Duncan woke up in an unfamiliar setting. The scent of antiseptics awoke bad memories of his visits to his father, rather than his latest sting in the hospital.

He expected to still be on a bus but by the looks of things he was in a hospital. He noticed an IV drip attached to his arm and heard people's voices ranging from moaning to quietly speaking all around him.

He didn’t see them because his hospital bed was set against a wall and panels covered all three exposed sides. It was just some kind of pastel light green fabric so the voices he could hear clearly. He looked under the covers and noticed he was in a hospital gown.

Looking around he could see a small cupboard on top of which his phone lay. Leaning over he opened the bottom cabinet and found his clothes neatly folded. Fear of being robbed immediately gripped him, so Duncan pulled out his cargo pants and checked the pockets. His keys and most importantly the envelope he got from Ezra Bergstein were still there.

Taking his phone, he tried to check google maps for his location but his phone battery didn’t survive the ordeal and killed the phone.

Soon the front panel was pulled and a middle-aged man in a white coat came in and closed it behind himself. With short brown hair which was going gray in some places and a genial smile, he oozed experience and confidence.

“Hello Mr. Russel, I am Dr. Jacob Cranshaw. I specialize in neurology,” the man said.

Duncan nodded and Dr. Cranshaw continued, “You were delivered to our ER department approximately 45 minutes ago. Have you taken any drugs recently?”

“Just painkillers a day ago for my ankle injury,” Duncan replied. The doctor nodded and wrote it on his tablet.

“You had no apparent sources of injury so we think it might be neurological in nature. We would like to take a CT and an MRI with your permission,” the doctor continued.

“How did I get here?” Duncan asked.

“The bus driver stopped at the end of the line and you would not get off. Then he tried to wake you and you were unresponsive. He called a cab since we are close and they delivered you here. A nurse paid your fare which I am sure you will reimburse,” he explained.

Duncan’s fear he would have to pay a few thousand for an ambulance vanished quickly at that.

“Yeah, no problem. Just tell me who I am indebted to,” Duncan replied.

“I believe it was nurse Kaplan. I will inquire and send her your way. Before that however about that CT and MRI,” the doctor asked.

“How much will it cost me?” Duncan asked.

“Your employer will cover it,” the doctor reassured him.

“MY employer?” Duncan asked.

“We found your employee ID card attached at the back of your phone and contacted them. They told us about your insurance coverage and they will reimburse any costs up to a certain amount. The MRI and CT are well within that coverage,” he explained.

Duncan frowned, “Is it really necessary?”

“Well, your symptoms are similar to a sudden onset of narcolepsy, or in your case catalepsy, and with your injury history we would like to exclude that you are not suffering from a brain stroke caused by a rogue bone fragment,” Dr. Cranshaw explained.

“Could that also cause hallucinations?” Duncan asked.

The doctor quickly replied, “It might. Have you experienced any hallucinations?”

“No. I am asking for a friend,” he thought.

“No. I am just asking in case I got them,” Duncan replied after a moment.

The doctor frowned, “Was this the first time you woke up not remembering how you got somewhere?”

“Yes,” Duncan nodded as he lied but he was not about to tell him about the other world.

“Usually, the patients with narcolepsy and catalepsy can be woken up. You were unresponsive even to face slaps from the driver of the bus,” doctor Cranshaw stated.

Duncan touched his face and saw the doctor smile.

“So, can we proceed with the CT and MRI now?” the doctor once again asked.

“Oh. Yeah sure. Why not,” Duncan replied and nodded.

“Nurse. Get someone to send him up for an MRI and a CT scan,” dr. Cranshaw shouted before saying, “I will see you upstairs,” and after that, he left the enclosure.

Duncan started thinking about what the doctor said about his former employer picking up the tab.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

“Why would they do that?”

“The only plausible explanation is they are afraid I will still sue. But I already signed the papers on the day of the accident. Aaaaah. That’s the problem. There is a record of me being under sedatives and painkillers and I could claim they used my state. I guess they figured out paying for my hospital bills will cost them less than a workplace safety inspection.”

“At least I am safe and the money is still here. Damn, I must have a high hidden luck stat…”

He waited for a while as the minutes were ticking by.

“Screw it. I don’t plan to be awake in the hospital any longer than I have to. They don’t need me awake for the CT or the MRI anyway,” he decided and activated the transfer.

