It all started when my old college buddy showed up out of the blue, just a week ago, like a bolt from the sky.
“Kate, listen up. What’ve you got planned for next weekend?” His massive frame blocks half the bar counter as he leans in.
“Why, got something interesting up your sleeve?” I slide over his order: a “Three Cheese” pizza and a giant pint of beer.
“Yeah, we’re short one person.”
“Planning a job, huh? What’s the cut for a newbie?”
“Ha-ha,” his friendly, Viking-bearded face stretches into a wide grin. “It’s an awesome project. You could call it a party.”
I listened, jaw practically on the floor, as he laid out his mind-blowing idea. A live-action role-playing game out in the countryside, the whole nine yards: costumes, a fantasy camp with cozy cabins and a restaurant, plus a killer storyline. Straight out of a movie. Two elves, a mage, and a wandering knight—none other than Kostya himself, going by the epic name Kronhad of Halik.
“Uh, so what’re you offering me?”
“We’re missing a healer.”
“What, the elves don’t use their fancy magic for healing anymore?”
“Kate, come on, you know there’s a script, and you’re perfect for this!” He takes a couple of hefty gulps, draining half the pint in one go.
“Yeah, sure, you wouldn’t have pegged me for an elf,” I mutter, a little stung deep down, but hey, that’s life. “So, what do I have to do?”
The conversation stretched on for a full hour. He broke it all down, from the costume to my humble role: brewing “potions,” tending to wounds, and handling the provisions. Now it all makes sense. For some reason, the main thing guys seem to notice about me is my knack for cooking a mean pot of soup... so I’ve just got to accept the sad reality. I agreed to join in. Besides, I’ve known most of the crew for ages, except for Lola’s boyfriend. What I didn’t know was what I was really getting myself into. And now, here I am, dealing with the mess...