You clear your throat.
"You're the Super Computer, aren't you?" you ask, trying to sound bold.
The dragon rears to its full height. It stares down at you as if you were an insect.
"I am that, and much more!" it roars. "I have taken over the Hall of Incredible Science. And soon I will take over the world!"
Wow! This is one nutty computer! But maybe it will listen to reason.
"Uh—since you're going to take over the world anyway, maybe you could let
me go," you suggest meekly.
The dragon laughs nastily. Flames flicker from its nostrils as it stares down at you.
"You aren't going anywhere!" it cackles. "You're trapped in here with me now. Forever!"
"Oh, yeah?" you retort. "We'll see about that."
Brave words. But what are you going to do now? (We have the PDA on our list.)
You remember what the PDA told you.
You clench your fists and whisper, "Crash Code."
A number pad appears in front of you in a puff of smoke.
The dragon rears back and hisses.
"No! Wait!" it roars, wings flailing.
But you don't wait. You punch in the Crash Code.
Let's just hope you got it right...
(Omegon suggested 2-4-7)
The dragon lunges for you. You punch in the numbers 2-4-7 as fast as you can. You hope you got it right!
Just as the beast's huge maw is about to swallow you, a terrible groan fills the castle. It sounds like an earthquake!
The dragon screams, but the sound fades as the monster breaks into a thousand little parts.
Rocks fall from the ceiling. You put your hands over your head and close your eyes.
When you open them, you can't believe what you see.
You're still in the virtual world. A tiny elf girl is perched on the rubble in front of you.
"Wh-who are you?" you stammer.
"I'm the Personal Digital Assistant—PDA!" The elf sounds offended. "Who else could I possibly be?"
You decide it's not even worth answering that question.
Then the elf smiles. "Congratulations! You crashed the Super Computer—for good! Nice work."
"Uh...thanks. And thanks for the help," you manage.
"My pleasure," the elf answers, bowing. "I don't often meet a human who can outsmart a Super Computer."
"Thanks," you reply, blushing a little.
All around you, the wreckage of the castle is transforming into a beautiful forest. The riot of change is making your head feel funny.
The elf smiles. "Now it's time for your reward."
She grabs your hand, then points her finger. Immediately the two of you zoom through the air.
You land at a stone temple in the middle of a jungle.
Hey, you recognize this scene. It's from your favorite movie, Operation Buzzard. Stagehands rush by, carrying props.
"They're filming the sequel," the PDA explains.
"Wow!" you exclaim. "Does this mean I get to meet my all-time favorite movie star, Terry Thomas?"
"In a way," the PDA answers. She hands you a mirror.
You stare into it. Hey! That's not your face.
It's the face of Terry Thomas!
"But how—how—" you sputter.
The PDA grins. "It's virtual reality, remember? You can be anyone you want! Now, are you ready for the first scene?"
"I guess so," you reply. Wow! This is so excellent!
"And...action!" the director calls.
A rumbling sound fills the air. Glancing up, you spot an elephant charging toward you. Uh-oh! What should you do?
Suddenly, you realize you never read the script.
Looks like you'll have to wing it. You glance around. You could grab a vine and try to swing to safety—or you could...
"Oh, no," you groan. "Here we go again!"
THE END
So that's the book. Questions, comments, concerns? Also, currently The Haunters of Marsh Hall and Necklace of Skulls are tied for "what book next." Anyone care to break that tie?