Dimensions

Chapter 11: Elusive Cure

    Dan swung his legs back and forth, whacking them against the edge of the metal table he was currently sitting on. After Gale had dropped him off at the local Hospital, Dan had spent nearly thirty minutes waiting in the ER. He was now spending another thirty wondering where the doctor had gone.

    The doctor on duty was a man named Robert Staten. At first, Dan was quite happy to see another human, but quickly found himself disappointed when he came to the conclusion that this human was a slacker and would that he probably be better off if he were being treated by a robot.

    At first the doctor asked Dan a few simple questions, but as soon as Dr. Staten saw Dan's leg, he used a scanner on it then rushed out of the room. Dan didn't know whether or not to be worried or annoyed, so he settled on a mix of both.

    While he waited, Dan looked around the room taking in his surroundings. The room he was in looked like a normal doctor's office, but instead of the more traditional diagrams and informative posters, the walls were covered in flat holograms depicting creatures that definitely weren't human.

    "Sheesh! That man is taking forever!" Morning complained. She had been rummaging through the different storage containers in the room.

    "I'm sure he'll be back soon." Dan could feel himself shaking nervously. Over the past hour, he had gradually grown paler and had broken out in a cold sweat. The stinging in his leg had also grown exponentially. He could tell he was running out of time.

    "He better get here fast. I'd rather not meet back up with Katie and have to explain why I'm dragging your dead body around with me."

    "Thanks for putting that picture in my head." Dan moaned.

    At that moment, as if on que, Dr. Staten walked back in, frowning at a paper he was carrying. Morning quickly ducked behind a jar of unidentifiable brown liquid.

    "The Chortian at the gate said this would only take a few minutes." Dan said.

    "Well, Masne shouldn't have. That Chortian is not a doctor, and it doesn't know what it's talking about." Robert grunted. He set the paper down next to the jar Morning was hiding behind. She slid into a less visible position and prayed he hadn't seen her.  

   The doctor looked worriedly up at Dan. He clearly didn't want to say whatever he was about to. "There's no point in giving you false hope," He sighed. "... So I'm just going to tell it like it is. There is no evidence that we have any immediate remedy for the toxin currently infecting you."

    "English?"

    "...We don't have a cure."

    "What?!"

    "I'm sorry."

    "No! That can't be it!" It couldn't end like this! He had to get back to Katie. He had to close the portal, save the multiverse, and go home. Dying was not part of the plan.

    "We are currently out of the antibiotics you need... and our next shipment doesn't come in until tomorrow. There is no way we could successfully administer it in time."

    "Is there any way the shipment can come in faster?"

    "No. The transport ship's highest velocity is only Mock Nine. Even at full speed it wouldn't make it in time."

    "Does the Hospital have any faster ships?"

    The doctor paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Are you suggesting we meet the transport ship halfway?"

    "Yes!" Dan nodded his head excitedly.

    "I guess that might work. Our smallest ship could be there within four hours... There is a chance, but it's slim."

    "I'll take anything I can get. Call me crazy, but I'd rather not just give up and die."

     Dr. Staten chuckled. "Understandable. Alright then. I'll get the ship and a pilot ready to go." The doctor headed to leave but then paused at the door. He turned around slowly. "How do you plan to pay for all of this?" He asked.

    Dan froze. How was he going to pay for this? He didn't have any money, and there was no way for him to get some that quickly. Thinking on his toes, he said, "My insurance will cover it?" If doctors still had large bills, insurance companies must still exist... right?

    Dan braced himself for the doctor to call security to have him escorted out, but instead Dr. Staten nodded. Clearly satisfied with the answer he strolled out of the room and turned down a long hallway, quickly disappearing from sight.

    "Whew, that was close. You can come out now Morning Glory." Dan said.

    Morning slowly emerged from behind the jar with a confused expression on her face. "What's insurance?"