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eBook Category: Science Fiction
eBook Description: Three people from earth are caught in an experiment gone awry and transported to another world, where they fight to survive in a super hot climate peopled by blood-thirsty lizard men called Diggas. With swords and crossbows, they join the Leemas (very, very large blue people) and the Ellers (hybrids of Leemas and Diggas) in fighting a war to control the kingdom.

eBook Publisher: SynergEbooks, Published: SynergEbooks, 2004
Fictionwise Release Date: December 2004

5 Reader Ratings: Great Good OK Poor

Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [698 KB], eReader (PDB) [251 KB], Palm Doc (PDB) [257 KB], Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [226 KB], Microsoft Reader (LIT) [202 KB] - PocketPC 1.0+ Compatible, Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [261 KB], hiebook (KML) [598 KB], Sony Reader (LRF) [267 KB], iSilo (PDB) [210 KB], Mobipocket (PRC) [264 KB], Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [293 KB], OEBFF Format (IMP) [347 KB]
Words: 87381
Reading time: 249-349 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED
ISBN: 0-7443-0823-2

They were intelligent beings. At least they thought they were. They had evolved over hundreds of thousands of generations. Through trial and error and, in some cases, intuition, they had come to this time and place with their new machine. This place was a barren planet, a chunk of rock. There were no free gases and thus no life. They had come to this place because of its lack of value, its proximity to a black hole and it's almost equal distance to two similar life-supporting planets a thousand light years apart. They brought with them the new machine, and this was to be its premiere test. The black hole was to be the power source for the new machine. They were certain their scientists had discovered a way to tap the immense power in the swirling rim of the great vortex. They bade each other good fortune. They said their appeal to their Supreme Being for divine assistance and turned on the machine. At first it appeared all would go well. The machine fed itself from the great sucking vortex's rim. It hummed to life. Two beams of energy shot out from the machine, one to each of the distant planets. Across a thousand light years, their light traveled in just a few seconds. The beams pulsated for a short time, then the machine exploded, and half of the planet exploded into dust and debris. Someday maybe someone would determine why, but not for many lifetimes. And the two distant planets, what of them? They appeared to be undamaged.

Ted was a nobody. At least to most of the white coats in the complex, he was a nobody. There was a time when pocket protectors stereotyped the white coats. These days, however, it was the hand-held computers, the ones with the built-in cell phone that connected its holder to the world. Ted was just the guy who delivered the pop to the machine in the hall. He didn't even take away the money. Someone else had that responsibility. Ted just came once a week and filled the coin-eating monster with popular beverages.

Ted could have been one of the white coats, but decisions made long past set him on a different road. One didn't need physics or higher math to play football. Ted had been blessed, or cursed, by size. At six-feet-eight with a husky build, he had more incentive to play football than study physics. However, to play football one did need sound legs. In Ted's senior year at college, a drunk driver slept through a red light and mangled his left leg. The doctors managed to save most of his leg, but the prosthesis from his knee down made it all too evident Ted would not be making the big bucks playing big-time football. While his grades had been average to better than average in most cases, his classes had not been the type to get him a position among these white coats. His academic course load was aimed at making him into a coach/social studies teacher with the emphasis on coach. While waiting for that call to report for a high school coaching position, he was filling pop machines. He did get to carry a cell-phone so his boss could keep track of his whereabouts. The phone sang out its happy little tune just as he pulled the door to the pop machine open. He pulled it off his belt.

"Hello, Ted here."

There was a pause as he listened.

"No, I haven't got there yet. That's my next delivery. Un huh, and leave the mineral water and the grape instead?"

Another pause.

"Okay, I got plenty on the truck."

Two white coats came up and stood patiently waiting while he finished his conversation. One was a very shapely petite brunette of the female persuasion. The other was a spectacled, well-tanned lean man about five-eight.

"Be with you in just a moment," said Ted with his hand over the mouthpiece. He turned back to his phone. "What was that? Yeah, that's all. I'll take care of it. Don't worry; no problem." He snapped the phone closed and pushed the door shut for the two customers.

The man slipped a bill into the changer, which spat it back out. "This thing never does make change," he complained angrily.

"Uh, try turning the bill over," suggested Ted. His eyes never left the woman. "You'll notice the instructions printed there say have the president facing up." He lifted two cases of pop off the handcart. He made a careful effort to flex his huge arm muscles for her benefit. Then, holding the two cases as though they were nothing, he stood waiting for the pair to get their drinks. He looked down at the lady scientist. She rewarded him with an encouraging smile.

