to try. She was in luck as she saw a donkey in a costume. How many superhero cartoons are they going to make? What is that, a horse?

It’s a donkey! Dynamic Donkey. That’s why he’s got DD on his crest.

Do you even know what dynamic means?

It means he’s fast, smart, and energetic. Billy tutted.

Close enough. Lizzie’s eyes were drawn to the bright costumes and bright settings in an action-packed episode as the battle between good and evil continued to play out in front of her. Billy soon fell asleep.

You’ve saved the day again, came a voice from the television as Billy woke up towards the end of the show.

Well, I never, said Billy in a mocking tone.

Sh, said Lizzie. Billy laughed. Lizzie left the remote in-between herself and Billy. Lizzie had cheered up slightly watching Dynamic Donkey and although she liked the cartoons coming up after, she couldn’t bring herself to care about them as they both sat in silence watching the TV.

Hey, if you want to talk or if you need me for anything, I’m here, said Billy.

I just want this day to be over.

We all feel that way, said Billy. Patricia stopped in the doorway to the living room just as she was about to enter. Billy noticed her, but Lizzie didn’t. No-one can replace Dad. Our lives have changed. It will be a long time before things feel like they are anywhere near normal here.

Lizzie rested her head against her brother’s arm. Once again they were both silent. Patricia looked down at the ground before heading back where she came from. She came back to the room later on to find both Lizzie and Billy asleep in the same position she had left them, which raised a smile as she stared lovingly at the two of them. She returned with a big blanket, which she draped over them.

Chapter 2

A Hero Falls

In one way, the week off school was helpful for Lizzie to feel better, but in another way, it was a constant reminder that her father wasn’t there. She lost herself in video games and television while Billy kept to his room most of the time doing the same.

They each had a console in their room. Sometimes on weekends, they would play games together or swap rooms with each other depending on which console the other wanted to play, but they stuck to their own rooms during their week off.

Indeed, neither of them had truly spoken to each other or to their mum about much in that time until they came together to attend the funeral at the end of the week. The funeral was met with a lot of unease from family members, even more so than a regular funeral might be received.

Patricia stayed in the house all week off work to look after them although most of her time was taken up on the phone to relatives or lawyers or companies. By the end of the week, as she slouched on the sofa, Lizzie actually felt as if going back to school would be welcome, much to her surprise.

If you need more time off school, the teachers will understand…. I will understand, Patricia told Lizzie while she ironed clothes for the upcoming school week.

I’ll be fine, Mum. I just don’t want the teachers to treat me differently. The steam roared from the iron as Patricia held it upright and stopped what she was doing.

Just remember the teachers are there to help if you need it. You don’t have to tell anybody what happened if you don’t want to.

What about Sophie?

It’s completely up to you, but I assume you’ll still invite Sophie round to play games from time to time? She’ll find out, eventually.

I guess.

With a break in the conversation, Patricia went back to ironing and Lizzie headed into the kitchen to get her school bag and pack her books for school the next day. She quickly flicked through the pages of each book before putting them in the bag. Not that she was paying any attention to what was written inside.

Lizzie had slept reasonably well throughout the week, but she struggled to sleep the night before school. She tossed and turned in bed as she reminisced about being woken up for breakfast by her mum and then having her father walk her up to the school gates.

She thought of all the times she was embarrassed by her father following her any further than that. She struggled with the idea of things supposedly going back to normal; as if things could ever be normal again.

Just like before, Patricia woke Lizzie up, sorted out her breakfast and clothes, but this time Billy was the one to take her to school. It was a bitterly cold