Wino inquired “Ibrahim, where did you get this?”

Ibrahim grinned. “You’re looking at the happy winner of the Arrrrriba sweepstakes all the way from El Salvadoria and sponsored by the Arrrrriba radio show – me.”

Wino asked, “A sweepstakes? Wait, you mean that radio show you were listening to?”

“The same,” Ibrahim answered.

“So what did you win?” Cheryl chimed in. “Caves-and-Castles. Isn’t that one of those wizards and dungeons board games? A role-playing game?”

“Why is a Spanish sweepstake selling a role-playing game?” Wino asked.

“Why’s your face look like that?” Ibrahim retorted. Wino rubbed his cheek, stumped for words. “Now then.” Ibrahim lifted the box.

Cheryl and Wino exchanged glances. Underneath the box lid clacked a series of two-toned, multi-sided dice; stacks of transitioning cards with monster art; a large, collapsible cardboard pamphlet with a colorful map featuring a fantastic world upon it, character cards and more. They curiously grabbed pieces and analyzed the work.

Wino skimmed over the cards. “What are these things?”

Ibrahim popped up like a jack-in-the-box. “Those are the monsters.” He wiggled his arms like tentacles while rolling his fingers like the legs of a walking crab. “That lurk in dark murky forests and suck your face out.” Ibrahim pinched Wino’s cheeks, tugging on them.

Wino swatted Ibrahim’s hands away, protesting, “Get off me, man.”

Cheryl juggled the dice in her palm while analyzing them piece-by-piece. “The dice are really nice. I like the noise they make when you roll them together.” She cupped her hands and shuffled them around listening to the clacking like marbles rolling over one another. Wino and Ibrahim picked out more things until Cheryl eventually drops the die to withdraw the world map. “Whoa, check out this art.”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Ibrahim and Wino leaned over, prompting her to lay it flat against the table. The art appeared freshly painted. The fantastic world transitioned dramatically from tropical wetlands to scorching deserts to mansions of an estate located in the clouds. These all had rails that linked them together except for rare and excluded locations. The pop-up art added an extra flair to the scenery. Cheryl and Wino could not help but run their hands across.

“Wait, what are we going to do with this, Ibrahim?” Wino asked.

“We’re going to learn how to play it and right now,” Ibrahim responded.

“But I have work in the morning.”

“Screw your work! Come on, it’ll be fun.”

Wino and Cheryl shared a glance. Ibrahim organized the game pieces on the table encouraging Wino to sit down. Cheryl smirked at Wino as if to say that this is a good time to try and either connect with him or make your decision to be firm with him. Wino read this from her expression and resigned to sit down.

A few moments later and the table was set. The room lights dimmed and everyone sat around the center table. Wino and Ibrahim sat on the floor while Cheryl scooted the sofa closer. The couple continued with uncertainty now that they were seeing a different side of Ibrahim.

“Alright,” Ibrahim started. “This is just a trial run, but let’s see how this game works.” He grabbed some dice and character cards. Wino passed them around. The pair scrambled through the cards and mumbled whatever they could read to the group.

“So are we going somewhere or – what’re we supposed to do here?” Wino inquired.

Ibrahim mumbled through a paragraph on a scroll. It unraveled as he speed-read his way through it. Over twenty seconds passed until he finally came to a stop.

Cheryl doubtingly asked, “Did you read all that?”

“So what’re we doing?” Wino questioned.

Ibrahim released the scroll onto the floor. “I don’t know. I got bored after the first sentence. Let’s just start a battle! Everyone pick a character.”

“What?” Wino protested. “That’s not how you play the game, you’re supposed to-”

“I’ll be a warrior knight!” Cheryl interjected.

“Alright cool,” Ibrahim answered. “Let’s start…” He circled his finger over the map. “Here. Cave Marx.”

Wino followed along with this train wreck until he detected a glint from behind Ibrahim’s back.

“And just to make this a little more exciting…” Ibrahim added as his eyes gleamed violet.

From his back, a spark of light flashed over the room. It engulfed the space and washed over the trio.