With the air warmer and a blazing fire, the night was the most comfortable one they had experienced. Spence was exhausted but wasn’t ready to sleep. He typically stayed up until midnight or later at home, playing online games. The exertion had made him fall asleep quickly for the first few nights. But now, despite his fatigue, his mind was reasonably alert. “I think I’m having Internet withdrawal.”

“I know, right?” Morgan echoed. “Do you know how long it will take me to catch up on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? And no telling how much I’ve missed on Snapchat.”

Caleb shook his head. “Then this is exactly what you two dweebs need—detoxing.”

“You don’t use the Internet?” Spence asked.

“Not for social media, anyway. I’ve never been on any of those sites or whatever they are. If people are your friends, you can talk to them and see them in real life. I use the Internet to keep up with the news and world affairs—”

“Let me guess, Fox News?” Morgan asked.

Caleb scowled but continued. “And, of course, shopping for camping, hunting, and survival gear. Now, eBay, Cabelas, and Amazon, I miss.”

“Hey, let’s play a game!” Spence exclaimed. He was excited talking to real people, not just participating in online game chat.

“Oh, God. We’re not on a car trip, Skippy,” Morgan said.

Caleb smiled and shook his head.

Spence experienced a surge of adrenaline that threatened to blossom into anger. He inhaled deeply and tried to control his emotions. Morgan flashed the slightest of grins, and he realized she might just be joking. “No, seriously. Let’s take turns picking a category, and then we each say the one thing we miss the most.”

“You know, if Trey were here, I’d say you’d be close to receiving a wedgie,” Caleb said.

Morgan laughed.

“Come on, guys. What else do we have to do? It’s like eight o’clock. Surely you aren’t going to bed.” He paused, reading their faces. They weren’t entirely shutting him down. “OK. I’ll start it. Food—I miss pizza.”

“Eggplant parmesan,” Morgan said.

“God, you’re a freak,” Caleb replied. “Give me a grilled cheeseburger and fries.”

“Cool,” Spence said. “OK. Morgan, you go.”

“No one ever speaks of this game in the real world, or I’ll hunt you both down. OK. We’ve already discussed the Internet. So, next, I’ll say television—I miss The Walking Dead.”

“Whoa, there’s a shock!” Caleb said.

“Why don’t you bite my walking dead ass?” Morgan responded.

Caleb grinned and bared his teeth, clicking them together. “Doomsday Preppers.”

“You know, you two are both walking stereotypes,” Spence said. Morgan and Caleb both turned to stare at him, but surprisingly they laughed. Spence laughed too. This night was shaping up to be fun, almost like a camping trip with friends in the real world. “Ancient Aliens.”

“Oh, and you’re not a stereotype? I think we need to play another game—guess what year or decade one of us will get laid,” Morgan said. All three laughed.

“OK. My turn,” Caleb said. “Person. Mine is easy, my dad. We do everything together.”

Spence had to think on this one. He didn’t see his older brother and sister much. His mother and father had been fawning over him since his accident but seemingly more out of duty than love. But when he was upset or sad, his mother was the one coming to his aid. “It’d be my mother.”

“I’d say my sister, Jade. She’s away at college, but we FaceTime or Skype twice a week. She gets me as good as anyone,” Morgan said.

“Hobby—mine, of course, is Warcraft,” Spence said.

“After social media, reading,” Morgan replied.

Caleb was silent for a moment. “You know, other than being with you guys instead of my father and the existence of monsters and gods, mine is pretty much what we’re doing.”

“That’s sad,” Morgan said.

Caleb shrugged.

The three didn’t speak for several minutes. Spence was out of ideas for missed things, and he didn’t want the other two to tire of the game. So, he changed the subject. “Maybe we won’t have to fight anything tomorrow. We should reach the elves before dark.”

“Hard to say. The elves have a monster, too, but we don’t know whether we’ll encounter it before or after meeting them. Besides, who says the only things we fight are the monsters of the official quest? According to Titus, there are lots of creatures roaming around,” Caleb said.

“Oh, yeah,” Spence said. “Hey, you know what I just thought of?”

“Do share,” Morgan said.

“Well, the gods here are named after mythological gods on Earth.”

“Yep,” Morgan replied.

“And they opened a doorway to bring us here. What if the gods visited Earth in our past, and are the gods the myths are based on? What if the Sumerian myths were true? Did you ever see Stargate?”

Morgan and Caleb both shook their heads.

“Well, to make a long movie short, a group of modern-day people finds a strange device, like a doorway, in Egypt. Once they finally crack the hieroglyphic code on it, it opens a portal leading to another world. It’s a primitive world that resembles ancient Egypt and is ruled by Ra. But it turns out he uses technology instead of god powers to rule them.”

“Hmmm….” Caleb said.

“Interesting,” Morgan replied.

