The Fascinating World Of Friendship Dreamland

#Vote# Chapter 1/2: The Marshmallow Mistake The Witching Academy was supposed to be spooky. It was supposed to be bubbling slime, and sound of dramatic thunder. But Sunbeam was a bit of a problem for the Headmistress. Sunbeam was a witch who smelled like vanilla and sunshine. While the other witches were practicing their “Terror Transitions,” Sunbeam was trying to turn a teacup into a toad. Instead, she turned into a tiny, sleeping golden retriever puppy with a fashionable pink bow. “Oh dear. You’re much too cute for a Dark Magic exam,” Sunbeam whispered, patting the gorgeous puppy. She tried one last time to cast the Fog of Forgetfulness. She waved her wand which looked suspiciously like a giant glittery lollipop and shouted, “Misty Moisty Glloom! POOF. Chapter: 1/2 A thick, pink, sticky mist exploded from her cauldron. It didn’t make people forget things; it made the whole classroom smell like toasted marshmallows. In a split of a second, the grumpy gargoyles on the walls started to smile, and the head accidentally let out a tiny giggle. Sunbeam sighed. She was just to too loveable for her own good. Chapter 2: The Hero Who Tripped Over History Sunbeam’s marshmallow fog drifted out of the classroom and floated down the hallway like a sugary pink cloud looking for trouble. Unfortunately, it found exactly the right person. Or… the wrong person. Professor Thornhelm, the Academy’s strictest teacher, was marching down the corridor carrying a stack of ancient spellbooks taller than a baby dragon. He was muttering to himself about “undisciplined wand‑waving” and “the youth these days,” when the pink fog curled around his ankles. He froze. He sniffed. His eyebrows twitched. “Oh no,” Sunbeam whispered from inside the classroom. “Not him.” Professor Thornhelm’s eyes widened as the marshmallow scent hit him full force. His knees wobbled. His arms flailed. And then— THUD. He slipped on absolutely nothing except his own dramatic cape and fell backwards into the stack of spellbooks. The books flew into the air like startled pigeons. One landed on his head with a soft bonk. The students gasped. Sunbeam rushed out. “Professor! Are you okay?” Thornhelm blinked up at her. Chapter 3: The Library of Loud Whispers Sunbeam dragged the still sparkly knight version of Professor Thornhelm to the Academy Library, hoping the ancient spellbooks might explain why her magic kept turning everything adorable. The Library of Loud Whispers was the quietest place in the entire school… except for the books. They whispered constantly. “Psst… someone’s coming.” “Hide your bookmarks!” “Don’t let them dog ear me!” Sunbeam tiptoed inside, Thornhelm clanking behind her like a walking cutlery drawer. “Shhh!” hissed a dozen books at once. “Sorry,” Sunbeam whispered. “I need help. My spells keep going wrong.” A dusty book with a cracked spine floated off a shelf and hovered in front of her. Its title glowed: THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MAGICAL MISHAPS: A Guide for the Accident Prone Witch Sunbeam sighed. “That feels personal.” The book flipped open by itself. A page titled ‘The Curse of Cuteness’ shimmered. “Ah,” Thornhelm said, adjusting his marshmallow covered helmet. “This sounds relevant.” Sunbeam read aloud: “If a witch’s magic becomes too sweet, too sparkly, or too full of joy, she may accidentally enchant the world with irresistible cuteness.” The book continued whispering: “Side effects include: giggling gargoyles, fluffy transformations, and uncontrollable marshmallow fog.” Sunbeam groaned. “So I’m… too cheerful? That’s the problem?” The book snapped shut dramatically. “Yes.” Before she could argue, the floor trembled. A booming voice echoed through the library: “WHO DARES DISTURB MY SLUMBER?” A giant stone statue of a cat — the Library Guardian — stretched, yawned, and blinked its glowing emerald eyes. Thornhelm squeaked. Sunbeam squeaked louder. The cat statue leaned down, sniffed the air, and purred. “Mmm. Marshmallows.” Sunbeam gulped. “Uh oh.” The Guardian’s tail swished. “I hope you brought enough for sharing.” Sunbeam looked at Thornhelm. Thornhelm looked at Sunbeam. Both