Chapter 1

Toby Higgins was a geek, a socially inept, mussed appearing young man who excelled in any course or endeavor he became interested in and failed in things he had no interest in. Some might call him a nerd as well because he was scary smart. He was 6’2” tall normally but, if he stood straight instead of slumping he gained another two inches. He weighed all of 137 pounds and could, with effort, lift a whole 75 pounds on a good day. His dark hair always looked as if it had never been combed and he had a scraggly beard that he remembered to shave off almost every week. Even after a shower and clean set of clothes he looked like he’d been sleeping in his outfit for a week.

Like many young 17 year old males, Toby was constantly checking out and dreaming about girls. He was so shy, however, if said girl spoke to him he couldn’t think of anything to say and made a fool of himself. He couldn’t stand teasing and was the butt of many jokes by his peers.

Because of these many deficiencies in his psyche, his only friends were fellow geeks although two or three of those geeks were female according to their birth certificates. For some reason, Toby had no problem talking to them. Probably because they all talked video games, magic, computers and math with some science thrown in. He actually didn’t look on them as female but rather one of the guys so conversing with them was easy. Of course, they dressed as he did and hid their charms if, indeed, they had any.

One Saturday Toby and his group of friends got together to play games, talk and enjoy themselves. Most of the rest of their class went to prom. During a break from playing their games they were drinking copious amounts of soft drinks, eating chips and other finger foods while discussing the various merits of the characters in the latest game they’d purchased. Toby, his best friend Terry, Samantha (Sam) and Beverly (Bev) all thought the magicians were the best character and had learned all the spells and incantations they could to use in the game. Some of the others went with the thieves and brigands. A couple argued elves and ogres were the best.

Since Elves could and did use magic, Toby and the other magic users felt a slight kinship with them but were still upset when they didn’t completely support their argument that magic was the best way to beat the game.

For some reason, this evening, the four “magicians” were taking the conversation more personally than they usually would and were becoming upset with their other friends. Finally, Toby said, “I wish we could go somewhere I could show you how wrong you are. The four of us could live the good life with just our magic. The rest of you would have to work and sweat it out to get by. You’d all have to fight or work hard to break into places while we could just magic our way through life.”

Sam and Bev, almost in unison, said “What he said.”

Terry, on the other hand tried to be accommodating. He said, “Well, yeah, we could magic our way through a fight and even use it to steal things to live on but the other characters can all do things a magician can’t. We can’t fight without our magic very well and we’re weak physically.”

Most of the other guys made agreeing statements such as “Yeah, right on, yep.”

Toby said, “Well, sometimes a weapon is a good thing but a good magician can conjure up a potion and put people to sleep or make the ladies love him or, or just about anything.”

Sam and Bev giggled when he said that and blushed a little. Sam said, “Toby!”

“Well I could. I mean, we all are hetero and look at us. None of us had dates for one of the most important nights of our high school careers. If we had magic we could at least have got a date I bet.”

Bev said, “Maybe but why bother? Would you really want to go out with someone you had to use a spell or potion on to get them to go with you? And if you used the potion or spell and had sex with them it would be rape. Do you want to rape someone Toby?”

Toby looked abashed and hung his head slightly before he said, “Un, no, not really but.”

“TOBY! No buts.” She giggled when she realized what she’d said sounded like and some of the others laughed when she blushed.

“Ok, ok. I get it. Like it’s never going to happen anyway. I can dream ya know.

“I’m tired of this. I guess I’ll go home. Anyone want a ride?”

Bev stood and said, “Yeah, thanks.”

Sam said, “Yeah, wait for me. I gotta pee first.,” and headed for the bathroom.

They were driving toward Bev’s home just out of town when Sam said, “Hey you two. Look at the moon. I’ve never seen it that color before and look how huge it seems tonight.”

Toby glanced up at it then slammed on the brakes when he felt the car begin bouncing and rocking strongly. The headlights showed a small dirt trail in front of them. They came sliding to a stop in a cloud of dust with bushes scraping against the side of the car.

