Toby was his driving his beat-up Toyota Chevy pickup truck, while feeling the cool Florida breeze blowing in his hair. He was listening to Toby Keith on the radio, but then he notice three kids appearing out of nowhere in the middle street.
"Shit," Toby cursed as he was swerving the car out of the middle of the way.
When Toby safely parked his truck, he got out and check if the kids are okay. He walked up to them and notice that there were two young girls, one with blue hair and the other with dark skin, and a young boy. "Hey, are any of y'all ok," asked Toby.
"We good, by any choice do you know how far Trollberg is from here? We somehow went to the wrong portal in nowhere space," the blue hair girl asked, dusting herself.
"Trollberg, oh that is funny kid. That is good you guys are okay, where are your parents?" asked Toby.
"We are not joking; do you know where Trollberg is. That is where we live?" asked the blue hair.
"Kid, the joke was funny the first time, but now I am being serious. Where are your parents?" Toby asked again.
The blue hair girl was getting frustrated, and the two other kids were getting worried. "Do you have a map?" asked the blue hair girl.
Toby, finally having enough this and wanting to know where these kids parents are, decided to show her the map. "Here you go," said Toby.
The blue hair girl took the map out of Toby's hand. She opened it and was shocked. She close the map slowly and gave it back. Toby notice tears were forming in the blue hair girl's eyes. Her friends were comforting her.
"What happened Hilda? Do you know where we are?" said the dark skin girl.
"We, we are far from Trollberg. I don't know where we are," said the girl named Hilda.
"We are far from Trollberg! Are we going to run into any trolls?" asked the boy.
Toby chuckles a bit. "Trolls, oh y'all are funny. The only thing that y'all are have to worry about is the gators and the damn mosquitoes," he said, smacking a mosquito on his neck.
Hilda was staring at the man, like daggers stabbing into him. She then gave the map to her two friends. Her friends open the map and scan through it. "I, I don't see Trollberg anywhere," said the dark skin girl.
"You, you mean that we are not in our world?" asked the boy, freaking out.
"Yeah, we are not in our world," said Hilda, sitting down and putting her head into her arms.
Toby sensing the sadness in the air started to think of a plan. "Do any of y'all know your folks phone number?" he asked.
"Yeah, why are you asking?" asked Hilda.
"Well, I can take you to town, they have phone booths there," said Toby.
"That is much appreciated," said Hilda.
The kids went inside Toby's truck, as Toby was following them. Toby got into his truck and started it. He then heard what sounds like an animal whimpering. He turned around and saw the blue hair girl was carrying a bag and it was open. Out came a beautiful small critter that looks like a mix of a deer and a fox. He was seeing Hilda comforting the animal.
"What kind of critter is that?" asked Toby, being curious to see something so beautiful.
"Oh, him, well I suppose you never heard of a deerfox?" asked Hilda.
"I guess, I never have," Toby replied, "What is his name?"
"Twig," said Hilda.
"What a cute name for a little critter," said Toby.
Toby drove the kids to the town. He parked his truck in front of a Denny's and grabbed a couple of quarters. He then turned to the kids and while he was handing out the quarters, he said, "The phone booth is over there," pointing to the phone booth near the diner, "call your folks. I will be inside the diner. If they pick up, then let me know and you can go when they arrived. If they don't pick up, y'all may come with me and we can figure something out.
"Thank you," Hilda said, getting the quarters.
Hilda and her friends got out of the truck and headed towards the phone booth. Hilda put in the quarters and picked up the phone. She started dialing her mum's phone number hoping that she will be able to pick up her phone. The dial tone was going on until Hilda heard a familiar voice.
"Hilda is that you?" asked her mum.
"Yes mum, where…where are you," asked Hilda trying not to cry.
"I don't know Hilda. It looks like some town, but it is not Trollberg, that is for sure," said her mother.
"What do you see Mum?" asked Hilda.
"I see a couple of shops, a restaurant and a truck," said her mother.
"What is the name of the restaurant?", asked Hilda, sounding a bit hopeful.
"Let me see, it says Denny's," said Hilda's mother.
