Might as well find out what is there.

Driving across town toward the address you decide to play it a little safe and pull off the road and pull into an automatic car wash. While inside you take the time and privacy to load the .380 and tuck it and both extra clips in the pockets of your sweatshirt. It takes long enough that you load the .45 as well and stuff it into the glove compartment. The revolver and the rest of the ammo you leave in the case for now and set it behind the seat. Pulling back out you head on to the address. As you pull up you find it is an obviously abandoned old gas station. Looking around you hop out of the car and go look in the window. Inside of the old building you see a blue glow, the same as the card when you first found it.

Cautiously you pull the .380 racking the slide to pull a bullet into the chamber. It takes a bit to find some way in, but with a little pulling you get the back door open. Slipping in through the crack you immediately wish you had a flashlight, the only light coming from the headlights of your car. Looking around you are assailed by the smell of gas mixed with a hint of puke. As you round a corner you spot something amazing. Standing in the middle of the main room is a door, not even in a frame, with the number 9 blazing on the door. Stepping closer you get to the door and find it isn't attached to anything, it is just standing there. “Ok, so magic is clearly real. This is stupid.” Licking your lips, suddenly feeling shockingly dry, you reach out with your left hand, gun in your right, and cautiously turn the doorknob till you hear a click, even though the door isn't even in a frame. Slowly you pull it toward you, it moves as if hinged. Pulling it open reveals a blue outlined portal that appears to open into a fifties themed diner. “Huh?” Is all you can say. As you can see several people in the diner you tuck the gun back into the pocket of your sweatshirt and step through the door.

Once inside a waitress, pretty with a long brown ponytail and lovely blue eyes and slender features steps up to you and smiles. “Welcome to Deb's Diner. Have a seat, I'll take your order in a sec.”

“Umm, ok.” You say confused, but do as you are told and plop down in a booth. All of this is quite strange, but you are hungry and the food smells delicious. Grabbing a menu you look it over and decide very quickly on a chilli cheeseburger and fries. Licking your lips in anticipation with a stupid grin.

She walks up finally and asks, “What can I get you miss?”

Your mouth opens and you say, “I'll have a chilli cheeseburger, fries, and a coke.” The drink comes first of course, then the meal. The sandwich is absolutely amazing, almost orgasmic as you slurp down the food, making a mess of your face and hands. Several napkins later you lean back and pat your happily full tummy.

“Did you like it?”

“It was great, thanks.” You say not paying attention really, then as you realize a man is suddenly sitting across from you in the booth you add, “Eep.” And stick your hand into your pocket taking the gun in hand.

“Easy, I am a friend. Well a vision of a friend. None of this you see here is real. You are still standing in an abandoned gas station right now staring into space.” He pauses a moment to let this sink in. “I represent the organization that set up the box you found. The fact that you found this place tells me you can at least pay attention and have a chance of being an ally.”

“Can you tell me what is going on? Why people or whatever are trying to kill me?”

“I will tell you all I can, but much will have to wait. There are rules to all of this. As I said, this place doesn't exist, but at the same time this is your new home till you don't need it any longer. The magic that imprinted the card linked this address to you. That is my greatest gift to whoever found the box that was set up. Normally the person that sets up the box does this in person, but that isn't possible this time.”

“Why, where are they?”

“No longer with us I am afraid. Let me finish, please.” You sit back in the seat and he continues, “The address is a simple translocation spell. Anything mailed to that address will find you no matter where you are. Well with one little addition of course. You will become aware of what it is before it arrives and if you don't want it, it won't find you. Call it magic mail screening I suppose. I added it after someone used a similar spell to send a pipe bomb.” He lets out a little chuckle before continuing, “This way you can use the address to pay bills, get mail, open lines of credit, whatever and not be tied to one location where people or things can find you. In answer to the point. I suppose survival. Like most of us that find out about the world of magic, you were cursed. I won't ask how, but I know how you feel, like your life has been turned upside down. I can tell you from experience that it gets better.” He looks at his watch, “Our time here is growing to an end. Is there anything else I can answer for you?”

“Ya. How am I supposed to live? Can I just go get a job, what about a passport or a birth certificate, social security card, bank account, credit cards, all the things you need to live. How do I get all of that? Or am I just fucked? Plus what the hell is after me? Can I get turned back?” You quickly ask exasperated if not totally freaking out.

“I can't help you any more. It isn't allowed, not till you survive a year. Then we will contact you again. As for your questions I can quickly give you some advice. If you stay in a town for longer than about a week you will be found, that is just the way it is. There are things hunting you and they won't stop till you are recaptured or dead depending on exactly what or who you made a deal with. Each have their own desires. Plus the longer you live the more other entities will learn of you and begin hunting you as well.”

Here you interrupt, “Why? Why are they after me? I got cursed, fucked over by magic I get that, but why are they after me?”

“I can't answer everything, sorry. We have only a few more moments, let me try to answer what I can. Most people, normal people, sort of don't want to question your existence. It makes them feel uneasy. Due to this if you go to a bank and open an account, just do one that you can get access to online or with an atm, they will accept the license as enough proof of who you are, they won't pry further. If they do, leave, that means they are touched by magic themselves, and a possible threat. Same with a passport, credit cards, whatever. Just fill out the paperwork and it will work. To question is to see that which their minds don't want them to see. Now I must go. Oh one last thing. No one has ever undone whatever was done. I am sorry.” With that last word he disappears, and as he goes, so does everything else and you are once again back in the abandoned gas station.

Slapping your hands to your sides you look around at the dark space and say, “Great, so I am not the only one fucked, that helps how? Now what?”