As it dimmed, Cheryl removed her arm shielding her face. The heavy weight of body armor tugged at her forearm. Withdrawing her hand, she spotted her black glove and glistening white armor. The eyepiece to her helmet fell, obstructing her view with vertical slits that mimicked a grill. She threw it open and found smooth limestone pillars lining the walls. Their apex towered like skyscrapers over her. She occupied an inner sanctuary located deep within a cave. On either end of this space were caverns running into voids of darkness. Totems with flames atop them lit the area and a cage dangled from the rooftop.

Cheryl spotted a massive blur as it descended from on high. Its weight shuddered throughout the cave. The vibrations rattled the cage and flung loose pebbles from the rooftop. Before her now crept a pepper-red dragon whose scales each outsized her. The beast jousted forward, screeching into her face.

She nearly fell hysteric, screaming, “Wh-what the hell is that!?” but the monster’s face immediately morphed into that of Ibrahim’s.

His voice echoed, “Ugh, here we go.”

Another flash and they reappeared within the living room. Ibrahim sat with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

Wino inched in front of her, nudging, “It’s okay, you’re fine now.”

Cheryl clutched Wino’s collar. “D-Did you see that? D-d-did you just see any of that? I saw a huge room with a giant dragon and … and I-bra-him.”

Wino answered, “Don’t worry, it was just his–”

“Nice job, Cheryl,” Ibrahim complained. “The least you could do is play along.”

Ibrahim wore a cardboard box over his head. It had a cutaway for his face and squiggly scales doodled on its sides.

“Wait,” Cheryl inquired. “What are you doing? Why do you have a box on your head?”

“It’s called role-playing. Look it up.”

“But I swear! I saw all this stuff. But you weren’t there, Wino. And I–”

“Nice girlfriend you got there, Wino. She can’t even play along to a simple game.”

Cheryl leapt to her feet, balling her fists. "You know what, Ibrahim? I’ve had it with you and your snide remarks–”

A flash shined before her and she spoke to the dragon. It faced away from her but spun to screech in her face again. She dashed into the corner, shaking and whimpering. Her arms covered her head. Rattling bellowed into the cavernous space.

Shaking in terror, Cheryl heard the voices of Wino and Ibrahim, albeit muffled, behind her.

“Ibrahim, that isn’t funny,” Wino complained.

“So what? It’s not my fault she can’t roleplay.”

Cheryl considered the absurd possibility that if she could not only hear the boys, they may also be a part of this alternate world. She peered up and found a straight sword plunged into the ground. Its handle glittered with golden embroidery wound about with a midnight-blue band for grip. The tail of the handle sparkled with a sapphire gem in it. Behind her, the dragon scoffed with disinterest. Cheryl wasn’t worth the trouble. Suddenly, a blade jousted towards its rear.

In Wino’s room, a paper towel roll aimed for Ibrahim’s jaw. Ibrahim glanced towards Cheryl, at first surprised, and then a grin slowly crept across his face. Her eyes shared in his violet glow while that of the knight’s glittered hazel. Her eyepiece fell. She snatched the shield of a fallen soldier from the floor. Now, she clearly challenged the dragon. Cheryl had never been one to stand down to a challenge.

Ibrahim’s voice echoed in the cave, “Here we go. Now we’re roleplaying.” The dragon lunged onto four feet as it inched closer to her. A sinister glare beamed down at her.

Cheryl refused to back down. Instead, she gathered her courage to bark, “You’re going down, Ibrahim-dragon!”

With this, she bravely charged, leapt skyward and arced towards the beast. With her blade she drew the first blood, nicking the beast on its nose. Still suspended within the air, the beast twirled and swatted her back to the wall above the cavern. She slammed with a thud and crashed before the cavern opening. She rose to the beast, engorging its mouth with magic. Streaks of ember flame leaked from the slits in its pursed lips. The knight wobbled to her feet, distracted by the imbuing power before her. Ibrahim threw open his mouth and released a blast of hot breath.

Cheryl scampered along the couch. She took shelter behind its armrest. Within the sanctuary, the knight planted her shield and took refuge behind it. A torrent of fire engulfed the warrior, blazing its way down the tunnel leading away from the sanctuary. It illuminated the hole, and after the attack receded, it left scorching residue all along the walls of the path.

Small fires burned like candles as Cheryl climbed from behind her anchored shield. Steam streaked from the openings in her armor, including her eye slits.