November-4-2010

Vancouver State Hospital, Oregon

When Irisma woke up, the light was filtering through the shades in the window. He wanted to get up and open the shades to let the sunshine in, and see Mt. Hood. He is missing his home, Mount Saint Helens. The pin shines brightly in the earth's sun, bright enough to blind you for a few seconds. He looked for his mother but saw nothing in his room, just "Shadow's" that would be his friend, but they too also just stood there, quietly—quietly! He enjoyed the story last night and he wanted someone to read to him. He felt different today like if he had changed overnight, but it's just his feelings of being cocooned inside his medic room. He wants to leave badly! As Irisma lay there the door opens.

"Good morning." Says the therapist who seems to be in a cheerful mood.

"Good morning." Replies Irisma.

"What can I do for you?"

"Would you please open the shades, and the window?"

"I can open the shades, but not the window. I'm sorry."

Sighing with the response. "That's all right."

Looking at the packet of pictures on the nightstand. "Is that the photos?"

"What?"

"Is that the photos? Said the therapist more clearly.

"Oh these…yes. Would you like to look?"

"Sure."

"Here." Irisma hands the pictures to the therapist she opens the packet.

Seeing what looks like the meeting of the Star Trek convention. "These are strange pictures."

"Yes." Says Irisma who is not paying attention to the therapist.

Seeing Shiv'kala, the one who hurt Irisma. "What is that?" She gives a picture of a Drakh to Irisma.

"Shiv'kala." Says Irisma quietly.

"Shiv—." Irisma cuts her off to prevent her from saying the name.

"Quiet! We don't want to call them. He would kill anything in his way."

"What is a Shiv'kala?" She whispers.

"A Drakh." Irisma whispers back.

"Drakh?" She whispers.

"Yes." Irisma whispers back.

"So what is this?" Pointing to the pin.

"I am not sure." Looking at the pin. "The doctor gave me her opinion, and said it is bound in a genetic code."

"Of what?"

"I don't know? Doctor says it is a mixture of two species."

With the saying of two species the therapist thinks if Irisma means a 'hybrid', but does only consider it science fiction. "You mean a hybrid?"

"Boy that word is becoming the most used word today! There is another thing, a locket, and letters of some origin."

"What does it look like?" Irisma shows the pins letters it reads this:

Child of light child of Delenn

Looking at the pin "Looks like a bunch of scratches."

"Maybe." Looking at the pin, wondering what it means.

The therapist believes it's time to change the subject, "So how are you feeling?"

"All right, right now." Even though Irisma is experiencing minor headaches, and cramping in his legs.

"Well I am here to begin your therapy." She says with a cheerful smile as if therapy was meant to be a happy process.

"Therapy?" Says Irisma with much nervousness.

"Yes, so we can begin now if you want?"

"I'll try." Irisma gets up but almost falls down, the therapist grabs Irisma and helps hold him.

"Are you all right? I wasn't expecting you to get to walk at this moment!"

"I am all right." Says Irisma who is a little shook up.

The Respiratory/Physical Therapist goes get a crutch to let Irisma use it as a crutch to prop he body weight on.

"Lets try this time slower." Irisma walks slowly towards the window and looks out. As he slowly walks towards the doctor she was amazed to see Irisma coming to a sudden full rehabilitation. Irisma looked to the doctor.

"I will soon be leaving; I can't wait to leave this hospital." Says Irisma with much energy as he can let out.

"Why?"

"It's just that there is no freedom in a hospital, your locked up in your room all windows are locked up also, and the food is nothing compared to school food, but it is nothing to write home about." Thinking to save himself from many shots. "I hope you understand, you doctors been great on helping me to recover mentally and physically."

The therapist is speechless for a second. "I agree with you, a hospital can be an uncomfortable place for patients."

"I will agree with that!"

Hoping to comfort Irisma a little. "Your mother is coming over by noon to pick you up. I just want you to be ready!"