“Maybe all the gods from this world visited Earth in the past,” Spence said. “Or perhaps this really is Nibiru, and it’s passing close to Earth again. Instead of them visiting Earth, now they’re bringing Earthlings here. Just something else to ponder.”

“I’m tired of pondering,” Morgan replied. “Well, boys, I’d better do my business before bed.” Morgan stood.

“Hey, at least there should be some better toilet paper options. There are ferns on the riverbank and moss on the fallen trees and rocks,” Caleb said, grinning.

“Gee, that should be wonderful! When we get back, I might go into the toilet paper business. Want to go green? Use Morgan’s Finest. You can choose from soft moss, firm fern, or raw-and-bleed leaf.”

Spence burst out laughing, followed by Caleb. Morgan finally joined them. She walked off into the darkness of the trees, still chuckling.

“What do you think of Morgan now?” Spence asked.

Caleb stared out into the darkness, where Morgan had disappeared. “Well, I’m not a fan of the whole Goth thing. I couldn’t stand any of them at school, and I disagree with most of her philosophy, but I guess she’s not too bad. A heck of an archer too.”

“Would you do her?”

Caleb swung his head around and stared at Spence. “Do her? Did you actually just ask that?”

Spence laughed. In his usual speak first, think last way, the question didn’t come out exactly as he had meant it. “Just kidding. But do you think she’s attractive?”

“She’s not ugly or anything. I’d like to see her without the black war paint and a few less piercings, though.”

Spence heard crunching noises approaching them, and Morgan soon materialized in the glow of the firelight.

“Always a pleasure.” She returned to her seat. “Your turns.”

Spence and Caleb took turns disappearing and doing their business in the dark trees. Soon they all gathered back around the fire.

“I think I’m going to lie down. We’d better take watches again. I’ll take last. Which one of you wants first?” Caleb said.

“I’ll take first,” Morgan replied.

Spence and Caleb moved further under the tarp, covered themselves with blankets, and used their packs for pillows. Morgan laid her bow across her lap and gazed out into the darkness. Spence stared at her, silhouetted by the flames. Now that her personality was showing, and snarky and condescending had become sarcasm and humor, he was beginning to really like her. He had found her physically attractive since the night at the inn, but probably mostly because she was the sole girl, and he had never had a girlfriend. But now, the feelings were more than just physical. He liked her personality too and enjoyed being around her. Although he didn’t feel sleepy, his thoughts soon led him to sleep.

He awoke to something shaking his shoulder. He peered up and saw Morgan leaning over him.

“Get up, ancient alien.”

Spence blinked a few times and slowly sat up as Morgan backed away. “No trouble?”

“Just some big splashes in the river. Something is moving around in the trees too, but hopefully just a deer or something. I gathered a little more wood for the fire.”

Spence crawled out from under the tarp and stood by the fire. He stretched his back and legs. Sleeping on the hard ground definitely didn’t help relieve sore and aching muscles.

“You don’t stink, do you?”

Spence turned to Morgan. “Excuse me?”

“I don’t feel like unpacking my blanket. I’ll just use your bed if you don’t care.”

“Oh. Well, uh, not too bad yet, I guess. Although lack of deodorant, cologne, and hot water will take its toll on all of us.”

“I’m sure it already has, and we’re just used to one another’s funk.” Morgan smiled and lay where Spence had slept. She used his pack for her pillow and wrapped up in his blanket.

Spence sat by the fire, facing away from the tarp shelter. He knew he was stupid, but he was excited by the thought of Morgan wrapped in the blanket that was still warm from his body and her head lying where his had been. He tried to shut out the image of them both lying under the blanket, bodies pressed together and faces inches apart. He would have no trouble staying awake tonight.

Spence ended his shift after a primarily uneventful watch. He heard the big splashes Morgan had mentioned and some crunches and snaps in the trees, but nothing too close. As he walked under the tarp, he realized the flaw with Morgan’s plan—now he couldn’t use his bed. He studied Morgan, the firelight gently flickering across her face. Her brown hair was tussled about her head and her exposed cheek. Her lips were parted slightly, and she breathed deeply. He knew he couldn’t wake her and risk her wrath. And, of course, sliding in beside her warm body certainly wasn’t an option.

He walked over and touched Caleb’s shoulder. Caleb instantly awoke, and his hand shot out and grabbed Spence’s wrist before he could even react. After a few blinks, Caleb released his iron grip, and Spence backed away.

“Sorry, Spence. Any trouble?” Caleb grabbed his sword and rose to his feet.

“Just some fish jumping.”

Caleb walked past Spence and to the fire. He then turned to see Spence still standing in the same spot. He looked at Morgan sleeping in Spence’s bed. “I don’t even want to know. You can use mine.”

Spence sheepishly nodded and crawled under Caleb’s blanket. It didn’t take him long to fall asleep.