The male scientist punched the button and his drink fell down to the dispenser. "Wish they'd make up their minds," he snorted. "Yesterday the bill had to be turned face down."

"That so?" said the lady scientist as she slipped her bill into the slot the correct way. "You know, I never really noticed. It must be some sort of conspiracy to keep us confused." She smiled around the male scientist's shoulder at Ted.

"Could be, ma?am," Ted replied. "I just fill?em up. I don't have anything to do with the conspiracy. You have to talk to my boss about that."

The male scientist snapped a look from Ted to the woman. "Fer Gawd's sake, Julia, he's just the delivery man."

"Indeed, he is," she replied as she bent down to get her drink. She looked up through those big brown eyelashes and handed Ted her canned beverage. "Could you open this for me? I keep breaking my nails."

Ted set the cases back on the cart. "Of course, ma?am. No problem."

"There's possibilities here," he thought as he took the can, popped the tab open and handed the can back.

"Thank you,"

"Ted. Ted Callahan. You are very welcome."

"Nice to meet you, Ted. I'm Julia Posada. I get off at five. Perhaps we could go somewhere for a cup of coffee?"

"Julia!" her companion exclaimed, honestly shocked. "He's a deliveryman."

"So? You need to lighten up, George. The human race is not made of only those people with degrees from Ivy League universities. He looks like he could even be a member of the human race. Whaddya say, Mr. Callahan? Are we on for coffee?"

Ted gave a dramatic bow. "I would be honored, ma?am, to purchase a libation of mocha for your sweet lips."

She smiled. "I'll meet you at five in the parking lot by the front gate."

"Alas," he struck a dramatic pose with the back of his hand across his eyes, "my labors prevent me from making an appearance before five-thirty. Couldst thou wait till then?"

"I couldst," she replied with a laugh. "See you at five-thirty by the main gate."

She turned to her companion. "See George, that's all you have to do to get a date. Now, you go up to Janie over there and ask her out."

"Never, she's not what I'm looking for," replied George.

Suddenly there was a blinding flash and Ted found himself slammed into the two scientists. They were squeezed together for a few seconds. Then the force stopped and they fell. They hit water and moments later bobbed to the surface gasping for air.

Sputtering and coughing they looked around. Several bits of information quickly went through their mental processors. Their clothes were gone. The water was salty, so they must be in an ocean. There was a hot sun bearing down from mid morning position. The waves were sweeping them toward rocks at the base of a nearby cliff. All three started swimming away from the dangerous rocks.

There was a stretch of beach to the south of the cliff. They turned and swam for it. They all three stopped and put their feet down when they could reach bottom. They braced themselves and rocked with the gentle waves. Julia was closest to the shore. The water was up to her neck. George was a couple of steps farther out with the water striking him at mid chest. Ted was balancing on his right leg, because his prosthesis was also gone. He was standing beside George with Julia between them and the beach. The water only reached to just above his navel.

"Where are we and how'd we get here?" demanded Ted. "Where's my clothes? What happened? What kind of weird experiment are you people running?"

"It wasn't us," spluttered Julia as she fought the waves. "My clothes are gone too. If this is somebody's idea of a joke it isn't funny."

"I didn't have anything to do with it," replied George. "My clothes are gone too. So what are we going to do?" He bounced up higher to look at the beach. "I don't see any people or buildings. Must be a real remote beach."

"One of you is going to have to go find me some clothes," said Julia. "I'm not getting out of this water until I'm covered."

"Why should one of us go?" replied George with a grin. "We probably have more to hide than you do."

"This isn't funny, George," she replied coldly. "Whoever threw us in this water took my mother's diamond ring. I want it back and whoever did this is going to jail. This is more than a sick joke."

"Aw, Julia lighten up," replied George. "The sun is shining and the water's fine. Enjoy it while you can. We'll be back at the old grind before you know it. I've been busting my hump for six months to get that damn project pushed through. We deserve a day at the beach."

"Not without a suit, I don?t," replied Julia coldly.

Ted looked over his shoulder at that point and brought an end to further conversation.

"O-o-oh shit!?