whispered the same thing: “Run.” “Why… does everything smell like a bakery?” Before Sunbeam could answer, the pink fog swirled again — and with a tiny pop, the professor transformed into a heroic-looking knight wearing shiny silver armour… except the armour was covered in marshmallow fluff, and his helmet had a giant pink bow on top. He leapt to his feet. “Fear not! I shall defend the Academy from—” He tripped over a history textbook. “—gravity,” he finished, face‑down on the floor. The students burst into giggles. Sunbeam covered her eyes. “I really need to stop doing magic before breakfast.” Chapter 3: The Library of Loud Whispers Sunbeam dragged the still‑sparkly knight‑version of Professor Thornhelm to the Academy Library, hoping the ancient spellbooks might explain why her magic kept turning everything adorable. The Library of Loud Whispers was the quietest place in the entire school… except for the books. They whispered constantly. “Psst… someone’s coming.” “Hide your bookmarks!” “Don’t let them dog‑ear me!” Sunbeam tiptoed inside, Thornhelm clanking behind her like a walking cutlery drawer. “Shhh!” hissed a dozen books at once. “Sorry,” Sunbeam whispered. “I need help. My spells keep going wrong.” A dusty book with a cracked spine floated off a shelf and hovered in front of her. Its title glowed: THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MAGICAL MISHAPS: A Guide for the Accident‑Prone Witch Sunbeam sighed. “That feels personal.” The book flipped open by itself. A page titled ‘The Curse of Cuteness’ shimmered. “Ah,” Thornhelm said, adjusting his marshmallow‑covered helmet. “This sounds relevant.” Sunbeam read aloud: “If a witch’s magic becomes too sweet, too sparkly, or too full of joy, she may accidentally enchant the world with irresistible cuteness.” The book continued whispering: “Side effects include: giggling gargoyles, fluffy transformations, and uncontrollable marshmallow fog.” Sunbeam groaned. “So I’m… too cheerful? That’s the problem?” The book snapped shut dramatically. “Yes.” Before she could argue, the floor trembled. A booming voice echoed through the library: “WHO DARES DISTURB MY SLUMBER?” A giant stone statue of a cat — the Library Guardian — stretched, yawned, and blinked its glowing emerald eyes. Thornhelm squeaked. Sunbeam squeaked louder. The cat statue leaned down, sniffed the air, and purred. “Mmm. Marshmallows.” Sunbeam gulped. “Uh‑oh.” The Guardian’s tail swished. “I hope you brought enough for sharing.” Sunbeam looked at Thornhelm. Thornhelm looked at Sunbeam. Both whispered the same thing: “Run.” Chapter 4: The Cat Who Wanted a Snack Sunbeam sprinted between towering bookshelves as the giant stone cat thundered after her, its paws shaking dust from the rafters. “STOP RUNNING,” the Guardian boomed, “I JUST WANT A TASTE.” “That’s not comforting!” Sunbeam yelped. Professor Thornhelm, still in sparkly knight mode, tried to draw a sword made of marshmallow fluff. It bent in half like a soggy noodle. “Stand back!” he declared heroically, then immediately tripped over a dictionary. The cat statue pounced— Sunbeam skidded to a halt— And the Guardian landed directly on a stack of enchanted romance novels, which burst into a cloud of glittery pink hearts. The cat froze. Its stone cheeks flushed. “Oh,” it murmured shyly. “I didn’t mean to… interrupt.” Sunbeam blinked. “You’re… embarrassed?” The Guardian cleared its throat. “I only wanted a marshmallow. I haven’t had a treat in three centuries.” Sunbeam sighed with relief. “I can make marshmallows! Accidentally. Constantly.” The cat’s eyes sparkled. “Then we are friends.” Sunbeam exchanged a look with Thornhelm. This was not the kind of friendship she needed right now. Chapter 5: The Map of Misplaced Dreams Once the Guardian was happily l*****g a floating marshmallow the size of a pumpkin, Sunbeam and Thornhelm slipped deeper into the library. They found a glowing scroll pinned under a pile of dusty atlases. It hummed softly, like a sleeping bee. Sunbeam unrolled it. A shimmering map appeared — not of the world, but of swirling colours, floating islands, and tiny doodles of dancing teacups. The title read: THE MAP OF MISPLACED