“What the heck,” Toby said? “How did I run off the road?” The three friends got out of the car and walked toward the rear. They stopped near the rear bumper and stared behind them. As far as they could see, there was only the narrow dirt road or trail. A few feet back they could see the beginning of their tire tracks and torn up bushes where the car seemed to just appear out of nowhere and began running over and breaking the bushes on the sides of the road.

After they walked a little farther down the road Toby said, “I don’t see the highway at all and I know we didn’t drive this far down this little road. This is too weird. I’m going back to the car.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket to load the map ap and exclaimed, “Whoa, I don’t even have any bars on my phone.”

The girls checked their phones also and found the same thing. They all got back into the car and sat quietly, looking out into the dark, occasionally glancing up at the strangely colored moon or checking their phones once again. Bev looked out again later and said, “Uh Toby. Look to the left of the moon. Isn’t that, I mean it can’t be can it?”

“What? It can’t be what Bev?”

“Another moon. Look over there. See it? It’s almost like the moons in the game.”

“Wow, super weird. Naw, it can’t be. It’s the glow from some lights or something.”

The three friends settled down and watched the moon(s) move across the sky. Occasionally someone would make a remark about the moons or their situation but they all eventually fell asleep. They all woke just after the sun came up the next morning with various aches and pains from sleeping slumped in the car seats. First Toby, then, rapidly, the girls got out of the car and rushed into the brush to relieve their bladders. They all gathered back beside the car and stood looking around.

Finally, Sam said, “What now? I don’t recognize a thing. How did we even get here?”

Toby said, “Heck if I know. I was driving along and you yelled I should look at the moon. I looked up just for a minute and wham, the car started rocking and bouncing and we were on this road.”

Bev said, “So? What now? Our parent’s are going to kill us for being out all night and not even calling or anything. Where are we and how do we get back home?”

“I already said I don’t know Bev. I guess we have to just get back into the car and I’ll try to drive down this road until we get to a town. Maybe we can call from there or at least find out where we are and how to get home.”

They all climbed back into the car. Toby slowly and carefully began driving down the narrow, rough dirt track in the direction they were headed the night before. After driving about ten minutes, at a very low speed, they came to a field fenced with a rail fence. There was a farmer in the field plowing using a horse and old horse drawn plow. He stopped and watched them pass showing a fearful expression on his face as they drove by.

They talked about the farmer and thought about stopping but for some reason they didn’t, continuing on down the trail. After another fifteen minutes they came over a small ridge and saw a village nestled in the valley below. Toby stopped the car and they sat looking at the town. The houses and other buildings were small. There was smoke coming from nearly every chimney. They couldn’t see any other vehicles but there were people walking around everywhere and a few horses, carts and horse drawn wagons on the street.

Finally, Toby said, “That’s weird. Do you think it’s some kind of Amish town or a movie set or something?” Both girls shrugged and Toby took his foot off the brake and began driving toward town once again.

When they drove into town their car took up nearly 2/3 of the width of the street. People rushed away from them into the nearest building. Horses rolled their eyes and pranced about in fear causing the teamsters and riders to curse Toby.

Near the center of town, Toby pulled to the side of the street and parked. He and the girls got out of the car and started into a building with a sign that said “Sheriff” over the door.

When they entered the dark room a large corpulent man stood from his seat behind a desk. He watched them worriedly and bowed before he said, “Welcome to Marks Town Sir Wizard and ladies. How may I help you?”

“Marks Town? I’ve never heard of a town called Marks Town nearby. Where are we? We’re lost. And where’s the nearest highway? Wait. Why did you call me, us wizards?”

“Why you came down the highway Sir Wizard. Surely you jest about that do you not? As for calling you wizard, ‘tis but proper is it not? With your conveyance and dress it is obvious you are not common folk or merchants and all can see you are not royalty. Such a magic conveyance must prove you are wizards.”

Toby was confused to say the least. Finally he decided to ignore the comment about being a wizard and discuss the underlying, to him, problem. “No, I do not jest. We were driving home from a game last night when we just sort of, I don’t know, appeared on the road outside of town. How did we get here and where is here? We don’t have any bars on our phones and we need to call our parents to let them know we’re ok. Do you have a phone we can use?”

