The Dreaming Tree


 Contents
 
 
 
 Title Page Copyright -->
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1. Chapter 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2. Chapter 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3. Chapter 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4. Chapter 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5. Chapter 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6. Chapter 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7. Chapter 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8. Chapter 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9. Chapter 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10. Chapter 10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 11. Chapter 11 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12. Chapter 12 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13. Chapter 13 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14. Chapter 14 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15. Chapter 15 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16. Chapter 16 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17. Chapter 17 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 18. Chapter 18 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 19. Chapter 19 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20. Chapter 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 21. Chapter 21 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 22. Chapter 22 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 23. Epilogue
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 About Author
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Afterword
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Acknowledgments
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The Dreaming Tree
 The Adventures of Tremain & Christopher
 Terry Marchion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Copyright The Adventures of Tremain & Christopher: The Dreaming Tree Copyright © 2021 by Terry Marchion. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review. Cover designed by Cover Designer This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Visit my website at www.TerryMarchion.com While there, sign up to receive sneak peeks, join my advanced reader group, and have fun. Printed in the United States of America First Printing: Nov 2021 Chapter 1 “… three, four, five… I win!” Zach yelled, throwing his fists into the air. Tenny rolled his eyes while Christopher laughed and Celeste clapped her hands. Squeaks slumped back onto his heels muttering ‘not again’ in a low voice. The friends sat huddled around a holo-table in Christopher’s living room. Zach, pushing his ever-present lock of hair out of his eyes, sat at one end, Christopher and Celeste sat on the plush couch, while Squeaks and Tenny kneeled at the other two sides. The group had made playing an old holo-game a regular event. Once a weekend, they got together at Christopher’s house. Christopher’s mother, Davie, loved having the group over. “How do you win so often, Zach?” Christopher asked. Zach just smiled and crossed his arms, his sweatshirt bunching. “I can’t help it if I’m just that good.” He said, prompting another laugh from Christopher. Tenny scratched his chin, looking up at the ceiling. “Say, Zach, you didn’t hack the holo-table, now did you?” “He wouldn’t!” Celeste interjected. Squeaks’ eyebrows shot over his glasses as he spun around to glare at Zach. “You didn’t!” he whispered. Zach held his hands up, index and middle fingers open in a ‘v’. “I didn’t!” he said, “Scout’s honor.” Tenny smirked. “You were never a scout, Zach.” “Doesn’t mean I can’t use their honor system,” he said as he scooted forward, swiped the ever-present hair out of his eyes, and gestured to the table, “If you think about it, it’s a pretty simple system. The two virtual dice give me a 1 in 36 chance of hitting the combination I want, so I just watch as…” “In other news,” Tenny interrupted, shaking his head, “Did you guys hear about that kid?” he sat back, arms folded in front of him. Christopher frowned as he looked over at Tenny. “Which kid? There are, like, a few thousand around here…” he said. Celeste sat up straight. “Are you talking about that underclassman who went crazy one day after school?” Christopher looked puzzled. “When did this happen?” he asked. Tenny sniffed. “You really should pay better attention, Christopher. You’re always running off to the lab after school. It’s happened to, like, three different kids now.” “Really?” Christopher asked, scratching his head. “I wonder why we haven’t heard about it at the lab.” Tenny rolled his eyes. “Maybe because you’re not a medical lab?” He teased, holding hands up and shrugging, “Rumor has it, they all overdosed, but nobody has said what they took.” “Really? I should ask Uncle Tremain. He has his fingers in a few things. I’m sure he’d say something if he knew about it. Especially if it’s about an overdose.” He fell silent for a moment. “Do we have a drug problem at school?” Tenny shrugged again. “I don’t have a clue. I may have a reputation as a bad boy,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows at Celeste, who gave him a sarcastic look, “but if I’m not with you guys, I’m at home. I lead a very boring life, apparently.” “Hey, do you smell something?” Squeaks interrupted, looking around and sniffing, causing Tenny to snort. “Come on, Squeaks, it’s only Christopher’s mom cooking again.” Christopher smiled and shook his head. “Trust