"Mum stand where you are," said Hilda excitedly. She hanged up the phone and ran out of the phone booth. As her friends were catching up to her, they saw Hilda's mother, Johanna, holding Hilda and Twig in a tight embrace. As she release her daughter and the deerfox, she notice Frida and David and hug them too. Not as tightly as Hilda, but it still felt welcoming.
"What happen to you guys?" asked Johanna.
"We were transported on the middle of the street and almost got hit. Thankfully someone helped us out," Hilda said.
As they were talking, two people in what seems like black suits walk towards them. "Excuse me ma'am, but we would need all of you to come with us," one of the agents said.
"Um, why. We haven't done anything," said Johanna in a confuse voice.
"We weren't asking," said the other agent. Both of the agents took a whole of Frida and David, while a blackout van came driving by. As the agents were forcing Hilda and her friends and mom in, Toby came out of the diner.
"Hey Mary, I have been waiting for you," said Toby walking towards the agents.
"Mary?" asked Johanna with a surprise look.
"Yeah, Mary. I was waiting for you in the diner for almost an hour. You said that you were going to let me meet your children. You have no idea how long I have been waiting, get in the truck. Man do any of you guys have any idea how long I have been waiting, get in the truck," Toby said.
"Umm," Johanna said confused.
"Man, Mary what did I say last time we met?" Toby asked, he then punched one of the agents out cold, "Get in the truck."
Toby was dealing with the other agent, Johanna, Hilda, and her friends got into Toby's truck. Toby was able to punch the agent down, but the agent drawn his gun out. "Oh shit," cursed Toby, as he ran toward his truck. The bullets were whizzing past his head as he got in. Toby was starting his truck when a bullet hit him in the shoulder. Toby screamed in pain as the truck started. He flew off the street as he was making his way towards the turnpike.
"Who were they?" asked Johanna with a loud boom in the voice.
"I don't know," said Toby, holding his arm with his free hand with a paper towel.
"Who are you?" asked Johanna.
"I was the one who took your kid and her friends. When I notice the two fellas in suits, I knew something felt off," said Toby, wincing in pain.
"Um, thank you," Johanna said. She then notices the wound on Toby's arm, "Oh my gosh, are you going to be okay, your bleeding," she asked, looking worried.
"I'll be fine. That little fucker shot me in the arm. It is just a flesh wound," said Toby.
"We need to go to the doctor's," said Hilda, lurching forward toward the seat.
"We can't do that, knowing those suits, I have a feeling that is the first place they will search for," said Toby.
"Then may I ask, where are we going?" asked Frida.
"I am taking you guys somewhere safe," said Toby.
Toby pulled his truck to what seems to be broken down house. As everyone got out of the truck, Toby, still holding his arm, went to the door and knocked on it. No one answered. Toby knocked again. Smoke started surrounding the group, as a shadowy figure appeared in front of them.
"Who dares to intrude on the great Beatrix?" boomed a female voice.
"Do…Do you think this safe?" asked David, trembling in fear.
"Yeah, out of anyone I know, she is the only one I can trust. Plus, she owes me a favor," said Toby to David. Toby then towards the door. "Lily, it's Toby, I need you to open up the door. I need your help," he said.
The figure disappeared, as did the smoke. The door open and out came a rather attractive young woman. She was wearing some interesting clothing and a three elements necklace.
"Hey Toby, I am sorry about that. Have some let us just say unwelcome friends visiting the house," said Lily.
"Were these friends of yours in suits?" asked Toby.
"Yeah," Lily replied slowly, "How did you know?"
"We had a run in," Toby replied. A sharp pain hit him like a whip, making Toby wince in pain. "Fuck," Toby cursed, hitting himself on the door.
"Toby are you okay? Your bleeding," asked a worry Lily.
"One of the suits shot me in the fucking arm. I'll live, but it hurts," said Toby.
"Toby, you need some medical attention. Come inside, and bring your friends," said Lily.
"Your right," Toby said.
