Living in Their New Reality

Prologue

Texarkana, USA

Alex's House

Darkness fell as the group of friends laughed at the bad dad joke that had just been told. What had originally started as a gaming session turned into a rabble as the jokes had been flying. Chuckling the Game Master Alex called his group back together.

"Come on everyone," he snickered "back to the game."

Chuckling the group continued to play their favorite roll playing game. The weather outside worsened as the dice continued to roll. When thunder cracked, shaking the house, everyone looked up. Everyone pulled out a cellphone to check the weather, and found the cellphones were not working correctly.

"Alex, something is wrong with the phones." Sara stated.

Alex rolled his eyes at Sara's obvious statement. "Let's play for awhile longer to see if the weather gets better."

The group sat back down and continued on the current quest. The weather seemed to get worse and worse as the group continued playing. They completed the quest, and Alex called a short halt.

"Let's take a fifteen minute break. We can check the weather, and decide what to do. Everyone is welcome to stay here tonight." he said calmly.

Sara looked over at David and whined "David, its time to go home. You have to work in the morning."

David looked over at his wife before replying coldly "Sara, we are not having this discussion again. I like gaming, and I like hanging out with my friends. You have been keeping me from both while dragging me to your friends houses to discuss things I find boring. You can either participate in the game, or hand Alex your character sheet."

Sara bristled at David and snapped back "My friends discuss things I understand. I don't understand this! I have told you that repeatedly! You are not taking my feelings into account when you play with your friends.

You just sit around a table and throw dice!"

"I don't take your feelings into account when I play with my friends? When is the last time you took my feelings into account? I have an Information Technology job I love, Sara. Alex is my boss as well as my best friend. We started the company I work for together! I get calls from you at least three times a day while I am at work, because you never learned to survive on your own. You are not Princess Buttercup from The Princess Bride. I am still embarrassed about what you did when we got married." David snapped.

Sara stared at her husband with rage. Alex intervened before Sara could continue her argument with David.

"Sara, if you have that big a problem with us then leave. It's obvious to all of us that you don't want to be here. Call one of your friends and leave my house." Alex ordered.

"I am not leaving without David!" Sara snapped.

"Yes, you are leaving without me. I will be filing for divorce in the morning. Go back to your parents." David growled.

Sara blinked as she heard the words. She had married David to get away from her parents, and he had just told her to go back. Shaking in rage, she called her best friend, Tina. Thirty minutes later, Sara left with a subdued group behind her.

"David, are you sure your doing the right thing?" Zoe asked softly.

"Yes. Its worse at home, and I'm tired of it. She used me to get away from her parents, and I allowed it against my better judgment. She forced me into a marriage I didn't want, and she stops me from playing Borderlands when I am stressed. I've been thinking of divorcing her for a while." David replied. "Thanks for asking Zoe. I just wish my marriage was like yours with Alex."

Zoe nodded and went to bring in sodas for everyone. Alex said that the shop would be closed the next day, and since he owned it no one argued. They then discussed Sara and her antics for a half hour.

The game continued, and everyone relaxed again. The weather stayed wet and dreary, but the roll playing was reaching a new intensity. The quests were getting more difficult, and everyone laughed as someone quoted The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe.

The session picked back up quickly, and the group continued with the quest Alex walked them through. The storm raged outside, but the group in the house laughed more readily. Finally they called it a night and fell into an exhausted sleep around Alex's home.

As dawn broke over Texarkana, the devastation of the previous night's storm found Alex's house destroyed. A tornado had ripped through Alex's neighborhood some time after Sara left. As emergency personnel moved over the wreckage they found something very strange. Alex, Zoe, David, Samuel, Tony, and George were not in house. The police labeled them as missing, and left the scene with shaking heads. Six healthy adults don't just up and disappear. Sara stared at the wreckage with a bowed head. She was hoping that she and David could resolve their issues. Now it seemed impossible with him missing.

Contested Lands, Unknown

Abandoned House

Alex and his friends awoke to their new surroundings in shock. The house seemed like Alex's, but the windows were broken and a layer of dust an inch thick was over the furniture. everyone knew that Zoe wouldn't let the dust get this thick because she attempted to keep her house clean. This place must have been abandoned for some time if the dust was this thick.

"Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore." Zoe quoted. Everyone smiled as they had all been thinking the same thing.

"The question is where are we?" Samuel said quietly.

"That is an excellent question, Samuel. I agree with Zoe, we are not in Texarkana anymore." George responded.

Alex and David went to look out of one of the broken windows. They saw a forest and the trees were obviously old. The two men looked at each other in confusion. Zoe walked over and saw the forest as well.

"Samuel, George the two of you have military experience. Would the two of you scout the area while I attempt to clean this place? We can at least attempt to make this place livable." Zoe requested.

"That sounds like a good idea Zoe. Do we have food in here?" Samuel asked.

Zoe went through the cabinets and found food, dishes, and other usable items. As the two military men left, Zoe found a broom and began sweeping the floor. Everyone was confused at the house being abandoned and full of food.

Three hours later Zoe, Alex, Tony, and David were taking a break. They had found out that the stove was a wood burning, and the windows could be removed and replaced with shutters and screens to keep insects out. Tony was a builder, and he had deemed the house livable if abandoned.

Samuel and George came back from their scouting mission even more confused. They had found that the group were in a massive forest with trees all around. They had found a stream a couple of hundred yards away if it was needed. They even found that the water was clean and drinkable.

They reported back to Alex and Zoe both of whom nodded. Everyone knew that food and water were essential for survival. The group had found packs in the house one for each of the friends. They had found survival gear in each as well as one special item each.

Each was a gamer at heart and each played a specific type of character in their games. Zoe played as a scholar, psyker, or healer. Tony, Samuel, and George all played fighter types. David played as a wizard or healer depending on party needs. When Alex played he was a rogue type character.