When Zoe got to school the following Monday, she was surprised to run into Brittany at the front gates. "Hey Brittany," she said.

"Hi Zoe," said Brittany. "How are you?"

"I'm alright," Zoe answered. "Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah."

"I'm guessing you're through with Isaac?"

"Of course I am. And when I find him, I'm gonna give him the real breakup talk."

"Hell yeah," Zoe said with a hint of malice. "Give him what he deserves."

"I'll let you know how it goes," said Brittany.

***

"You had the ball! I had to tackle you!"

March 12th, 3040

So now, I am led outside and I can see a little bit but my eyes still hurt, and the entire club is waiting out there! There must be at least a couple of dozen other kids waiting for a bus that’s running late, and I’m trying to hide my face.

“Jackson!” the girls all yell. “Are you okay?” adds a few of them.

Tired, starving, bashed up, soaking wet, with a hole in the back of my nightgown and one side badly scorched, I finally made it to the girls dorms.

“What happened to you?” Ella asked, when I gratefully slipped into our room.

I ignored her question and asked my own, “Why does our school have a flooded hallway, full of sharks that shoot freaking fire from their eyes?”

Chapter 5

We spent the afternoon lazing around the hotel pool and being well looked after by the staff as well as being chatted to by several tanned and fit young men. The band had been spending the day in interviews and we all had dinner in a separate dining room.

Gregory learns more about his situation, and gets some tiny hints about his possible future.

I was taken aback. I stuttered. My heart was thumping. I had never shared this part of me with anyone. I was too scared. Now it was like my soul was laid bare. I had always expected hate and derision. Grace was willing to help me.

"I hope you don't mind me asking. I have heard all sorts of words about men who dress as women. Sissy, transvestite, crossdresser, drag and transexual. What do you call yourself?"

Now that the truth had been revealed, sort of, Zoe didn't feel as much motivation to keep going about her school activities. She did still support the breast cancer awareness club, and she still socialized with Miles and Alan and all her other friends. But since she now knew Skylar was innocent, there didn't seem to be much of a purpose for navigating the social hierarchy at school. Sure, there was still a witch out there, but there were virtually no leads on who it could be.

Slowly, Tiberius is getting the hang of things.
One year ago he joined the adventurers Conway, Debtar, and Sinea as a freshly baked mage.
His new friends had been generous with their advice and friendship.
But when the topic of Shroom Dungeon is brought up, they are unusually mum about any details.
They agree on one thing quickly. It was time for Tiberius to delve into Shroom Dungeon.
A dungeon yet undefeated. A place to lose yourself.