Prologue

Suddenly the pages fluttered up and down, like the wings of a butterfly. Gold and silver sparkles lit up the place and danced like small ballerinas. I watched in astonishment when the gold and silver sparkles formed into one line, then the line turned into a golden, sparkly ribbon floating and twirling around.....

Chapter 1

Cleaning The Attic

“Annabell, go clean the attic NOW!!!” mum yelled in her as-sweet-as-honeycomb-voice. “Wait! Just let me finish this book!” I shouted back. I was reading The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe and I was up to the part where the lion saves Narnia from the evil witch. Don’t you LOVE books? I do! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them! The way they suck you in and transport you to a new world!

 I wish I could become an author when I grow up! Anyway, I’m Annabell and I LOVE books. I am ten years old and rather short for my age. I have freckles all over my face and curly brown hair that goes down to my shoulders. I live in a small house with my Mum and me. 28th Chillsderville Street to be exact. Today is Saturday and mum keeps on nagging me to clean the attic. “Hurry up!" She pestered.

"Fine!" I walked out of my room and went up a rusty old ladder that led to the attic.

Once I got there I quickly covered my mouth and nose and looked around. Dust covered the place like a big, dirty cotton blanket. I held up an old book. Geese, the layer of dust on the book was nearly as thick as the book. How old is this stuff? I put the book down and got to work. I held the old dirty stuff on one hand and an old napkin I found up there in the other. Wow, there was a lot of stuff. There were used, dirty horseshoes, a stack of old books that I cleaned and saved to read later, a pile of worn out clothes, a few chipped pieces of cutlery, abstract paintings from my grandmother Lorina.......

There was so much stuff I couldn’t believe it. If we sold everything we have in the attic we would be a million-bazillionaire right now!

When I was cleaning the last few piles of things I saw and an old chest. It was really old and rusty, and like the other things, covered in thick layers of dust, I rushed to open it thinking that there might be some secret in it like the ones in books do, but when I finally pulled it open all I saw was a pretty feather, ballpoint pen, an ink jar full of ink and an old rusty book. 

Chapter 2

The Old Book

I held up the pen first. It was one of those old fashion pens that they used to have. It had gold feathers on the back and it was coloured in gold with a silver lining. I loved it and carefully tucked it in the pile of stuff that I wanted to keep for myself (along with those other books that I found). Then I held up the jar of ink and put it next to the sunlight. 

 It was a rather large bottle that could hold around 200ml of ink. It was shaped like a cloud and on the ‘cloud’ it wrote: “Use me if you want and it will bring you to a whole different world. A world full of imagination and story ideas to fill you up.” I didn’t understand what it meant, so I decided to go on to the book. I carefully wiped away all the dust and looked at the book.It had a red velvet cover with a golden edge. On the red velvet cover, it wrote Dream On. It looked magical! I examined it closely, it looked like it was 100 years old! Finally, I opened the book.

 Its pages were brown and yellow and it had a few rips and tears. But then I realised the words were a different language, it wasn’t Chinese, it wasn't Italian, it wasn’t Indian, neither was it Romanian, greek or Bulgarian. 

Suddenly the pages fluttered up and down, like the wings of a butterfly. Gold and silver sparkles lit up the place and danced like small ballerinas. I watched in astonishment when the gold and silver sparkles formed into one line, then the line turned into a sparkly golden ribbon, twirling around.

 I involuntarily stood up. The sparkly ribbon circled me gracefully. It was mesmerizing. I twirled with it. The ribbon did a pirouette, then a slow pivot, leaving the bottom of the ribbon twirling along. It was as graceful as a ballerina, as pretty as a rose, looked as delicate as the thinnest piece of glass and as satisfying as soap cutting.

I twirled and looped and danced with it, feeling the urge to hold the ribbon. But no, I didn’t because I was afraid I would ruin the magical moment. I was sure nobody had felt the same thing I had felt.

 I closed my eyes and let my feet go with the flow. I felt something special but I didn’t open my eyes. My heart slowed down and I felt a rush of warm blood go up to my head. Suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder. “‘Scuse me, lady, may I have the dance?” I heard a calming voice ask. 

