New start, same Carl, different dimension

"Carl, get off your phone and pay attention. We have to memorize this routine for the tryouts!"

I looked over at Jessica, a girl I had befriended last year and who was always dragging me out of my comfort zone. For instance, today we were trying out for the college cheer team. Jessica fit in perfectly, a cute girl coming in at about 5 foot 4, had been on her high school cheer team and was always full of energy. I, on the other hand, did not. I wasn't fat, but I was certainly out of shape. The last time I worked up a sweat it was by carrying my gaming computer up 4 flights of steps to my dorm room.

"C'mon Jessica. I am not going to make the team regardless, why does it matter?"

"Because Carl, I really want you to do this with me. You would be a great base for the pyramid, and no other guy has joined the squad here in 6 years! Just think of how much time you would get to spend with all these ladies." She winked and elbowed me in the rib. It was no secret that I was not good with women. Jessica had tried to set me up with a couple of her friends but had never gotten a second date, probably because they could tell I had an unrequited crush on Jessica.

I looked around the auditorium and realized she had a point. Even if I didn't make a move on anyone in the squad, being around so many women could only make me feel more comfortable around women. Resolving to do my best I handed my phone to Jessica.

"I will put this in my bag until we are done. You should have left it in the locker room like everyone else. Oh, wait, you got a message." She handed my phone back for me to read the message.

Confused, I checked it. Who texted me? My only friend is right here, and my dad is on vacation halfway across the world, he should either be partying or sleeping. I pulled up the message.

'Greetings denizens of this plane. It is time for a paradigm shift. We, the unknown entities lurking beyond your perception, feed on imbalance, and for too long the world has been too balanced. We have changed this. Any person who is brave enough to rise to the challenge may take ownership and devotion of any person he chooses, as long as said person claims ownership while in physical contact. Any person claimed in such a way will immediately become hopelessly besotted with their new owner, and will do anything within their power to please their owner. This message has been sent to the communication device of a select few sentient being in this realm, but anybody is capable of claiming others. Happy hunting.' Carl was even more confused now. How did he end up on some sort of spam thread?

"Who was it?" Jessica asked

"Oh, nobody, just some stupid spam text thing. Its kinda funny, check it out." I handed Jessica my phone amd she read the message, getting a strange look in her eye as she finished it.

"Haha, this is weird. Kinda fucked up, too. Owning another person just because some mysterious being supposedly gave you power? Although, this does seem similar to one of the more far-fetched theories behind the legend of atlantis, and the disappearance at Roanoke."

"Wait, are you saying this might be real?" I laughed at Jessica's gullibility.

"Evidence was found at Roanoke and at the likely location of Atlantis of a missive from otherworldly beings who granted unknown powers. Now, this could just be someone playing off those theories, but who knows?" Jessica's eyes darted between me and my phone.

"Well there is only one way to find out," I joked. "Should we test it?"