Dad
Eddie, are you there?
Eddie
Hey, I’m just waking up. I was so out of it.
Dad
I’m sorry to wake you, but I just wanted to make sure that I got you early enough.
Dad
Are you still in the cabin?
Eddie
Yes. I had soup and slept, just like you told me to do.
Dad
Good. You should be at full strength now.
Dad
The good thing is, the game probably recognizes your phone as part of you, so your phone should be fully charged now, too.
Eddie
Yeah, it is! That’s amazing!
Dad
Okay, just be careful now.
Dad
You can only recharge at the designated stations. You don’t want to run out of battery. You’ll need it.
Eddie
Dad, I don’t get how I could be in a game.
Eddie
And even more, I don’t understand how you could be a video game character.
Dad
The game has glitches. I don’t know how I got out, but I did.
Dad
But now it’s trying to fix itself by getting me back.
Dad
Only it got you instead. It’s angry that I left.
Eddie
Dad, you got out by playing it all the time. I haven’t. I don’t know what I’m doing.
Dad
Don’t worry. That’s why I’m helping you. You’re going to be okay.
Dad
Now listen to me. We don’t have much time.
Dad
In a few minutes, an old wizard is going to come barging through that door.
Eddie
Are you kidding me?? Like for real, a wizard? I have to deal with a wizard?
Eddie
Can he get me home? Like do some magic or something?
Eddie
What does that mean?
Dad
It means that he’s going to try to help you, but his powers aren’t very good at first.
Dad
You’re going to help him with that.
Eddie
I’m going to help him??
Eddie
I have no idea what I’m doing! How can I HELP anybody?
Dad
He just needs confidence. That’s what you’re going to help him with.
Dad
You help him get his confidence back, and he’ll help you get home.
Dad
It happens every time. The only thing is, at first he’s not going to love that you broke into his home.
Eddie
WHAT?? But YOU told me to break in!
Dad
Will you please relax? You’re supposed to break in. It’s part of the game.
Dad
You’ll explain to him who you are. It’ll be okay. His name is Norville.
Dad
And he’s not a very good wizard.
Dad
But, he will be. You’ll help him become one.
Dad
Norville IS an excellent fighter. He’ll quickly train you and give you some pointers.
Eddie
Can’t he fight all our enemies? I’ll just tag along.
Dad
No, the only way for you to get back is to defeat the GAME.
Dad
And YOU will have to fight trolls, orcs and mercenaries.
Dad
You can’t rely on someone else to get you to the end. You’re going to have to know how to fight.
Eddie
I’m going to have to kill more trolls?
Eddie
Because the last time was disgusting.
Dad
You’re going to have to kill all three things. And then the only way to get the last amulet to get home is by defeating the Leader.
Eddie
That’s what he’s called? The Leader?
Dad
Yes. The only ones in the game with names are Norville, the Leader and Mankill.
Dad
Mankill is the mercenary who showed up at our house.
Dad
And me. And now you. In the game, I was called Dirk Dogood.
Eddie
What? LOL!! Seriously? Dirk Dogood? So where did you get the name Drew?
Dad
I obviously couldn’t go through life with the name Dirk Dogood, so I changed it.
Dad
Our last name, Vinorell, is an anagram of Norville. I named us after him.
Eddie
Really?? You named us after a video game character?
Dad
He was my best friend. Without his help, I wouldn’t have survived.
Dad
Without his help, you won’t either.
Eddie
Dad, there’s somebody at the door! I hear footsteps. Is that him?
Dad
Yes, that’s probably Norville.
Dad
It doesn’t really matter what you do. He’s going to get in any moment.
Eddie
So should I just open the door?
Dad
No, it’s probably better to let him come in.
Dad
The thing is, he’s going to agree to help you, but only because he feels bad about what he did.
Eddie
What do you mean? He didn’t do anything yet.
Dad
No, but he will. Eddie, I’m really sorry about this, but it needs to happen in order for the game to go on.
Eddie
What needs to happen? What are you talking about?
Dad
By now, Norville should be in the house.
Eddie
How do you know? I don’t see him anywhere.
Dad
No, you wouldn’t. He probably heard you inside and shifted into some small creature.
Dad
A mouse, maybe an insect. Doesn’t matter.
Dad
The point is, he’s probably inside with you already.
Dad
And he’s not going to be happy to find an intruder in his house.
Eddie
Wait, so he’s in here with me now?
Dad
No, don’t! He’ll be more suspicious if he realizes that you know his name!
Eddie
Too late. I called his name. He didn’t answer.
Dad
I wish you hadn’t done that.
Dad
It’s just going to make him angrier and want to hurt you more.
Dad
Too late now. I’m very sorry that you’re going to have to go through this.
Eddie
What? Go through what? You haven’t told me anything. You’re making me nervous!
Dad
Eddie, when you get up, in twenty minutes, text me.
Eddie
When I get up?? What do you mean??
Dad
You’re going to see in about twenty seconds. And it’s going to hurt.
Eddie
Dad! WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO??
Dad
If my calculation is right, it should be happening right around now.
Dad
I’m sorry, Eddie. Text me when you get up.
Dad
Oh, and say hello to Norville for me.