He charged through the water towards the beach. He was hopping on one leg and floundering toward the beach. He grabbed George around the wrist and dipped down to put his arm around Julia's waist. From there he dove forward toward the beach. The two fought his grip from the start, but with six feet eight inches and two hundred forty seven pounds of former linebacker he had the momentum. He dragged both of them on his knees toward the beach. They finally fought free of his grasp in the shallows as a wave rolled them out of the water onto the wet sand.

She jumped up and furiously kicked him in the ribs. He flinched and rolled over and rose to his knees. "Look!" He pointed back into the water

A sharp intake of breath stopped her voice. She stepped around behind him putting him between her and the water.

George scrambled to his feet and stepped further up the beach. "What is it?"

A huge dorsal fin followed by a tail fin projected out of the water. The owner of those fins was coming towards the beach where the furrow made by George's body ended. It turned and threw itself out of the water when its belly raked the bottom. In a moment it disappeared into the waves.

"I think it was some kind of shark," said Ted still watching the water where it had disappeared. "But I don't recall seeing one with a snout quite like that one. That thing had a face more like an alligator than a shark."

"I'm sorry," Julia turned to him. "I scratched you. You're bleeding. I'm really sorry. I didn't know what you were doing. You saved our lives." She reached for a pocket where she usually had a tissue or two, but now there wasn't even a pocket. She blushed and tried to cover her breasts with one hand and turned sideways.

"Let's get off this beach," said Ted averting his eyes. "Maybe if we figure out where we are, we can figure out how we got here. "There's some trees over there. Maybe we can find some people or some fresh water at least. I'm thirsty." He got to his one good leg and started hopping toward them.

Julia followed behind him. "If this is a joke somebody is going to pay big time."

"I agree," said George. "It smells like one of those new television programs where they put people in some awful situation and let the whole world watch as they try to solve problems set in their way."

"Yeah, growled Julia, "but they're supposed to get the people's consent first. And I most certainly didn't give mine. Somebody is going to be sued for everything they've got."

Ted turned around to survey the ocean at their backs. "Any idea where we are? We were a thousand miles from any ocean."

"Not anymore," replied Julia. "Unless that's the Great Salt Lake."

"Or the Dead Sea," said George as he pushed past them in the dry sand. "Let's get under those trees before we fry. This sand is hot."

Ted came hopping behind the two scientists. The meager shade was hardly any relief. The scientists were soon examining the leaves and stems of the trees. They were no longer trying to hide the body parts that seldom were exposed to sunlight.

"I've never seen anything quite like them," said George. "While Botany isn't my field I had a friend who spent a year in the Kalahari Desert. I've seen pictures of the vegetation there. The trees generally have very small leaves and big spines like these, but not quite like these. Did you ever see red leaves like this on anything but a maple in the fall?"

"Very different," agreed Julia. "And not big enough to cover my butt. There're no birds in the trees, just those little lizards."

"Not many bugs, either," said Ted. He hopped through an opening in the trees. "But the bugs that are here are big and bad." He crushed a specimen that was gnawing on his forearm. "Oww! Watch out for those thorns, too." He hopped gingerly along the path dodging the limbs and the stickers on the ground. The other two followed him through the trees. A tall sand dune blocked their way. The bugs had apparently sent for reinforcements. All three were busy swatting the vampire bugs that weren't slowed by their comrade's deaths. Ted looked to the left then the right. He shook his head and looked down at his good leg and the pale stump below his other knee.

"We can't go back in the water. We have to climb over this dune. The beach ends at that bluff to the south and goes on and on towards the north. There's probably nothing on the other side but another dune, but we can't stay here."

George pushed forward to the dune. "I'll climb up and see what's over there. Save your leg. It may not be any better over there than here. If there isn't anything in sight we'll have to go along the water's edge." He charged at the dune and fought his way to the top.

Ted turned back to Julia, surprised at George's vigor in the heat. "Is he nuts?"

She grinned. "Some people think so. He's a triathlete. They're those guys and gals who train year round and go out and run, bike and swim ungodly distances. Most of 'em don't have a chance to win. They just want to do better and better each time they go out. They strive for their personal best and then try to better it."

"You one of those?" he asked.

"Not hardly," she replied as she looked at his big shoulders. "I just do a little running.

His eyes had been wandering over her recently exposed features. Her tummy was nice and flat with just the right amount of roundness. Apparently she did some exercise to keep it that way. The pale marks also indicated she wasn't one to sunbathe in the nude. He recalled even in the excitement of fleeing the shark he felt her softness, but it was a firm softness. He still felt the punches she had thrown into his chest. While they had not hurt very much, they hurt more than he expected from a woman so small.

