A Game of Worlds and Chaos

Hev gestured for Will to approach him with his non-broken arm.

Will quickly shut up and shuffled over to Hev, accidentally bumping into a stack of papers in the process. He grimaced and straightened it again. "Yeah?"

“I have no idea what’s happening.” His voice was still painfully blank. “How do you call numbers? Why does the doctor have a bone mirror? Where is he trying to take me?”

Will looked lost for a second. "911 is... is... a phone number. We call it to get emergency help. And X-rays help doctors look at your bones and see if they're broken..."

The doctor hung up. "An ambulance will be here soon. Professor, how are you feeling?"

Hev blinked. "Fine. This isn't the worst broken limb I've had. A much cleaner break than before."

He then took a second to think about what that sounded like. He could imagine Saturn's heartbroken expression. "I, uh. I mean ow. It hurts." His voice still sounded painfully neutral. He frowned. How did people sound like when they were in pain?

The doctor was looking at Hev curiously. "Pardon me, but do you have CIP-- congenital insensitivity to pain? That could explain your lack of a reaction."

Will looked at Hev too. Where had he really come from, to not have heard of X-rays and to have mutiple whimsies? Perhaps Hev was an alien?

Hev furrowed his eyebrows. "I... I'm not sure." He had never heard of that before. And he was quite insensitive to pain. After all, he had felt so much that it just became a constant. A battle-weary friend, even.

As sirens wailed in the distance, Will examined Hev more closely. He'd mentioned being from London, but perhaps not the London that existed in Will's world. But then what could Will do? It wasn't like you could just pick up an interdimensional portal at the campus store.

The sirens grew louder.

Hev flinched. "Dear heavens, those are awful." He covered his ears, his wings bristling in agitation. He didn't realize something could be so... loud. It seemed impossible. The sound rattled in his very soul.

The doctor gestured for Hev to follow him. "They'll be here soon, and then you can get some proper treatment."

Will attempted to follow, but the doctor shook his head. "You're a student, yes? Thank you for accompanying Professor Lee here, but you may return to your studies now."

Hev stood up and followed after the doctor. He turned to Will and mouthed, "Just play along."

Will nodded nervously. "Thank you, doctor." He followed Hev and the doctor outside, then waved again. "Let me know how the professor does." Then Will walked away as if he was returning to classes.

Hev stayed silent. He had no idea what to say. He just followed the doctor and hoped he was doing the right thing.

Will walked around the corner of the building, thinking. If Hev really was an interdimensional traveler, wasn't it his duty to help get him home? Like E.T. People deserved to get to their homes. But what was he going to do, break into the hospital and kidnap Hev and get him to a portal... found... somewhere...? Hmm.

Hev turned to the doctor. "So. Are you accompanying me to this..." What had he said? "hostel?"