Everybody went inside. Lily took Toby to a chair and strap him. She then started getting first aid for him. She then turns to the unfamiliar faces and said, "I will need one of you to hold him. This is going to hurt him a lot." Johanna volunteered and as Lily apply some antibiotics, she made sure that Toby hold down tightly. Lily was getting the scalpel, as Toby was reacting to the horrible pain. Johanna was trying her best to hold him down, while Lily was fishing for the bullet. Toby screams of pain were filling the room, while Lily finally got the bullet of him. As Lily was patching him up, Johanna sat down trying to relax herself. When Lily was finish, she handed Toby a shot of whiskey and then walk towards Johanna.
"You did a good job," Lily said.
"Thanks," Johanna said.
When Toby was finish with his glass, he walks towards Lily and gave the empty glass to her. "Now Lily, I want to know something. Who the hell were the people in suits?" he asked.
"I suppose I should tell you. Bring the kids because I have a feeling they are involved too," said Lily.
As Hilda, her deerfox, and her two friends walked into the room, Lily got a book and handed it to Toby. "Toby, what is the name of the book I gave you?" Lily asked.
"The Odyssey by Homer," said Toby.
"And what do you know about it?" Lily asked further.
"It is an epic poem that is about a man making his way back home to his wife and kingdom after a war," said Toby, "Why is this important?"
"In the poem, one of the people that Odysseus meet is a witch name Circe. She is able to turn people into animals. Now in the magic world, there is a group called the Order of Circe. These people dress in formal pieces of clothing. They are magical beings, but do not let that fool you. They are masters of firearms and close quarters combat," Lily explained.
"And what do they want with us?" asked Hilda.
"Well, in many cultures they talk about a place where they are able to reach the heavens. The Norse had Bifrost, Greeks had the Styx. Now according to some countries, whenever all the planets align, there is this portal that opens up to new worlds. Some people don't know where this portal is located, but I figure a couple of locations. Now, the Order of Circe would want to control these worlds, make it into their own twisted version. They came to me because I know the locations. They came to you guys," Lily is pointing at Hilda and her friends and mother, "because you were the only group of people who came from a different world all together. There are no other people who have done it. They want to know how you guys do it," Lily replied.
"We…we don't know how we did it," said Johanna.
"Which is understandable, you see, you guys came here out of pure coincidence," said Lily.
"How do we make it back to our universe?" asked Frida, "You said that you know a way how."
"Well, what I studied is that our planet has many nexus points. Each point has a clue to reach the main point. Now I have study almost all the points. There is only one left, in Mexico. It is called Pyramid of the Moon. It is in the western part of the ancient city Teotihuacan. I haven't been able to go into the pyramid due to the strength of this nexus. But this nexus point is important because this final point reveals the coordinates," Lily explained.
"So, Mexico huh," said Toby, "Well shit."
"What is the issue with that," said Johanna.
"Well, to catch you guys up, one of this country's problems is immigration. If we travel to Mexico, we have to prove that all of us are American citizens. If not, well, we are stuck in Mexico," Toby explained, "Also to be an American citizen, it is going to take a long time."
Lily was thinking for a moment and then realize something. "Wait a minute. There is a guy in Texas who owes me a favor. He is great with making fake papers. Go to him first, and say Lily sent you," she said.
"You not coming with us, Lily?" Toby asked.
"Not on this part of the travel. But when y'all come back, I will have to travel with you. Don't want the boss to show," Lily said.
"Thank you, Lily," Toby said gratefully, hugging Lily.
"No problem. Now go, time won't be on your side anymore," said Lily shooing them away.
Toby, Hilda, Frida, David, Twig, and Johanna were heading out to the car. Toby started his car when Lily knocked on the window. "Before I forget Toby, I want to give you this," Lily said giving Toby .45 caliber Glock. "For safety reasons," she said.
"Thank you," said Toby getting the pistol.
Toby closed up the window and started to drive away, beginning an adventure that will question his was his driving his beat-up Toyota Chevy pickup truck, while feeling the cool Florida breeze blowing in his hair. He was listening to Toby Keith on the radio, but then he notice three kids appearing out of nowhere in the middle street.