"Hey," called George from the top of the dune. "There's a building of some kind about a mile away. I'll go check it out. I'll bring back help." He disappeared a moment later.

Ted turned to Julia. "It's too hot we can't wait."

"She stepped to his left side and put her arm around his waist. "Put your arm around my shoulder. Use me for a crutch."

"You're too little," he protested.

"Try me," she ordered. "Don't argue. Let's get going. We're going to burn."

He put his arm on her shoulder and eased his weight onto her. She held him. He quickly stepped up with his right leg. He rocked his weight to his right leg then and pulled her up. In other circumstances he would have enjoyed her touch, but here the sun was burning their skin, and the hot sand their feet. By the time they topped the dune sweat should have been pouring, but the dry air evaporated it. They stopped and took in the view before him.

The dune sloped very gently away to bare ground, well almost bare. There were a few sprigs of something here and there. From the distance they could not determine whether the sprigs were wizened trees or weeds of some sort. There weren't any hills in view. The flat country sloped away to a haze along the horizon three quarters of the way around. To their backs they could make out the blue water over the scrubby trees along the beach.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," Ted grumbled. "Just suffering for my past sins."

"There's George," said Julia. "He's running toward that building over there. Hopefully, they'll have water."

"And some terrorists to slit our throats," said Ted. "C?mon, let's go. We can't stay here and burn. Damn, the ground is hot! You think that's a mile, huh?"

"A long mile, I would guess," said Julia. "Maybe they have a jeep or a camel or something. Why don't you stay here? We'll get somebody to bring you in?"

"And if it is a bunch of terrorists you won't come back. I think I'll go along. I'll hop. It's awkward, but it's never failed to get me somewhere. Just don't expect me to race."

"I can help support your weak side?"

Ted looked at her. "Thanks for offering, but I'll hop. We'll slow each other down. I don't know about you, but I'm not used to walking around naked in the hot sun with a beautiful member of the opposite sex. I always dreamed it would be nice, but this hot sun, the bugs and the stickers have taken all the fun out of that idea. Let's quit discussing it and get on over there. We'll sunburn to death if we stay here. That sun is getting hotter. It sure went up fast. I thought it was about the middle of the morning when we got out of the water. The sun is straight overhead already. It didn't take us two hours to come up from the water."

"Yes, I agree," said Julia. "The sun was only half way up to its perigee. Very strange, but let's get going. I'm burning."

Ted led the way and cursing a bit when he encountered a sticker with his bare foot. Most of the ground was bare, but there were patches of sand working their way toward the dune. She walked. He hopped.

"Any idea how they knocked us out?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Not the slightest," replied Julia. "It could've been some kind of gas. I don't remember anything but the flash of light, and I thought we all slammed together for a couple seconds then we fell in the water. My watch, my mother's ring and my necklace and earrings are gone."

"My prosthesis and watch and ring too," said Ted.

"It doesn't make sense," grumbled Ted. "Have you been messed with, Julia?"

She smiled. "Do you mean sexually messed with?"

"Yeah, sexually?" replied Ted.

"If they did they didn't leave much of an impression. How about you? Have you been messed with sexually?"

"Don't think so," replied Ted. "That place up ahead doesn't look very busy."

"Well, at least they can see we're not armed," she snickered.

They saw no signs of life from a quarter of a mile away. They could see it was a cluster of buildings of different sizes. They couldn't determine what the buildings were made of, but they could see a definite shine.

At a few hundred yards George stuck his head around a rounded corner and called, "It's glass. They're made of glass. I've never seen anything like it." He ducked back out of sight.

"I just hope they have some glass bottles full of cold water," muttered Ted. Every hop now resulted in a sharp intake of breath.

They rounded the first building and came upon a small courtyard. It was bare and windswept. George was standing under an overhanging porch. There was something lying on the ground in the middle of the courtyard, but they had to come within a few feet before they realized what it was.

George called out. "It's a dead body."

"Definitely a dead one," agreed Ted. "He's dried up like road-kill. That's a good indication there's nobody else around. Nobody wants to hang around a dead body like that waiting for it to dry up. He sure is big. Hopefully he didn't die of thirst. Let's look inside for some water. If we don't find any we're gonna look just like him."

