"Oollie, let’s see if I can take over your mind. You would not mind would you?" I ask him, but he just stares at me with his big eyes.

I do not know how I would feel if someone would try to do the same with me. But... How do I do that?

I think he more than qualifies since I doubt his Conscious Level is more than 5.

So, moving my hand through him does nothing. Jumping into him does the same.

But I'm not giving up. There must be a way. So, relax. And think.

Well, obviously I cannot do it by standing away. So, I move slowly toward him, not jumping but moving in, imagining him as nothing more than a furry tuxedo. A little furry tuxedo twitches as if something is pinching him, as if I'm a mosquito, or if his underpants got stuck in the wrong place.

But, he does not move away, just keeps standing there, itching, scratching himself, and that gives me a chance to concentrate on his head, his mind, his… There is a little opening in there, a small window with light shining through. I move closer to it, and the light becomes brighter. I step closer and suddenly I feel as if part of me is going through, suddenly my eyes losing vision, then become... blurry, then... I'm seeing the world through his eyes. And I move further into the light window, and now, it's not just the vision, but I'm feeling the cold floor underneath, smelling dungeon air, feeling rather hungry. And confused. And empty. Shit. I move my hand and I see Oolie move his.

I’m in!

It is the weirdest thing ever. I feel Oollie in there, feel his anxiety, discomfort, and trepidation. But he is… pushed aside, standing on the sidelines, while I am able to run things and play the game.

"Calm down, dear, Oollie. I promise I will not do anything bad. Nothing bad at all."

Okay. That was easy. But how do I come out? I do not want to be stuck in there forever. I am pretty sure Oollie would not want me either. Can I step out?

Oollie makes a step. And then another. He turns around just as I try to turn around and leave his body. Wherever I want to go, try to leave his body, he makes a step. Poor fella. I feel him more confused than ever.

So, am I stuck here now?

Sorry, Oollie. Your life was cut so short. Could just imagine the look on my wife's face if she saw me like this. The stories I would tell to convince her it's really me.

No, this cannot do. She'd never believe me. I ain't Patrick Swayze and Oollie certainly is not Whoopi Goldberg.

“Oollie, I want to leave your body now…” I say the words, but nothing happens. Not till I concentrate hard enough and visualize that window, and move to open it, not with my hand but my mind.

It turns out, coming out is not as much fun. I go back into the darkness and void. It feels cold and unwelcoming like a dark basement of an old, abandoned house. It takes me a long moment to compose myself. It’s very disorienting.

I prefer to be inside. I prefer to get back in, especially since I know there will have to be a lot of work done, and I do so even though Oollie seems very uncomfortable with it.

I first want to see how strong Oollie is. I start with a fist-sized stone. I lift it, carry it in one hand, and place it in the opening. Not a problem. Don’t feel any pain or restraint. I go for a bigger one, big as a bowling ball. That’s harder, but I can do it. Then I try to do a pillar that is six feet long. And…no. Nothing happens. I can try to lift it, but it won’t budge. So somewhere in between is my limit. Good to know. I’d say I’m about eighty percent of what I used to be. I bet in a few months that will change drastically.

But my stomach growls, and I remember that I should go and look for some food.

But where?

This place is all empty. And I could really eat something. Anything. I’m not going to starve Oollie to death.

"SAMS, can you tell me, if little Oollie is allowed to eat anything? Would eating grass satisfy his hunger?"

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

[Dietary Habit:

Omnivorous]

That implies he should be able to eat everything. But, probably won't be able to digest grass. Salads maybe, but grass like a cow, no.

"Can I change that option, make him like a herbivorous?"

[To reconfigure the Dietary Habit you would need to go back to the Constructor and change options within both Operating Systems as well as allow the Constructor to make changes to his body]

“And that can be done?”

[Yes. This is a fully customizable item, as are all that are sold through Galactic Marketplace.]

I know it. It’s sold. Through that darling Galactic Marketplace that has everything you can possibly dream of. And more. For a bunch of coins, that is. I see big Ferengi’s ears staring at me. Makes me want to rub them. With a chainsaw.

Moving around in Oollie is something completely different. And it takes a few minutes to get used to.

I remember the dwarfs had left picks and shovels by the Core, and I think we can use those to move dirt and close the hole in the cave.

