When Michael finds an old spell book at a used bookstore in a mall, he doesn’t think the spells will actually work—until he tries one as a joke. He has to try the spell a second time, to make sure the effect wasn’t just a huge coincidence, and sure enough: it works again. Now, Michael is feeling overwhelmed by the power he’s holding in his hands. 

There are lots of spells he wants to try out, but near the end of the book is one that particularly catches his eye: a spell that gives the caster a long, vivid dream of whatever he or she desires. All Michael has to do is drink a special mixture and imagine the dream world he wants to spend a few hours in. But just before he dozes off, he remembers seeing a pretty young woman in a cute little skirt at the mall, and that image becomes the basis for his new fantasy world.