Despite Ted's assurance there would not be anyone else around they were very furtive in their exploration. He and Julia hurried under the high sloping roof over the doorway to join George. It was definitely cooler in the shade. They quickly noticed other differences.

"That is one big door," said Ted, who had a long history of encounters with lower built door headers. "It must be twelve or thirteen feet tall."

"Un huh," agreed Julia. "If you look at that dead guy, even dried up, he's awfully tall."

"We've stumbled on the NBA's summer training camp," suggested George with a grin.

"You looked inside, yet?" asked Ted.

"Considering that dead guy's size and my size and your size I thought it prudent to wait for you."

Ted didn't laugh. He turned the t-shaped handle and pushed the door open. A whoosh of cool air welcomed them inside. They hurried inside and Julia closed the door behind them.

"Watch the glass!" warned Ted as he stopped and leaned against the wall. "I got to sit down there's glass in my foot. The room was a shambles. Light from the bright sun came through the glass ceiling but was subdued by the coloring in the glass. Tables and chairs were thrown about. Broken glass littered the floor. Tapestries were cut, some torn down and tossed about. But of most interest was the sound of running water that came from a large door to the right. Julia picked up a long handled broom on the floor near the door and began sweeping a path through the broken glass across the room toward the sound of the running water. They found a room free of broken glass. In its center water bubbled up from a hole in a large glass table. The water ran down a rough surface into a large basin. The only signs of damage to the room was pale spots on the walls where tapestries had been hanging. Ted quickly hopped to the edge of the pool and sat down. He pulled up his foot and began digging at the sole with his fingernails. Hopping on it had driven the thorns and glass shards deep. Julia sat down next to him and took his foot in her lap. She turned his foot to the light coming through the ceiling. She quickly picked out a sliver of glass and three large thorns.

"That's going to be sore for awhile. There are some smaller ones still in there, but I'll need a needle to get them."

"That's nothing new," said Ted setting his foot down and ignoring it. "The water is either circulating or it goes out a drain." Ted peered into the basin for sign of a drain. "It's dark glass. Can't see down very far." He picked up a pitcher-sized glass tumbler that sat on the edge of the pool.

"Looks like a big drinking glass," said Julia. "Do you think it's safe to drink?"

"I'll find out," Ted said. He scooped up half a glassful of the water and held the glass up to the ceiling. "Looks clear, has a few bubbles." He sniffed it. "Smells okay. Well, here goes." He took a sip, and then drank it all. "Good water."

"Yeah," said George. "How do you know it isn't drainage off a septic tank?"

"I don?t," said Ted. "But did you ever hear of anybody running water off their septic tank through their house and then leaving a drinking glass beside it. It looks like a purty fancy water system for a place in the desert. I wouldn't be surprised to find it's connected to the cooling system. This place is awful cool to be made of glass with that hot sun out there." He dipped the glass back into the water and handed it to Julia. Then he splashed some of the cool water on his sun burnt body. "That feels good. I'd like to lay down in it, but that may be the only drinking water in the place."

Julia took a drink then George broke down and drank too. Ted got up and hopped off toward another door farther to the right. "Hey, this one looks like a bath room," he announced. In this room water bubbled out of a glass tower, rippled down a rough surface and into a pool. The pool was a twenty foot oval. George and Julia crowded behind him.

Ted sat down on the edge and pivoted on his butt and dipped his feet in the water. "Ooh that feels good! Hope there's no pet crocodiles in there." He eased down into the water and touched bottom with the water up to his chest. "Feels like a tile bottom. The cool water sure feels good on my sunburn."

George and Julia were over the side an in the water in a flash. Julia held onto the side and worked her way around the edge and found the water was shallower on one end.

"Maybe this will keep us from blistering," she suggested.

"Too late," replied Ted. My parts that don't get to see the sun are already blistered. This cool water should help though."

"You know," said George. "This is one big bathtub."

"It sure is," replied Ted. "The water comes in the tower flows down the glass into the pool and goes out the drain at the bottom on the other end. Don't have to clean it much, but I bet they have a monster water bill."

There were huge towels scattered about on the floor and lying on the edge of the pool. Julia grabbed one up and after smelling it, stood up holding it between her and the two men. She stepped out of the shallow end and wrapped it around her and tucked in the top.

"Aw-w," complained George. "Why did you have to go and do that? You ruined the only nice scenery we've seen here."

"I'm sorry," she replied. "But you'll have to look elsewhere for your scenery."

