More than hurt

Nepal did not know the home, reminiscent of a sad face. He saw it from the yard.

Next he found himself in a kitchen and ate some cookies. “Am I dreaming?” He tried to speak, but nothing came out. He tried to move but didn't go in the right direction. The television turned on. Did he turn it on? Couldn't tell.

A DVD's introduction was playing on the set. He had seen this animated feature before. It felt good to watch it the first time. Perhaps he'd watch it again. Was he about to watch it again? Not even sure if he had heard the sound, the word “MUTE” popped up on the screen. How strange.

Then the dream got better. Two little fish danced and played in the ocean. They laughed at his jokes. These jokes he'd never heard before. They were funny. Very funny, he knew, but he could not remember the words to them even after punchline had been spoken. The dream lasted a long time it seemed.

But after a while, the ocean went away, and a woman was yelling at him. She obviously wanted him to leave, but when he tried, something held him. There were two little children in the room. “Where did they come from?” he wanted to ask, but he had no voice.

The woman looked sick and before she fainted, Nepal recognized her as Timmy's wife.

Something was tugging on Nepal. He tried to shake it off. Tried to ignore it. He wanted to finish the dream, to know what happened next, but the tugging was persistent.

Reality crashed in on him like a cold shower. He was left shivering.

They had not moved him from the floor, only draped a blanket over him.

“You had us worried,” Cheshin said, siting on the floor. “Between you, Jueqel, and Breyn, I thought I'd be fresh out of worry.”

Nepal remembered the link he'd shared with the Oragwains. “What happened?”

“Dru saw an opportunity to take Kard out,” Cheshin began.

Nepal cut him off, “yea, I know that. I mean, why do I feel like I just past a stone for old mother Earth?”

“Not sure,” Chesin said with a shrug that let Nepal know he was afraid to say.

“How can I find out?”

“Jueqel should be around in a bit. He got hit with demerol. The Yogans that were with him have been removing all traces of it from his system.” Cheshin looked up suddenly. “Dru.”

“How's he doing?” asked Dru.

Nepal bristled, “he's doing fine.”

“I'm glad you are alright.”

“No thanks to you,” Nepal said, bitter.

Cheshin was looking at Dru scornfully.

“You volunteered,” Dru was looking at Cheshin when he said it. “You were not the only one hurt by this monster.”

“I think I was more than just hurt,” Nepal said. Apprehensive about telling them of his dream, he opened and closed his mouth several times but didn't speak, no longer sure if he could trust them.

Dru's head snapped from Nepal back to Cheshin. Again, to Nepal, and more tenderly, he said, “You should get to your bed. Can you stand? Here, let me help you.”

“I'd like to talk to Jueqel as soon as he's around,” Nepal told Dru and Cheshin as they helped him into bed.