"Thanks!"

"Would you like anything to eat?"

Feeling hungry enough for hospital food. "Yes, what human food do they have today for breakfast?"

"There is cereal and toast, eggs and toast, or a breakfast sandwich and toast."

Noticing the menu is small, easy enough to decide. "I think I will have the breakfast sandwich and toast." Said Irisma.

"Would you like anything to drink?"

Wondering what is there to drink, "Again what is there?"

"Coffee, latté, tea, ice tea, soda, or milk."

Thinking that coffee is nasty, latté sounds to descriptive, soda is bad for the bones, and milk creates too much sputum, the choices are limited. "I will have just ice tea."

"Okay." The doctor leaves, Irisma goes over to his bed, and lies down from the weight compressed on his legs. He looks over and sees his book, and a small package. Irisma reaches over and picks up the package. He opens it wondering what it might be, and to his surprise there lays a key chain with ash, which came from the May-18-1980 eruption, which was 30 years ago. A letter read, Happy Birthday, for your 20th birthday. Love mom. Irisma just looked at the key chain, tipped it upside down and watched the ash fall to the bottom. Right by side of the pin the Drakh, Shiv'kala gave him; Irisma hooks the Mount Saint Helens key chain. Irisma then reached for his book and figured it was time to read up on Shiv'kala, Londo, G'kar, Vir, John Sheridan, Delenn, and David Sheridan. Irisma picked up the book and the first page he opens to would be the one he would read, but in the back of Irisma's mind the growing fear of a fictional universe coming alive!

Almost five minutes within the reading the door opens and the therapist is back with the meal. "Hello here is your meal."

Irisma lays down his book, and gets out of bed, he staggers across the floor and retrieves the food, smiles and thanks her. She nods and exits the room. Irisma looks at the food discussed, but eats it anyway. He once again picks up his book, the box, and the pin box. And heads down towards the waiting room, Irisma picks a seat and sits down, tired of the walk. The painkillers used to help him rest must still be in his system.

"Mr. Oceanantaca if you don't mind we like you to return back to your room." Said the receptionist.

"But I was told to come down here to wait." Said Irisma Oceanantaca.

"It will be sometime."

"How long?" Irisma says in desperation to leave this place.

"About six hours, it's only 9:05am your mother will be here at 3:00pm."

Disgusted with the change in the schedule. "I thought it was noon?"

"Well we still need to analyze your legs to make sure they are healing correctly, same with your arm." Says the therapist who has been taking care of him for the last day and a half.

"I see, all right." Irisma sighs with the notice…Irisma heads towards his room. As Irisma sits back on the bed looking towards the window, the therapist enters the room to see if Irisma is all right due to Irisma's attitude.

"At noon we will come to serve lunch, is there anything you would like?"

Thinking that he just ate breakfast. "Well let me think, of at this moment I can't think of a thing!"

"All right." The nurse leaves. With being bored Irisma plans to read, it seems to Irisma that he has been doing that lots of times. The book has an interesting topic. Drakh, Irisma had thought Shiv'kala was dead…it does not make sense! If Shiv'kala is alive, could there be a place called Babylon 5? Irisma didn't know, and if Shiv'kala is alive, what about the Shadow's, or the Vorlon's! Maybe Nanette did see a Vorlon! Just as they both saw and touched a Drakh vessel, and saw a Drakh that was killed by Mr. Garibaldi and Vir. Irisma reaches for the book to read. Flips to a page, it lands on page 125. Not reading that far Irisma closes the book on page 126, and falls asleep.

"Excuse me sir."

Irisma awakens. It's a new doctor servicing him. "It's noon. What would you like to eat before we check your leg?"

Being annoying due to his annoying awaken, "I will have a Big Mac® with fries." Said Irisma.

"Sorry we don't serve that."

Tired of being annoying. "I will then have what their serving, but don't have a clue what there is?"

"There is ham, turkey, or trout." Said the unknown doctor.

