Sarah sat in the kitchen, where she was chewing a dry piece of toast. She had considered making a proper breakfast, but came to the conclusion she did not want the risk that came with messing up a demon''s kitchen.


    "Might as well go then," she muttered, dropped the remains of her toast on the table. The normal urge to clean up struck, then she decided solidly against it. It was her act of rebellion against her captor for the day.


    "You should clean that up," Sam said, entering the kitchen, "Diana hates a mess."


    Sam shrugged, wiped the crumbs off the table and started on his own breakfast.


    After fumbling the key four or five times, she finally got inside and checked herself in the rear view mirror. She shook her head at how disheveled she looked from thirty meters running to the car, then put her key in the ignition and... nothing. Merely the protesting sputter of an engine that refused to cooperate.


    "Don''t throw the doors!" Diana called from the kitchen.


    "Car not running?" the redhead finally dared ask.


    "I''ll call you a taxi, if you want?"


    "I can call a tow if you want?" Diana offered, lowering the pan she was stirring.


    "Then..." Diana said, looking around and lamely held the pan out to Sarah, "Would you like some breakfast?"


    "Whatever you want," Diana said, seemingly slightly hurt at the piled on rejections, "I''ll keep something out for you. Sleep well."


    It was well past noon when Sarah woke up again. The weather hadn''t let up and, because of that, she had decided to stay in bed. She grabbed the remote from her night stand and turned on the television, hoping to find something worth watching. As she expected, there was little on even at this time and in the end she ended up watching some old kid''s show about a trio of children turning into bug-themed superheroes.


    "Booty call," she said out loud to herself.


    "Diana?"


    It was a woman that spoke. A vaguely familiar voice.


    "Can I just come in? I don''t like talking to wood."


    The door opened and Sarah was surprised to find the florist from a few days earlier enter. She was even more surprised that the florist was dressed in little more than the silk shirt and shorts that consisted her pajamas.


    "Sarah," was the lame introduction she offered in return, "I''m guessing you were Diana''s date?"


    "And you''re one of her previous victims."


    She took a moment to suck on her lollipop as she thought about the correct word, then smiled,


    "I''d say beneficiary. Sounds a lot better."


    "Look, I don''t know where she got you, but there''s worse people to be saddled with. Sure got me out of my slump."


    "That''s a new one," she said, still chuckling, then plopping the lollipop back in her mouth.


    "Well, Diana sent me up..."


    "Come on! She just asked if... Well, this is really awkward."


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "You wish," Nia scoffed, "No, it''s awkward, because it''s really nerdy. One of our regular players is missing today, so now we don''t have a healer. Could you fill in?"


    "Like rolling a bunch of dice and pretending you''re fighting goblins..."


    "Offer''s open for the next thirty minutes. If you ask me, Sarah was it? If you ask me, Sarah, playing a game on a rainy day sure beats feeling for yourself and watching..."


    "Watching Barbie movies."


    "Mhm."


    "Normally I''d say that''s none of your business, but, since we''re sort of in the same boat."


    "Her friend brought me here. Glad she did, cause I was about ready to suck dick for money."


    "Maybe I''ll tell you what happened some other time, but I''ll tell you up front. Diana''s the best thing that ever happened to me and, if you play your cards right, she can be for you too. Now, if you''d excuse me..."


    "Might as well," she grumbled.


    She found the others in the lounge, converged around the small table, on which the platters of sweets had been replaced with several bowls of chips and assorted snacks, as well as a large plastic matt that took up half the available space. Nia was speaking to a man, using a bunch of terms that sounded like English to Sarah, but didn''t mean much to her. Another man was sitting in a chair next to the table, placing tiny plastic figures on the mat.


    "Uh... hi?" Sarah said, hoping to draw some attention, "I''m Sarah and I''m supposed to be your healer today."


    "Sarah, you say?" he echoed her name, standing up and knocking the tweed blazer he had hung over the back of his chair down to the floor. He held out a hand for Sarah, who almost stumbled over the man with the figures to get to him.


    "Doctor Thomas Thomas," he introduced himself and gave her a firm handshake.


    "My father thought it was amusing. Most people jus thought I was a strange stutterer, which is why people call me doc now. I''ll be your dungeon master today. Nice to have you at the table, Miss Beck."


    "Becker. And Sarah''s fine... Doc."


    The man with the figures kept positioning them, occasionally checking a notebook. He grunted to himself in annoyance, then tapped one with his finger so lightly that you''d think he hadn''t intended to move it at all.


    "Huh?"


    He stood up, took Sarah''s hand and brought it to his lips. Sarah pulled it away before it connected.


    "You''ll pick it up soon enough," he assured her, "It makes more sense when you''re doing it."


    "Bit early to be drinking, isn''t it?" Sarah asked, deciding to be as pleasant as she could manage to Diana.


    Nia let out a soft sound of appreciation at Diana''s words, then dropped down in one of the empty chairs, "Right you are, Di, can we get started?"


    "Wow where were we?" Doctor Thomas asked, though appeared to be mostly talking to himself as took his place at the head of the table, "Oh right. You were on your way, on a diplomatic mission to benefit the goblin revolution, when you were jumped by the trolls..."


    "In that case, Dennis. Lupin was next to move."


    "Dennis''s player character. You will be playing Gutrot."


    "If it''s my turn," Dennis said, loudly to make sure everyone was listening to him, "I will..."


    "I''m afraid that this is where we wil finish up today then," Doc said, "Did you get all that, Mister Moore?"


    "I got way too involved in that," she said, "And poor little Caliban died for me."


    Sarah looked down at the table. She had to admit it had been fun, then shrugged, "If you guys will have me."


    "She can redeem herself next time," Nia laughed, "Dennis, you''re giving me a ride home, right?"


    "Sure," Diana said, "If nobody''s in a hurry to go home."


    There was a conspiratorial look between Diana and Nia.


    "My wife has her ever so charming friends over for her book club, so I''d rather be here, than listen to an in depth analysis of the latest bestseller."


    "I''m already here and I still have to have dinner," Sarah said, then looked at Diana, "No mushrooms."