"Guess we'll have to cover up too," said Ted with a grin. "It would be unfair for her to see us while she's all covered up." He pushed himself to the shallow end and took up one of the towels and stood up and started to wrap it around his hips. "This is big enough for a bedspread." He turned his back to Julia and ripped a strip from the towel that was more the size he wanted, wrapped it around his hips and tucked it in. George took the remnant, ripped off another strip and wrapped it around himself.

"Could you rip a smaller piece for me? Julia asked from behind her bundle of material. Ted grinned at her and took the rest of the towel from George and ripped another strip for her.

"Thank you," she smiled as she gestured for the two men to turn away. She dropped the larger towel and wrapped herself in the strip and tucked it in at the top.

They stood at the shallow end and peered into the pool where the water exited at a long slot. A large glass container on the sill of the pool held some strange smelling cream.

"Soap?" suggested Ted offering it to Julia to smell.

"Not like any soap I ever used," she jerked back and wrinkled up her nose.

He rubbed some on his sunburned leg. "Hey, that feels good. It must be sunburn lotion. It doesn't smell good, but I'm gonna try it."

Just beyond where the water went under the floor at the end of the bath tub there was another hole down to the flowing water.

"I suppose that's the potty," said Julia, pointing to the hole. No seat and no toilet paper."

"They probably use water," suggested George. "And they stand up. My aunt once told me about a similar setup in a bar in France. You have to stand over it."

Julia looked at the hole skeptically. "I guess that would work, but it's not what I'm used to."

"What about the dead man out in the yard?" asked George.

"He's not going anywhere," replied Ted as he rubbed on the lotion. "It looks like he's been there a long time already. When it gets a little cooler this evening we can go bury him. Here," he handed the jar to George. "Rub this on my back."

"There's two doors back here," said Julia. She tried the first door and found it was just a back door leading outside and the hot sun. She closed the door and went to the other one. "Looks like a kitchen," she called. "I'll see if I can find some food."

Ted and George had finished slathering each other above the waist with the lotion when she came back.

"That's the kitchen back there. No refrigerator, but whoever looted the place left some food. There's some flour of some kind, and some dried up fruits and veggies. They don't have a stove or microwave, but they do have a solar cooker. You just open this little door and the sun shines through from the outside. Anything setting in the cooker gets cooked if you know what you're doing or incinerated if you don't. I suppose you have to cook at a certain time of the day, and you have to know when to put the food in to get the right amount of heat."

Ted frowned as he pointed at the ceiling. "Do I see what I think I see?"

George looked up. "It's the sun shining through the glass. Must be polarized glass to cut the glare so much. It's really hot outside."

"Look at the sun again," said Ted. "Look where it is."

"It's going down. It's in the west, so?"

"Look again. That sun is rising in the east, I think. That one over there is setting, toward the west, I hope."

"What!" George looked from one to the other of the two bright lights on the ceiling. "It must be a meteor or a comet!" He ran for the door to the outside.

He opened the door to a brilliant light. The light was too brilliant. He ducked back inside and closed the door. "Get out of there and get to cover!?

Ted shook his head and beckoned to Julia to come closer to where he remained sitting on the edge of the pool. He motioned for her to turn around. "I don't think so. Just calm down." He put some of the lotion on his hand and lightly rubbed it on her shoulder.

She looked up at the bright spots on the ceiling. "Two suns? How can that be?" She took no notice as Ted gently rubbed the lotion over her shoulders. He pulled the top open and worked his way down her back. She stopped his hand when he reached her butt and roughly jerked the jar from his hand.

"Either one of you have any plausible theories why we bounced off that cliff and landed in the drink?" asked Ted standing and turning his back to her. "An ocean, at that. We started out in a laboratory a thousand miles from any ocean. I don't think I was knocked out. That trip didn't seem to take any longer than just a few seconds. You guys are the scientists. Tell me what's goin? on."

"Maybe it's a dream," suggested Julia.

"Whose dream?" asked Ted skeptically? ?If it was my dream he wouldn't be in it. If it's his dream what am I doing here, and why does this sunburn hurt so bad?

"A drug induced dream?" suggested Julia.

"Who drugged us and how and why?"

"I don't think we're dead and this is some kind of hell," said George. "But we definitely are not on good old terra firma. And with those two suns, probably not good old planet earth. We are either dead and this is our taste of hell or we've been transported to another world."