Cloudy images of creatures in the dark, rushing objects and outlines of figures filed my dreams. They were erratic and indecipherable to me, but they sparked strong emotions inside. Panic, sadness, anger, pain. They all came and went in their own random orders. Only the last image seemed clearer to me. I couldn't make out the face of the one I looked at, but the colours around it were brighter. And yet at the same time, a feeling of loss overcame me. And then black
I woke with a start, opening my eyes wide.
"Good morning Mr Incarta"
"Nyeh?"
I heard a chuckle, "That's very interesting", a light female voice said, the face of the younger doctor I'd briefly met yesterday, replaced the view of the ceiling and smiled at me. "And how are you today?"
I blinked at her, it almost felt like she gave off some kind of energy. She had that face that screamed 'full of life'.
"I'm fine." I blankly replied, as she moved off back to the table she had been sitting at.
"That's good to hear." She took up a pen and started writing, "Doc will be along soon. I hope you're ready for more questions"
I sat up. A lot of the pain from yesterday seemed to have eased. "I hope she's got some answers for mine"
"I'll bet you do," she said, not looking up from whatever she was doing, "The mayor may pop in as well, just to warn you."
I sighed remembering the last confusing visit he had paid.
Now she looked round at me, "I'm Andrea, by the way"
I smiled at her but then got quite a start when the door flung open. I nearly sighed with relief when the doctor walked in.
"Ahh. You're awake" she boomed, "Time for a check up" She still seemed just as in charge as yesterday. My sheets were soon pulled back and for the first time I saw the extent of my external injuries. I seemed to be lacking fur in places and the exposed areas showed dark patches where bruises and bumps had been left. A few sets of scars were visible on my chest and leg, and then there was my leg, still in a cast.
"Well, shit" I exclaimed, both doctor and nurse didn't look up in reaction from my outburst and just stared.
"Wow." Andrea exclaimed. "You are the fastest healer I've ever seen"
"Eh? What are you talking about?" I asked, very confused.
"How unusual" Doc said, cocking a fuzzy eyebrow, "These scars and bruises , all the swelling... it seems to be patching up far quicker then I would expect. I admit I'm no expert in hedgehog anatomy, but I didn't expect results like this so soon from simple rest. From any species"
I just stared at myself. From my point of view, I looked terrible.
"Lets check the cast" Andrea piped up after a few more moments of intrigued staring. The two of them began pulling at my wrapped up leg, I thought, a bit like a Christmas present. I'm sure they knew what they were doing, but still...
They had the leg out now. It didn't feel so good but I could tell from the expressions from my two carers that it was better then they were expecting.
"Again, with the lack of swelling" Andrea exclaimed.
"Incarta, can you move this leg. Don't try too hard though." Doc held my hurt leg in her hand, I assumed, so she could notice any movements. The look on her face when I lifted my apparently broken limb from her hand and held it in the air for a whole half minute was classic. I then proceeded to bend it at the knee and straighten it again, before resting it back on the bed.
There was a stunned silence.
"Incarta...", Doc said in the softest voice I had heard come from her mouth so far. She turned and made for the door, "I'll be right back" she left.
My blank expression turned to the half confused, half concerned look that Andrea was giving me, "How did you do that?"
"I just did it. It hurts but.."
She cut me off.
"Incarta... when you arrived here, that leg was badly broken. Heck, it was broken yesterday. You shouldn't be able to do what you just did for weeks yet..."
----
The rest of the day involved a multitude of tests, partically on my leg which had seemingly fixed itself over night. Doc couldn't explain it and was constantly in and out of the room. I couldn't help but wonder what she got up to while she was out there. All I knew was that she caused plenty of commotion out there. Or maybe that was me.
Andrea entered again. She seemed just as interested in me as well, though she asked questions with far less urgency in her voice and was willing to answer my questions during her flying visits.
"What's all the noise about?" I asked, pointing to the door.
She looked back at the shut door and then looked at me, "I wouldn't worry about it." she said. I couldn't be sure if she was hiding something from me or not, but I pressed on.
"Has Doc worked anything out yet?"
Andrea didn't look up from the sheets she was folding, "You'd have to ask her. She said something about your blood being unusually active, as if something is stimulating your blood cells and body in general. But other then that, I don't know"
I was curious about this. I still remembered nothing of where I was from or anything about the days leading to my arrival at the village.
"What could cause that?" I pondered out loud.
"We don't know." answered Andrea with a couple of arms full of bedding sheets, "Maybe you're stick is magic" She chuckled, before carefully making her way outside again.
"...what?" I asked, confused to silence until it was too late. she was already gone. But what did she mean?
I looked around the room "What magic stick?" I said to myself. It was then that I spotted what she must have been talking about. Rested against the wall next to the bed on my left side was a long wooden stick. I blinked at it. I hadn't even noticed it until just now. I reached out for it, startling myself as it almost felt like it pushed itself into my hand. I placed it on my lap and stared at it. It felt warm in my hands, almost as if...
The door swung open and I quickly placed the unusual item back against the wall as the mayor of the village stomped in, quickly followed by Doc who looked a little unhappy.
The mayor on the other hand looked much happier then he did yesterday, a big toothy grin ran across his face.
"Good afternoon Mr. Incarta" he boomed, "I hear you're feeling much better"
I felt very small, "Yes thank you. Everyone's been very kind"
"Excellent!" he clapped his hands together, "You're welcome to stay as long as you need to recover."
"...Thank you..." I felt silly.
"Just do me a favour..." his voice lowered as the big squirrel leaned towards me, "Let me know as soon as any of your memories come back. Especially, if you remember anything about your time in the mountains. The circumstances of your being there have raised... questions." he stepped back again, the smile had half left his face. He seemed to be checking that I understood.
"I understand." I said, watching him carefully.
He huffed and turned to leave, telling Doc to keep him informed before stepping out.
I waited for Doc to shut the door before speaking again.
"Soooo, did you get any answers yet?"
"Your X-ray shows the fracture in your leg is healed, I don't know how but it seems your body has been charged with some kind of energy. Are you sure you don't know anything?"
I pondered about whether I should tell her about the stick but thought better of it and shook my head.
She sighed, "I haven't told the mayor of this and if you do remember anything, I suggest you come to me first. We don't want the whole village talking about you. You're already a bit of a celebrity as it is."
I was intrigued. "Surely you pull people off the mountain all the time?" I questioned.
"We do." she leaned on the bed post, "but your arrival seems to have co-in sided with a few strange events lately. Its nothing for you to worry about though, but telling people of your healing ability might arouse some suspicions that you might be... somehow linked to the events." She looked away, out the window at the dusky sky that was coming. I decided to change the subject. I wasn't too bothered about what others thought I might be.
"What's the next step"
She seemed to snap back into reality, "Oh, good choice of words. Normally this stage wouldn't be started for a few weeks, but tomorrow we shall start looking into getting you walking again. You'll be working in the gym with Andrea mostly, so be ready for some hard work"
"Cool" This had been a good day.