Finally—he will get his trout dinner. "I will have trout."

"Okay, when you're done eating the doctor will check your leg."

"All right." The doctor leaves. Looking at his watch. "Darn I have only slept for two hours." The therapist he knows comes back with his meal.

"Here is your meal." Giving Irisma a warm plate with half a trout, and carrots, plus iced tea. "I thought you probably would want ice tea."

"Wow that was quick!" Amazed how quickly his meal had arrived.

"We have it all ready prepared, enjoy." The therapist leaves, Irisma eat his meal. About twenty minutes later the therapist returns back to the room.

"Hello Irisma, how are you feeling today?"

"All right…I guess?"

"How are your legs treating you?"

"Well it keeps telling me that it is still there." Said Irisma with more humor.

"Good! Can you wait to get out of here?"

"Yes, I don't like hospitals." Irisma says quickly and almost breathless.

"I see, well I hope you were comfortable with your stay?"

Thinking of some of the incidents. "Somewhat."

"Irisma I need some information, okay?" Pulling out his medical records.

"All right."

"Your name, full extent of it?"

"Irisma Oceanantaca."

She writes it down. "What day were you born Irisma?"

"November-8-1990"

She writes this down also. "Okay, that's all Irisma, thank you." The doctor put the records away and turns her attention back to finishing up her medical checkup. "All right Irisma lets look at your legs." Irisma rolls up his pants legs to expose his broken legs. The doctor analyzes it and injects a metallic substance in to the upper dermis of the flesh. Next the doctor prepares to put a cast on it, the color they only have is gray. So they coat his leg with this icy cold paste. When she finished it, it was 2:40pm; she gave Irisma a cane to walk with for support. Irisma once again begins to walk down the hall and his mother is waiting for him. A smile comes across his face, and he wants to run to her but his doctors, and his legs wont allow it. He would give anything to run but not at the moment. As Irisma approach his mother they both embraced another and his mother nearly choked him in hugs and signs him out of the hospital. When leaving the hospital he makes sure he had his pin and his key chain. And they all went back home.

Nanette is waiting for Irisma as he walks into his house. "Hello Irisma, welcome home, I've missed you!"

Surprised of the treatment he is receiving from Nanette, a big surprise to him indeed. "So have I."

"The news says tomorrow at 6:30am there will be a total eclipse of the sun versus the moon; do you want to watch it?" Nanette says with much charisma, and anyway Irisma enjoyed viewing these things.

"Sure! It will be some time till the next total eclipse." Said Irisma as he slowly walks to his room to rest, Nanette follows him to his room where she is interested in asking about his stay at the hospital, and their encounter which his mother have banned them from talking about in fear of that her children or even her may become a target to the Drakh.

"Irisma, may I speak to you?" Asked Nanette whom seemed kinder then she was before the Drakh attack.

Unsure what Nanette wants, "sure…what is on your mind Nanette?"

"It's about the hospital stay, you've went in with two broken legs, an broken arm, an a bad bump on your head, but you appear as if you've only gotten a concussion and a nasty headache!"

Irisma thinking about what Nanette had stated and has also noticed the strange reactions to his healing abilities as if his body was preparing for some type of reformation. "Yes, I also have noticed that the healing process was speeded up—strange occurrences, but I am not arguing with the facts, it at least got me out of the hospital so I am happy about that!" Said Irisma in an upbeat tone.

"But do you worry?" Nanette says with well thought precession.

Irisma thinks to a dream he had at the hospital: In Irisma's dreams he was standing in a room of white, there was white gas moving all about, as he looked around there was no one except himself and the sound of musical wheezing. As Irisma went walking he came upon the therapist who has been treating him, she was laying on the ground shivering in the cold, she was no longer a human but more like a hybrid of half-fish and half-human, for being a dream it seemed very realistic. As go on his knees he looked at the therapist who was holding herself.

"Are you in my dreams doctor?" Asked Irisma.

