The Teacher's Assistant

The Town of Farnsfield

Peter woke up laying alone in a bed, his head was throbbing and when he opened his eyes the sudden light caused him to squint painfully. All he could remember was the professor giving him the dark pyramide from his briefcase, then blackness swirled around him and he was here.

Slowly his eyes adjusted to the light. He was in a hospital with clean white walls and a clean white tile floor, the door was half open and painted bright white also. Why did everything have to be white? Could they have not added some color to the rooms people spent long days of discomfort in?

Anyway, that didn't matter, a nurse walked in. "Oh I see you finally woke up? You had been asleep for ten hours since you were brought here. I am glad you weren't in a coma." She said raising her eyebrows. "Do you feel hungry?"

"Yes I do feel a little hungry."

The nurse, like everything else in the room, was dressed in white. She walked over to Peter and pulled an IV from his arm, it stung for moment. He hadn't even noticed it until just now. "Well I am glad you are hungry, that is a good sign." She said throwing the needle in one of those medical waste cans, "I will be right in with something to eat, keep resting." She left the room.

Left to his bare hospital room Peter's brain slowly began to work again, "What had happened to him?" He thought. Had he been hit in the head and dreamed everything? Had his whole day with Jessica and the professor been a mere fantasy? Maybe the part with Jessica was real and the part with the professor was fake? He hoped that was the case and not the other way around.

He scanned the room for something familiar, the window curtains (aggravatingly white as everything else) were closed; if only he could peek out, the possibility of finding out where he really was would be much higher.

The nurse walked back into the room with a plate of steamy chicken, mashed potatoes, and beans. She set the plate down in front of Peter, the warm moist smell made his mouth water.

"Where I am? He asked.

The nurse looked at him, "You are at St. Jude's hospital in Farnsfield. A woman found you lying unconscious in a parking lot a few blocks from here. Naturally, she was worried and drove you here where we have taken care of you for the past ten hours." The nurse gave Peter a few pills, "Take these after you eat and swallow them with your water." She then walked over to the window and pulled aside the curtains.

Warm sunlight flooded the room and again Peter's eyes hurt.

"Awe is that too bright?"

"No that is okay I like the sun, in a few moments I will be fine, thank you."

Peter desperately wanted to look out that window to see where he really was. "Well alright, just hit the button on your bed if you need anything urgent."

As soon as she had left the room Peter pushed his food aside. He swung his legs over the bedside and got up in one fluid motion. For a moment he felt fine, then the throbbing in his head roared back, his legs felt weak and he started seeing spots as his ears began to ring. He sat weakly back down, he would have to be more careful getting up.

After a minute or so the throbbing settled down and strength was felt in his legs again. With a cautious effort he rose to his feet. He felt dizzy, but it was bearable as he took one step after the other towards the sunlit window sill. Once he got there he gazed eagerly out.

Peter was fortunate, his window gave him a central view of the city. It was Farnsfield all right, the town hall was standing proudly where it always did across from Mrs. black's bakeshop and the furniture store. The old brick town square was the same, a few kids were throwing coins into the fountain at heart of the city. People were going in and out of shops, walking their dogs or running, a few even gathered outside of the cafe to eat in the warm afternoon air.