In better news, I managed to write a few paragraphs today. I started writing the story as a tribute to Max, after he began dancing ballet. It's about a kid who's running away from some schoolyard bullies in the forest, and he suddenly gets pulled "Sideways" into an alternate dimension, where items (and people) sometimes go when they become lost.
The fantasy-world is loosely inspired by Arabic and Byzantine culture, and governed by a young prince, who oversees affairs of State while his father is busy fighting in a war against the Keepers. The Keepers want to hoard all of the lost items for themselves, but the human kings try to guard the detritus so that it can eventually pass back to its rightful owners.
The kid who came from Earth displays his ballet skills, and is met with respect and admiration from the prince (and maybe just a bit of a crush)