The doctor looks up at Irisma, and smiles to see a face she knows, but knows why he is here in this place. "Dreams, no not a dream, a nightmare, but if things are what dreams are made out of, what is there for our nightmares…dreams…oh no…this is a nightmare, a real one Irisma." The therapist gets up on her feet. "I know why you are where, it's because of that pin. The day you arrived I took your personal items to be put in safekeeping's, but your pin tempted me and the creature told me I am being punished. Every time I go to sleep I end up in this place, transforming little by little every day, and outside this nightmare I am also changing."

"Into what?" Said Irisma.

As Irisma thinks of what the dream may mean, Irisma is way to tired to think at the moment, but as he looks back to Nanette he knows that, that question has to be addressed—even if you does not want to! "Yes Nanette…after what I saw…I worry, I worry indeed, but maybe not the same as you do?"

Nanette is confused by the words Irisma used to base his argument off. "I don't understand, what do you mean?" Said Nanette?

"I don't feel like discussing it actually Nanette, because I don't have enough evidence to prove my argument, and like mom has always said…always have evidence to address an argument."

Nanette knowing it is useless to get any more information out of Irisma, she is curious about what it was like staying overnight twice in a hospital. "Well that we are getting nowhere with the argument of Drakh, you can at least humor me about your stay at the hospital!"

"I could, but then you would tease me about my overreactful actions while at the hospital!"

"Yes I could, but I am truly interested, and also need a good laugh!" Said Nanette with much pleasure in harassing her brother.

Thinking to himself on where to begin, it dawns on Irisma to begin with his awaken at the hospital. "Well to begin, I don't remember quite as much because of the drugs they were using to put me to sleep, then I awoken to the voice of a female nurse, who was my respiratory/physical therapist, she seemed to be interested in what had harmed me, but she got more then she expected," looking about to see if his mother is in eavesdropping range, "Nanette, please don't tell mother, but I believe we are already in grave danger…" looking at the silvery pin given by the Drakh. "It's these pins that are harming us, I believe what the Drakh can't kill they destroy physically beyond physical results…what I mean is that these pins are cursed, they have DNA in them that has tainted my genetic chemistry, and I believe the same is happening or going to happen to you soon!"

Nanette is flabbergasted by the results and for once is speechless…for the moment. "Tainted pins, genetic manipulation, sounds like what the Drakh would do…a messy job."

"Yes, I would have to agree, but what if the Drakh gave these pins to us on accident, what if we were not to receive these pin at all, it would make us extremely unfortunate. Do you agree?"

"I don't know Irisma, I really don't think that far in advanced, I really don't think that the Drakh would return back to Earth to reclaim the pins, mostly if they have already have done their jobs, genetically manipulating us." Says Nanette sarcastically.

"Maybe…maybe not, whatever is going to happen it has to happen soon, because if my healing abilities are the light-side affect, what is the heavy-side affect?" Nanette just shrugs her shoulders. "Neither do I, but that is what is so exciting about it!" Says Irisma.

"I wouldn't consider 'exciting' as my choice of word, but then you've been somewhat awkward in the past!"

Irisma looks at Nanette, "awkward?" Irisma shakes his head and smiles, but also feels the need to rest, for it is getting late. "I would consider another word to descried my personality, but then at this moment I am to tired to care, you need to get your rest as much as I do, I will talk to you later."

"Okay, I will come to get you in the morning if you don't waken." Nanette gets up and walks to Irisma's door and turns and looks at him as he shuts off his lights. "Goodnight Irisma."

"Goodnight Nanette, see you tomorrow."

As Nanette closes Irisma's door, Irisma closes his eyes glad to be back in his own bed without the interruptions of nurse, doctor, machine, or the fear of needles. As Irisma slept he had many dreams—some good others not so good—all warning him of the pending danger that was ahead, but in dreams, there is no boundaries to the revelatory of danger to practical freedom.