A Game of Worlds and Chaos

"Hospital." The doctor watched as an ambulance pulled up. "And no, I need to stay here, but you'll be in good hands."

Hev nodded. “Of course.” He felt the edges of himself slowly shutting down. He was nervous, anxious even. And he knew well enough that his reaction to those feelings swirling in his chest was to turn himself off. He could feel his voice turning hollow. He felt barely there.

Will peeked around the corner of the building as people loaded Hev into the ambulance. He bit his lip nervously. The nearest hospital was a few blocks from here, so he could walk, but… He battled with himself. Was it better to go to Whimsical History or to follow this stranger to the hospital? What would a hero do? No— what would his dad have done?

Hev felt himself slip further away. He was starting to doubt that all of these… strange beeping contraptions were just American things. Neptune had mentioned reading books about strange times. Was that what this was? Some stint in the future?

“Sir, what was your name again?”

Hev blearily lifts his head. “What?”

“Your name.”

“Heliodor Everett Lee.”

Well, that was hardly a question. Of course his dad would’ve gone to ensure the stranger’s safety, or perhaps to ensure that he wasn’t a threat. Classes couldn’t compare to real-world events.

Will sighed. His whimsy wasn’t flight, though, so it looked like he’d be walking.

Thankfully, the people in the screaming carriage stopped asking Hev questions once he covered his ears. The screaming was too much. He couldn’t think over it.

He imagined Saturn stepping next to him, tucking his head against his chest. But Saturn wasn’t there and he was alone in a screaming carriage.

Will took a quick glance around, then walked briskly to the front gates of Dewspire, watching as the ambulance screeched away. He placed a hand on the metal. "Psst. Could you open up, please?"

A rough voice echoed in his mind. "You a student? Get back to class."

"It's urgent! A-a friend got injured, and I need to get to the hospital, and-"

"Don't worry about it, kid. Let the adults take care of things."

Will groaned.

Soon, the screaming ambulance stopped, and he was carted away into a building where the lights were too bright, and the smells were too much, and he just squeezed his eyes shut and willed it all to end. He needed this to stop right now.

Will looked around again, then placed his foot on the bottom bar of the gate and boosted himself up. He clumsily climbed over the top and dropped down the other side, his heart beating like a pop song beat. He shoved his hands into his pockets and tried to look nonchalant as he walked quickly down the sidewalk.

Someone tried to get him to move his hands, but he wouldn't. He needed to leave.

Finally, Will reached the hospital. He assumed his best I-know-what-I'm-doing look and walked to the front desk. "Is there a Professor Lee here?"

The receptionist looked up. “A Lee? Let me see.” She typed on her computer before looking up. “There’s a Lee in our system, but only family is allowed in.”

"Yes... I'm his nephew." Will shifted his feet nervously and pasted on his nicest smile. Then he reconsidered and switched to a worried expression. "I just want to make sure he's doing alright."

The receptionist nodded. "I heard he hasn't been reacting well, so that might be helpful. He's currently in Room 4C.

"Thank you so much." Will smiled at the receptionist, then looked at the map on a nearby wall. "4C... 4C... Aha!" He spun on his heel and navigated to the room.

Cautiously, Will knocked on the door. "H-hello?"