I soon realize my eyesight is limited to his. I bet he can see very well with his big eyes outside. But in the darkness, away from the shining precious stone and the front gate, the darkness seems to bother him. So we stumble around.

That will just not do.

Luckily I pick up the torches that the dwarfs brought in. They are still wet, but their tips are covered in some kind of sticky oily resin. I have no better idea. I place them inside the holders on the walls and ask SAMs if I have any energy left.

[LIC Energy is less than a quarter of 1 unit]

"Okay, let’s see if that is enough," I say, and then start to think about the heat of a fireplace. But this time, I just concentrated on the tips of the torches, not on the whole cave.

I think of the heat of a hot metal-melting furnace and feel the heat suddenly intensifying around the tips of the torches. Now I know I could heat the wood on and on without lighting it up without a spark, but there is enough oil at its tip, and they all suddenly light up, and not just one of them. All of them. And the whole tunnel is suddenly less dark and scary.

I feel Oollie relax just a bit.

“Yeah, little fella, I’ll make this a home for us. Just give me some time,” I say, trying to comfort him.

But before I can do anything else, I want to know if I can somehow improve how this place works without me having to interfere with it so much, imagining things.

But first, "How much energy did this set me back?"

[The limited heating of the cave consumed only 0.25 percent of 1 LIC Energy Unit.]

Almost nothing. That's good. "And can my Climate Control include a thermometer, so I can keep certain parts of the dungeon at the steady temperature?"

[Such Customization Option is only available to Dungeon Level 2 and higher.]

That's not good. And it raises another question. "How do I get to Level 2?"

[Dungeon Level 2 Requirements:

Experience Points: 100

Bonding Level with the dungeon: 50 Percent

Denizens: 1 or more]

I do not understand. My integration was taking so long, and was such pain in the ass, and now I see that I'm not 'bonded' with it? What does that even mean? What is the difference and how do I bond?

I guess this thing is way more complex than I thought. But I've been here for less than 24 hours, so, maybe I should be happy with the progress so far.

Deciding to figure the bonding thing later, I decide to concentrate on Oollie.

Now, there is a test I am dying to do with Oollie. See if I can go outside with him.

It takes me breathing deeply just to dare and come to the edge of the cave. I put one leg out and feel… not so different. Then I decide not to be a chicken and just step outside.

The dizziness is there. The buzz kind of a thing, especially when I take a few steps down the slope. But it’s not like the buzz of drinking all-night shots at Mikey’s. It’s more like a glass of strong ale you nail on an empty stomach.

I can deal with that, for at least a while until I get used to it. Another few steps and I feel the buzz is not going away. I fear it might only get worse. But I risk it and slowly start coming down the slope.

By the time I reach the grass, it’s not one bottle of beer. It’s more like a six-pack. I know eating can help, so I see some berries, pick them up, and throw them in my mouth. Good! They are sweet and juicy, and I feel Oollie’s stomach telling me, ‘Thank you'. I can actually enjoy them. Might just be the best berries I ever had.

But, my buzz is not leaving me and, just as I feared, is even growing stronger. Soon, I find I can hardly pick a berry now, a double vision preventing me from pointing my fingers right.

I start to feel anxious enough that I know we need to go back.

On top of it, an image of Little Red Riding Hood flashes in my mind, and I realize how reckless I've been.

I can't forget I'm not in Kansas anymore. There are probably things here that can swallow Oollie up in one bite.

What would happen to me then?

I have no idea. I see only darkness, and I’m tired of it.

The more I think about it, the faster we walk. Oollie feels it too, his hair shooting up as porcupine's.

With still a long way to go, I curse myself for being so heedless and stupid. Especially when I hear a growl, vicious and evil. Something is hungry and hunting, and fierce. And we... might just be its lunch.

We duck down instantly, hiding under some shrubs, hugging the ground. But as the sound is traveling away from us, I figure I should stop hiding and find out what it is.

So, I leave Oollie hiding under the bush and step out of him to check it out.

The biggest gray wolf I've ever seen is running up the goat trail, straight up toward the entrance of the Dungeon. It is so big, it could eat two Oollies in one bite. I see its fangs bigger than my fingers, saliva drooling down its mouth, and I shit my pants.