I opened my eyes. Then I gasped. I was in a big golden castle with beautiful girls in beautiful dresses doing beautiful dance moves around me. My head spun. Where was I? How did I get here? How do I go back? Am I dreaming? Then I saw a person staring at me. He was the one who wanted to dance with me. I excused myself and quickly found my way to the bathroom.

Chapter 3

What In The World???

 The castle was full with elaborate decorations, there were roses as red as velvet in golden pots, golden statues everywhere, golden ribbons shining upon the ceiling…. That’s it! Golden ribbons! The golden ribbon must have brought me here. As I was going up the stairs to the bathroom, I felt as if my shoes had shrunk. When I looked down I gasped again! I was in a light blue gown, it had a sparkly trim to it, close to white but still blue trimming on the ‘collar’. I was also wearing glass slippers! No, it couldn’t be. I was cinderella. 

“WHAT IN THE WORLD????” I asked myself aloud. I was CINDERELLA. The Disney princess! Suddenly guards came rushing up the stairs. “ Excuse me young lady, but I will not tolerate you shouting in the castle.” Growled a deep voice. ‘Um…. I’m sorry.” I said in my most polite voice.”Anyway, who are you? Why do you look so much like that girl in the glass slipper? Can I please see your invitation to the castle? If you don’t have it I’m afraid you’ll be having a trip to prison.” The guard said. “Why me???” I thought. “Wait… What? I am only ten! 

Then I had a horrible feeling that the golden ribbon hadn’t just changed where I was, but it also changed my age! I was at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and being busted by a castle guard!”

I explained in a shaky voice “I… was just um…. Reading this red book with golden edges and it just umm… transported me here! Yeah…. Like magic I just Ummm… came here!” Why do I always sound like I’m lying? I just wanted to kick myself in the shin. “That’s what they all say!” The guard threw up his hands."

Chapter 4

NOOOO! This Is Just a misunderstanding

“Really??? Who else has been here and said that they've been transported from a book?” I asked just out of curiosity. “This girl named Lorina, she came here years ago. And I think she was wearing the same gown you are wearing now.” The guard mumbled. “Wait…. Lorina??? She’s my grandmother, an abstract artist!” I shouted in surprise. “No shouting Miss, I just told you that” The guard reminded me. “Anyway, grandmother or not, you're going to the cell." "NOOO! This is just a misunderstanding!" I was just reading a book! Really! I'm not lying!" I screamed.

“I told you already, NO MORE SHOUTING!!!” The guard shouted. “But your shouting, and I’m not shouting, I’m screaming!” I mumbled. “I don’t care if I’m shouting or not. You’re going to the cell and you can tell the other guards. I don’t have any time bickering with prisoners!” The guard shouted.

The guard pulled me down to a cold, dark prison. “HELP!” I shouted but all I heard was my echo. “HELP… Help….help.” The echo answered back. “The guard screamed in my face “NO MORE SHOUTING OR SCREAMING AGAIN! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” “Yes,” I whispered with hot, bitter tears running down my cheek. I was only ten and yet I was going to a prison cell. I didn’t even know what was happening! 

Chapter 5

HELP!!!

The guard looked at me, his face softening. “Listen, pipsqueak, where’s your family? I would like to talk to them.” “I don’t know, I told you, I was just reading a book!” I answered. “I don’t want to go to prison. I’m only ten and I’ve got years of school ahead of me. I want to see all my friends again and my mum.” “Were you just reading a book?” The guard questioned me. “I want no lies.” “YES. I was cleaning the attic and I found a red book with golden edges. Then I opened it and suddenly a piece of golden string popped out.

 I think that’s what brought me here.” “I don’t believe it.” The guard whispered. “You're the lost princess,” “WHAT??? THIS ISN'T RAPUNZEL. I AM JUST A NORMAL GIRL. NOT ANY PRINCESS. I JUST WANT TO GO HOME.” I shouted. “Tell me where you live and PLEASE STOP SHOUTING!” The guard told me. “Fine, I live on 28th Chillsderville Street in Melbourne,” I answered in a small voice. “Where???” The guard asked “Melboorn? Where’s that? Stop bickering around, tell me the truth.” “28th Chillsderville Street,” I answered back.

