"So, what do you say?" Kaylee asked that night after the church service we'd held in the living room.
I looked at her as we sat on a couch in the dining room (normally it would have been in the living room). "I don't know," I returned. "I'm not sure if I'm cut out for this."
"You're the one who's always hiking Spencer Butte and studying wars on the Internet," she told me. "I'm sure you can handle it."
"What about you?" I asked her. "You know so much more about the Zelda games than I could ever hope to know. You'd be perfect for it."
She shrugged. "Like I said," she replied, "You're the one who'd conquer all the hiking. I just sit around all day doing homework or playing the games."
"We could both come," I said to her.
She immediately shook her head. "Nah, I'm working with the fourth and fifth graders on Sunday. You don't have anything this weekend."
"Yeah, but I have classes on Monday," I stated. "Those two would have to do some strange things to the time-space continuum to take me back in time so I could make my classes."
"They can," Kaylee answered. "Zelda sent Link back to his childhood at the end of Ocarina of Time. That reminds me, there is something wrong here."
"Do tell," I encouraged.
So Kaylee drew breath. "Zelda said the whole ordeal in Ocarina was two years ago. That would make her eighteen years old, if I remember right. She sent Link back to his childhood, so he shouldn't even be in the same timeline as this Zelda."
A corner of my mouth slid back in puzzlement. "There's got to be an explanation," I said to her.
"All the more reason why you should go. You can find out why Link is even there at all. Then you can tell me when you come back."
"If," I replied. "There's a chance I might not make it out of there. If I go, the next time you see me might be in a body bag."
Kaylee looked me in the eye. "You won't fail," she said. "And you won't die either. I know you too well. I know you'll make it through alright."
"What if something happens and I'm trapped in there?" I asked. "I want to return."
"You can do it," she responded. "I know you can. You'll be fine. You'll kick Ganon's butt. And then you'll get to tell me all about it."
With a sigh, I said, "I hope."
Kaylee smiled at me. "You'll do it, then?" she inquired.
"I suppose," was my reply. "I just need to get some sleep. And one last night in my own bed."
…
My alarm clock woke me up at 7:00 in the morning. Groggily, I somehow remembered that it was a Saturday, and that I had, almost automatically, turned on my alarm (despite not having anything to do that day) the night before. With some effort, I sat up to turn my alarm off and climb out of bed. As I got myself dressed, I started trying to plan out my Saturday. It was then when I had remembered that I'd agreed to accompany Zelda and Impa into whatever parallel universe they came from and help them save Link.
I snorted a little at that. From the little I knew of Zelda games, Link was always the one doing the saving. The thought of him needing someone else to save his own hide seemed a little absurd. But the two ladies seemed serious about it, so I, of course, had to check out the situation.
But I wouldn't go without some preparation. After dressing, I grabbed a large camping backpack from an alcove on my side of the dorm room and into it packed my green coat, some of the snacks I kept in my room, and four changes of clothes. I included jeans among this, as I was wearing shorts at the time. I lay the backpack on the bed before grabbing my cell phone, almost out of force of habit. With this last in my pocket, I ventured downstairs into the House kitchen.
After I'd finished toasting a bagel and pouring raisin bran into a bowl, I brought my breakfast out to the dining room. Kaylee was already there, more awake than I was. As I sat beside her, I could feel her gaze on me. There could only be a big grin on her face, I knew. I chose to eat my breakfast without much discussion.
As I finished up, though, Kaylee asked me, "You going with them now?"
I stood up with my empty plate, bowl, and cup. "Yeah. Best keep the waiting to a minimum."
Her smile only got bigger. "You get 'em, Brian," she said playfully.
I managed a small smile. "I promise you," I told her, "once I'm done, I'll come back."
She smiled and we hugged quickly. Then I went into the kitchen to rinse my dishes and put them on racks to be placed later into the sanitizer. Absently, I remembered I had dishwashing duties after dinner that night. I hoped I could get back before then.
After my business with my dishes was finished, I returned to my room and grabbed my backpack. With it upon my back, I practiced a few quick punches at air, then descended the stairs to face whatever fate I might have in store.
Zelda and Impa were in the living room when I arrived, as was Kaylee; she must have finished her breakfast while I'd been getting ready. I stepped up to the three of them and said, "I'm ready."
Zelda and Impa nodded deeply, solemnly. They walked up close to me. Zelda pulled a blue ceramic ocarina from the folds of her skirt and raised it to her lips. She played a simple tune upon it, gentle and oddly comforting in its familiarity. At length, I perceived the three of us were inside a transparent blue prism, slowly rising into the air. Our surroundings gradually began to fade.
I looked down and caught one last glimpse of Kaylee smiling broadly. Her mouth moved, and I heard remotely, like a word of conversation spoken across a stage: "Go get 'em, Brian!"
And then, all sound and sight of my home vanished, passing into shadow, and I into uncertainty.