He checked his time off and it was 34 minutes.

“Could have saved 10 minutes at least if I went when the doctor left,” Duncan whispered and shook his head before climbing from his bed.

It was late at night and he went to shower and brush his teeth before going to sleep.

The next day Duncan entered the kitchen as a new man compared to yesterday. A huge burden was off his shoulders. The day was sunny again even with the black hole sun in the sky.

Wazsh observed Duncan’s energetic mood after the greetings, before asking him, “What’s up?”

“I am in the hospital,” Duncan replied.

Walsh's orange eyebrows made a frown and he asked, “And this is good news, why exactly?”

“Because there is nothing wrong with me,” Duncan replied.

Wazsh shook his head and tried again, “Then why are you in a hospital?”

“Because people took me there,” Duncan replied.

“Who brought you there?” Wazsh asked louder.

“The taxi driver and the bus driver,” Duncan replied.

“Why did they bring you there?” Wazsh asked in a loud voice.

“Because I was not waking up?” Duncan responded loudly.

“Why are you yelling?” Wazsh screamed.

“Because you are yelling,” Duncan replied screaming.

“You know you, this is the most frustrating conversation I had in 200 years,” Wazsh replied.

Duncan smiled before he said, “Now you know how I feel when you mess with me.”

Wazsh facepalmed before saying, “Just go away, I don’t want to see you here until dinner.”

Duncan waved and left the bar.

“Hmmm. Things to do…” Duncan uttered as he walked across Main Street up and down.

The mental pressure of not knowing what was happening on the other side was gone and he was a loose cannon with nowhere specific to fire at.

“Visit Shaya and go to the mine, maybe drop by Bolgar’s since it’s on the way,” Duncan thought.

Duncan quickly forgot he was just in a life-threatening situation and already started a plan to get into another one.

Coming to Bolgar’s place he noticed the quietness but he still had hope of the dwarf being at home. Sadly, his hopes were dashed by the locked door so he moved on towards the barracks.

Duncan reached the barracks soon enough and entered the communal area where he saw Tyrok.

“Good morning,” Duncan greeted and Tyrok responded in kind.

“Do you happen to know where Shaya is or Captain Fenris?” Duncan asked.

“I think Shaya is at the other side of the village on guard duty and Captain Fenris is in his office,” Tyrok replied before asking, “Do you need some more game?”

Duncan thought about it and replied, “Sure, What, have you got for me?”

“I have a Midnight deer and a Horned rabbit,” Tyrok replied.

“Maybe next time then since I still have enough of those,” Duncan responded.

With a bit of disappointment obvious on his face, Tyrok replied, “As you wish.”

“Can I go to the captain’s office?” Duncan inquired.

“Sure, we are not really strict about that,” Tyrok replied.

Duncan made his way to the office and knocked.

Soon there was a loud reply, “Gabris stop pestering me. You are not going to the mine!”

“It’s me, Duncan,” he replied.

“Oh, come on in,” Captain Fenris shouted.

“Sorry for that. Gabris has been here today two times already. Demira blabbered that you went with Shaya to the mine and he has been pestering me about you,” Fenris explained.

Duncan nodded and smiled before saying, “Is this not a good time?”

“What for?” Fenris asked.

Duncan replied dumbfounded, “A visit. I mean, am I bothering you?”

Fenris waved his hands, “No, not at all. Visit anytime you want. Tell me, what can I do for you?”

“I was thinking of going back to the mine with you or Shaya or both,” Duncan said.

“I see. Well, both of us can’t leave or these lot will slip in a discipline like sand through your fingers. You would think that more than a century of being a guard would change that,” Fenris said as he contemplated, “I can go today or you can take Shaya tomorrow. She is on guard duty today.”

Duncan nodded before saying, “I heard from Tyrok that she is on the other wall. Tyrok seems reliable though.”

“Reliable yes, sociable no,” Fenris said as he shook his head.

“He is good with Gabris since they are polar opposites, they cover their faults, but with others, he does not mesh well,” Fenris explained.

Duncan nodded and asked, “So do you want to go right now or when would it suit you?”

Fenris contemplated for a while before saying, “I know you are well suited for the monsters in the mine so far, however you should not get too cocky. Let’s get to the training facility first and do some training to get a feel for each other.”

Duncan nodded before saying, “Sounds reasonable. Let’s go.”