Becky couldn't see any

So she resigned herself. After all, the book was probably a gag anyways. You couldn't just open a portal to another dimension, especially not with whiskey and charcoal. That satisfied the girl for the time being.

Becky remembered something she had read about Pagan rituals. Often, people thought of virgins in rituals as being a sexual thing. This wasn't really the case. Virginity in the context of pre-Christian rituals had more to do with whether you had ever participated in a ritual before.

Becky supposed it didn't matter either way. She was a virgin both ways. At least for one of those, she was set to lose it fairly soon. It was a cold comfort.

Saturday moved by quickly and six O'Clock rolled around before any of them knew it. The early Autumn sun was setting in Tenley park.

The three of them strode side by side down the asphalt path, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. Luke was balancing excitement with worry for his best friend. Becky was trying not vomit.

Danny was checking out a pretty jogger starting her run. She had long brown hair in a ponytail and a cute button nose. The curves under her sweatshirt hinted at an impressive body below.

He snapped out of it and brought his attention back to his friends. Luke seemed fine, but Becky was half way to turning green. She was a stark contrast from the supple voluptuousness of the jogger.

Danny did see what the attraction might be for Becky. She had a kind of punkish cuteness to her. A boyishness that was endearing, it not sexually enticing. For his part, Danny had never felt anything, but he knew it was much different for Luke. When was the idiot just going to seal the deal? It would be a definite yes and they could drop all the awkward tension.

Whatever, none of his business either way.

They reached the spot Danny had scoped up. It was a tree trunk in a grove of trees fairly isolated from the main path.

"Alright," Danny said. "Shall we get started."

Luke grabbed the book out of his backpack while Danny set up the supplies. Becky just nodded.

Everything was ready within five minutes. By now, the sun had slipped past the horizon. Surrounding them were ten candles that served as their only light.

"We all join hands and say these words: Elsewhere, elsewhere, being ye forth. Elsewhere, elsewhere, test our worth. Apparently we just say it until the portal appears."

"This really isn't going to work," Danny smirked. Still, he felt something in the air. A crackle of energy.

"Alright, let's begin," Luke said, taking Becky's limp hand into his own.

"Let's," Becky said.

They began to chant and immediately felt a charge build in the air. It ran through them like electricity. By the second chant; the ingredients on the stump were starting to rumble. By the fourth, a purple glow descended upon the stump. By the seventh, the entire area exploded in brilliant purple light.

The trio stared in amazement. Before them was a purple circle of light in the air. Within it shimmered a rainbow of colors that flowed like the surface of a pond.