“Bars? I do not understand. And what is a phone and why would you want bars on it? Oh, you mean the jail maybe? It has bars on the window and door. Or do you mean a bar where you can get a drink? Old Tommy has a bar in his common room over at the Inn.”

The three friends looked at each other worriedly. Finally, Toby said, “Thank you Sheriff. We’ll go see Tommy about it.” He turned and walked back out the door with the girls following. They stopped a moment to let their eyes adjust to the bright sun. There was a murmur from the people gathered around their car when they saw the three young people.

One large man, better dressed than the rest, came forward and bowed before he said, “I’m Mayor Hendricks. How may Marks Town help you Master Wizard and ladies?”

Toby said, “Do you have a phone we can use to call home. Our cells don’t have any service here.”

“What is a phone and why do you worry yourself about the Sheriff’s cells Sir Wizard?”

“Forget it. Come on you guys. Let’s go to the Inn and see if we can get something there while we think about this.”

The three walked toward the gathered people and they spread apart making a pathway for them to walk through. The gap in the crowd closed behind them and a few of the watching throng followed them into the Inn.

The Innkeeper nervously approached them after they had taken a seat and asked, “How may I help Master Wizard?”

Toby said, “We’ve been out all night. Can we get something to drink and maybe some breakfast please?”

“Immediately,” he said before he waddled toward the bar. He yelled back into what they assumed was a kitchen as he passed a door, “Quickly, a meal for the Wizard and his two ladies.”

The three meals were headed their way just after the Innkeeper set three glasses of ale in front of Toby and the girls. They looked at the drinks and food for a moment before they tentatively began to eat and drink from utensils that didn’t look very clean. The meal consisted of some kind of porridge, some meat and cheese and hard homemade bread. It was surprisingly tasty, however. Or maybe they were just so hungry it tasted good.

They were almost done with the meal when Toby had a terrifying thought. What if his money wasn’t any good? How were they going to pay for the meals? After they finished, the Innkeeper came to the table and asked, “Will there be aught else Sir?”

Toby said, “No, thank you.”

“Master Wizard, I am sorry but I need three copper pennies for the meal if you please.”

“Three pennies,” Toby asked.

The Innkeeper looked worried, almost scared when he answered, “Yes Master. I usually charge two pennies for a meal and drink, but for yourself and your ladies I must have the three for all if you please. I cannot just give away food and drink, even to such an august personage as yourself, or I could not feed my family.” He was quivering and appeared as if he would run at any moment.

Toby looked at the girls and reluctantly reached into his pocket. He pulled his change out and sorted out three pennies. He fearfully handed them to the Innkeeper. He was scared about what he would say when he saw the US Coins.

The Innkeeper took the coins and looked at them in surprise. He turned each of them over several times and looked at the engraving before he said, “Where did you get such perfect coppers if I may ask? Never have I seen such engraving. Are you sure these are proper coppers?” He looked scared and backed up a step or two before he continued, “Sir, never would I accuse you of foul play. I merely asked out of curiosity because these coppers are in such good shape and so perfectly round. These are perfectly acceptable of course.” He turned and hurried away from the table and the three confused friends.

After the Innkeeper returned behind the bar Toby looked at the girls and said, “Ok, now what? Where are we, really? Are we somehow on another planet or dimension or what? Does magic really work here? What do we do if we can’t get home?”

Bev said, “I don’t know Toby but we have to do something. These people seem to think magic is real and look around you. Do you see anything that even looks like modern stuff? It all looks like pictures in the history books or some of the games. Maybe we should just go somewhere and see if we actually can do magic.”

Sam said, “You’re right about the town but how will we know how to do magic even if it does exist?”

“Well, I guess we just try some of the things like we did in the game or we’ve seen on some of the shows we watch.”

Toby said, “Great. We can try to do magic but what if we have to know spells or something? What if we do it wrong and blow ourselves up?”