“OooKaaaay.” The guard said. “I have no idea where that is. How ‘bout this. You came here by a golden ribbon, right???” “Yes, I think that’s what transported me here.” “Well then take a golden ribbon from the ceiling and put it in your hair.” The guard ordered. So then, the guard took a golden ribbon from the ceiling and I wrapped it in my hair. “

Chapter 6

What Is Happening???

“Now come with me and we will be taking a trip to the Wonderful Wizard of Odd.” “ODD? Isn’t it Oz???” I asked. “No Oz is the fake one. Odd is the real one. Don’t you know? It was on the news yesterday.” “Oh, ok.” So I followed the guard out of the castle and he took me into a forest of deep, foggy mist. Not wanting to get lost in this misty forest, I quickly followed behind the guard. Suddenly I felt a tug on my arm and it pulled me back. I watched as the guard took off in the maze of the mist. I wanted to scream but I couldn't feel my throat. Then I turned around. 

A small girl was holding onto my arm. She had sparkly golden hair that looked as pretty as a rose and as delicate as the thinnest piece of glass. She had bright blue eyes and wore a golden, glittering dress and golden, glass shoes. She instantly reminded me of the mesmerizing ribbon.

Chapter 7

The mysterious Girl

She sang in a sweet voice “ Follow me, and you will see, an attic full of mystery. If you want to go home, as fast as can be, then follow my lead.” “How do I know to trust you??” I asked cautiously. “I am the ribbon that flies like a pigeon, and am faster than a gibbon.” She sang again. “Fine,” I said. “Clean my attic, like an acrobatic and I will send you home. Please I need you to help, and send all my books to Rome.” Her sweet voice filled my ears and I nodded even though the last thing I wanted to do was clean up.  

 “Thanks, Annabell, the one with the magic spell, the one that cleaning repels, and the one that will excel.” Then, after she had finished her little songs, she led me to a big, golden, beautiful house. “This is your home??? It’s marvellous!” I exclaimed. “Thanks.” She said in a sing-song voice. “ Could you please help me clean the attic? You might think I’m dramatic, But I think you're acrobatic.” Maybe it’s just because she’s trying to rhyme or she’s just cray-cray but I did not understand a word she said except for cleaning the attic, thinking she's dramatic and something about being an acrobatic.

 “Could I please have that ribbon tied in your hair??? I need it to open my lair. If you could please not at the ribbon stare. Because if you know my secret then that’s a big flare.” So then I quickly took the ribbon off my hair, handed it to her and quickly covered my eyes with my hands. But I left a small hole so I could just see what was going on. The golden girl spun 3 times, threw the ribbon in the air. The ribbon exploded into gold and silver fireworks.

 After the firework display, the gold and silver sparkles quickly rejoined into a golden ribbon and flew to the door, twirled 3 times and like magic, the door opened. 

She instructed, “You can now open your eyes.” I pretended I didn’t see anything and took my hands off my face. I saw the door open leading to a big spiralling staircase. In front of the staircase was a golden bin. Then, I looked down. There was a golden mat saying Welcome. “Annabell, please come in, if you have any rubbish, please put it in the bin.”

Chapter 8

AHHHHH!

 “How do you know my name?” I asked. The golden girl just smiled. “Please wipe your feet on the mat, and if you want to, ignore the cats. You can pat them if you dare. But I warn you, this place is full of traps.” “What mess have I gotten myself into???” I thought. “Oh, no. I probably will fall into every single trap possible.” “Traps are here, traps are there, watch out, ‘cause there are traps everywhere!” The golden girl continued. “Watch your steps, listen for traps. One misstep and you will collapse!”

 Sweat rolled down my forehead and my knees started to shake. “You are now in, with no way out. This is where you begin, just wonder about. Say hello to a bucket of water, falling on your head. Maybe just a little slaughter, and you might end up dead. Listen to my warnings and you will be alive ‘till the morning. Stay awake, and not in mourning.” She sang in a wicked voice. “AHHHHH!” I shouted, and this time, nobody told me to stop shouting. Then she led me up the winding staircase, across a thin, narrow hallway with a red carpet to a tall, wide door saying ATTIC.