DREAMS For witches whose magic wanders where it shouldn’t. Thornhelm frowned. “Your magic is wandering?” Sunbeam nodded. “It’s been… drifting. Turning things cute instead of spooky.” The map pulsed. A glowing arrow pointed to a distant island labelled: Friendship Dreamland Sunbeam whispered, “That’s not even a real place.” The map disagreed. It sparkled, folded itself into a paper airplane, and zoomed straight out the window. Sunbeam gasped. “HEY! Come back!” Thornhelm groaned. “We’re going to have to chase it, aren’t we?” Sunbeam nodded. Thornhelm sighed. “Of course we are.” Chapter 6: The Broomstick That Refused to Behave Sunbeam grabbed her broomstick — a cheerful yellow one with sunflower stickers — and hopped on. It didn’t move. “Come on,” she whispered. “We need to follow that map.” The broomstick shivered… then shot into the air like a startled rocket. “TOO FAST!” Sunbeam screamed as she clung on sideways. Thornhelm tried to mount his own broom, but it was still covered in marshmallow fluff. It stuck to the ground like glue. “Sunbeam!” he shouted. “A little help?” Her broom zig‑zagged wildly, looped around the tower twice, and finally swooped down to scoop Thornhelm up by his sparkly helmet. “THIS IS NOT DIGNIFIED!” he yelled as they soared into the clouds. Sunbeam grinned despite herself. “Welcome to my life.” Chapter 7: The Cloud of Complaints They flew through a thick grey cloud that grumbled as they passed. “Watch where you’re going!” it snapped. Sunbeam blinked. “Did that cloud just… talk?” The cloud huffed. “Of course I talk. I’m the Cloud of Complaints. And you two are flying like headless pixies.” Thornhelm muttered, “I miss the days when weather was silent.” The cloud continued complaining: “You’re too fast! Too sparkly! Too marshmallow‑scented! And your broomstick is shedding sunflower petals all over my atmosphere!” Sunbeam sighed. “We’re trying to reach Friendship Dreamland. Have you seen a flying map?” The cloud grumbled. “Yes. It went that way. Very rude. Didn’t even say hello.” Sunbeam thanked the cloud. The cloud sniffed. “You’re welcome. Try not to ruin the sky on your way out.” Chapter 8: The Island of Impossible Colours They burst out of the clouds and gasped. Below them floated an island shimmering with colours that didn’t exist in the normal world — colours like glimmer‑greenish‑blue‑ish‑maybe‑purple and sparkle‑sunset‑lemon‑twist. Sunbeam whispered, “It’s beautiful.” Thornhelm whispered, “It’s nauseating.” They landed on a beach made of soft, glowing sand. The air smelled like warm cookies and fresh rain. A tiny creature waddled toward them — a round puffball with wings, wearing a tiny crown. “Welcome!” it squeaked. “I am Piffle, King of the Pufflings!” Sunbeam melted. “You’re adorable.” Piffle bowed. “Yes. I know.” Thornhelm groaned. “This place is going to give me cavities.” Chapter 9: The Trial of True Magic Piffle led them to a crystal archway. “To fix your wandering magic,” he explained, “you must pass the Trial of True Magic.” Sunbeam gulped. “What kind of trial?” Piffle fluttered dramatically. “A test of your heart.” Thornhelm muttered, “Oh no.” Sunbeam stepped through the archway. Instantly, she stood in a dark forest. Shadows twisted. Wind howled. Her wand felt heavy. A voice whispered, “Show us your magic.” Sunbeam raised her wand. She tried to summon something spooky — a ghost, a bat, a creepy fog. Instead, she created… A glowing pink bunny wearing a wizard hat. Sunbeam groaned. “Seriously?” But the shadows leaned closer. The bunny hopped forward, fearless, glowing brighter and brighter until the darkness melted away. A voice boomed: “TRUE MAGIC IS NOT FEAR. IT IS KINDNESS.” Sunbeam blinked. “Wait… what?” Chapter 10: The Return of the Runaway Map The forest dissolved. Sunbeam found herself back on the island with Thornhelm and Piffle. The glowing map fluttered down from the sky and landed gently in her hands. Piffle smiled. “Your magic isn’t broken. It’s evolving.” Thornhelm nodded slowly. “You’re not meant to be a scary witch. You’re meant to be… you.” Sunbeam felt warmth bloom in her chest. The map folded itself neatly and whispered, “Home?” Sunbeam smiled. “Yes. Let’s go home.” Chapter 11: The Academy of Surprised Witches When Sunbeam and Thornhelm returned, the Witching Academy was in chaos. Gargoyles were giggling. Cauldrons were bubbling rainbow foam. Brooms were dancing the cha‑cha. Headmistress Nightshade stormed toward them. “SUNBEAM! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW?” Sunbeam took a deep breath. “I found out my magic isn’t dark. It’s bright. And sweet. And friendly. And… that’s okay.” The Headmistress blinked. Then blinked again. Then sighed. “Well. Every century or so, a witch like you appears. A Lightwitch.” Sunbeam gasped. “A what?” Nightshade smiled. “A witch whose magic brings joy instead of fear. Rare. Powerful. And very needed.” Thornhelm whispered, “I knew it.” Chapter 12: The Marshmallow Moonrise That night, the Academy gathered under the full moon. Sunbeam stood in the courtyard, wand glowing like a tiny star. Nightshade raised her staff. “Sunbeam, Witch of Light, show us your magic.” Sunbeam lifted her wand. A soft pink glow spread across the sky, forming shimmering clouds shaped like hearts, stars, and tiny pufflings. The moon turned the colour of toasted marshmallows. The witches gasped. The gargoyles smiled. Even Thornhelm looked proud. Sunbeam whispered, “This is who I am.” And for the first time, her magic didn’t misfire, explode, or turn anyone into a puppy. It simply shone. Bright. Warm. Joyful. Perfectly Sunbeam. By Hayley Ann Xuereb Micallef 🌟 Sneak Peek: The Academy of Forgotten Echoes The heavy oak doors of the Great Hall creaked open, and Sunbeam stepped inside, her very presence making the shadows retreat into the corners. She was always too bright for a place this old and dusty, a flicker of gold in a world of grey stone. "You’re late," a voice rumbled from the darkness. Thorn Helm stepped into the light. His armor was etched with briars that seemed to twitch as he moved, and his helmet obscured everything but the steady, watchful glow of his eyes. He didn't move like a student; he moved like a soldier guarding a tomb. "The sun doesn't run on a schedule, Thorn," Sunbeam replied with a playful tilt of her head. "Besides, I had to dodge The Library Guardian. He’s extra grumpy today—I think someone whispered too loudly in the f*******n Wing." Thorn Helm didn't laugh. He looked toward the high balcony where a lone figure stood silhouetted against the moonlight. The Headmistress. She didn't need to speak for the entire room to feel the weight of her authority. Her cloak seemed to be made of starlight and secrets, and in her hand, she held the Key of Beginnings. "The four of you have been summoned for a reason," The Headmistress’s voice echoed, cold and clear. "The boundaries of the Dreamland are thinning. Sunbeam, your light is no longer just a gift—it is a beacon for things that hunt in the dark. And Thorn, your shield must hold against more than just physical blades." Suddenly, a low growl vibrated through the floorboards. From the depths of the archives, the clanking of chains signaled that The Library Guardian was approaching—but he wasn't coming to shush them. He was running. "It’s loose!" the Guardian shouted, his ink-stained robes flying behind him. "The First Story has escaped its pages!" _______________________________________ About the Author Hi my name is Hayley Ann Xuereb Micallef. I am from Birkirkara, Malta. I go to Saint Francis Primary School which is found in Msida and I am in Year 5. I am a ten year old and I am very active. I go to swimming and piano lessons. I do gymnastics everyday. When I grow up, I would like to be a primary teacher for my full-time and an author in my part-time. _______________________________________ A message from the Author "This is my very first book that I published. In this book you will learn about friendship and it shows you how to have true friendship in the real world with people around you. It is a fantasy book and it is suitable for all age groups. I hope you like reading it. Please leave a like and a comment. You can also share it with your friends, families and your loved ones. Enjoy reading." From Hayley Ann Xuereb Micallef _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________