All The Little Pieces

Waking In A Dream

"Hand me that towel. She was talking clearly a moment ago. I want to see if we can wake her."

Elizabeth felt cool dampness moving over her cheeks and forehead. She opened her eyes slowly and squinted against the blinding brightness of the room. She was lying in bed on her back. Everything was white, the blankets, the ceiling, the walls. Large square windows, which appeared to be open and paneless, lined the wall to her left. Brilliant blue sky with a few wisps of cloud was all she could see of the outdoors.

Two women were standing next to her bed, both watching her intently. One was very short and slight, with shoulder length brown hair; the other, heavier and with blond hair fading into a grey bun.

The younger woman smiled and pulled a chair next to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Elizabeth blinked. "I...I'm okay." Her voice was a hoarse croak. She cleared her throat and tried to start again. "I feel all right, I—"

"Wait, let me get you a drink." The older woman took a few steps away, while the younger one slipped a hand behind Elizabeth's shoulders.

"Sit up slowly and let me assist you. You have been lying down for a long time."

Elizabeth scooted backward stiffly, stretching her arms. She took the cold cup of water and then froze as memory rushed back. "What happened, and where am I?"

The younger woman smiled. "I'll answer all your questions in a moment. I'm sure you will have quite a few. First, I am Elora, and this is Imogen. I am the head healer and she is my assistant. Let me get you some more pillows to help you sit comfortably, and then we can talk." She rose and walked to the far end of the room and opened a cabinet, speaking quietly over her shoulder to Imogen. "Will you go and let them know she is awake?"

Elizabeth looked around the room more closely. The room seemed very high up, and the warm breeze drifting in was definitely not that of London in January. Both women had an odd manner of speaking and slight accent that she could not place. Neither of them wore scrubs or lab coats, but what appeared to be floor length white robes. She hadn't said they were doctors, but...healers? Elizabeth bit the side of her bottom lip and frowned.

Elora returned with several pillows and propped them behind Elizabeth. She seated herself again beside the bed. "Better? Very good. Can you start by telling me what you remember?"

Elizabeth drew a deep breath and tried to deliberately walk through each action she remembered. "Well, I was in Saint James Square, at the library. I was about to leave, and I dropped all my books. I picked them up, put on my bag, grabbed my coat, then...I don't know what happened."

She looked down at her lap, hands suddenly drenched in sweat. "I don't know...I was really tired..." she trailed off. None of this story sounds real, she thought desperately. It sounds like the ramblings of a crazy person. She glanced sideways at Elora.

Elora was nodding calmly. "What occurred was certainly a shock for you. Can you tell me what you remember after that?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath. "I heard a noise, like um, a crazy wind, or a train, something like that." She bit her lip again. "I felt like it was pulling me up, fast, and I really couldn't breathe...I remember bright lights and colors, and then I must have run into something. My head hurt like hell."

She paused uncertainly after hearing what she had said aloud. "That's all I can think of...oh, and there was a man saying something to me, but I couldn't hear him." She fidgeted with the edge of the sheet. "I don't know what it was, it was weird, and I, I just, I don't know. Maybe some kind of dream or hallucination?" A horrible though occurred, and she sat up straighter. "I didn't have a stroke, or a brain tumor, or anything, right?"

Elora shook her head. "No, no, you may set your mind at ease about that. There's nothing physically wrong with you, other than you taking a very hard blow to the back of the head."

She gestured toward a chair across the room. "We have your bag of books," Elora said. "Unfortunately, your coat must have been lost along the way. That wasn't with you when you arrived."

"What hospital is this?" Elizabeth blurted out. "I'm sorry, I really don't remember anything, and you're sure I'm okay? Can you tell me what's going on? I mean, it's obviously morning...was I unconscious all night?"

Elora smiled again. "I am happy to explain. This may be more surprising than you expect, so please ask as many questions as you need. I won't be able to answer all of them, but I have two men that want to meet with you this afternoon, and they will be able to tell you anything I cannot."

Elizabeth swallowed and tried to force down the tightness rising in her chest at the whole situation. Two men—specialists, maybe, or psychologists? Why wouldn't they explain where she was? She nodded mutely.

Elora glanced toward Elizabeth's bag of books. "We looked through your satchel to see if there was anything more to find out about you. We found your name, some papers, and books. One of them is a book on mythology. Are you familiar with the accounts in the book, specifically regarding Asgard and the Nine Realms?"

"Yes, very familiar." Elizabeth took a deep breath. Her books, really? Why did anyone care what she read? It must be for some kind of mental analysis. Maybe they did think she was crazy.

Elora was watching her closely. "I'm sure you are also familiar with visits to Midgard in the last few years of individuals from other of the Nine Realms?"

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes slightly at the strange choice of words and stared at Elora intently. "I am," she said slowly. "The Battle of New York, the incident in London...I mean, it was all over the news. We aren't alone in the universe. Aliens are real. Other life is out there. That's huge news. It would have been hard to miss, so yeah, I'm very aware."

"Then you know there are portals between the Nine Realms. That's good to hear. If you are familiar with the stories of Asgard, then you know its inhabitants travel via what is known as the Bifrost Bridge?"

When Elizabeth assented with a short nod, Elora went on. "Lately, the Bifrost has been working strangely, not opening a portal when directed, crackling when no person sets foot upon it, or opening portals on its own. One seems to have recently opened above the city of London, and that is what you saw."

For the first time since Elizabeth had opened her eyes, Elora seemed unsure of herself. She watched Elizabeth carefully and seemed to pick and choose her words. "More accurately, that is what you were caught in. A portal opened and flung you rather violently and without warning onto the bridge itself. You struck your head extremely hard and were unconscious. You were brought here, and we have been caring for you this past week."

"Then...I'm... in Asgard?" Elizabeth stammered. "We're here—I mean..." She trailed off, staring wide eyed at Elora.

"Yes," Elora replied. "We are indeed in Asgard. You have been unconscious but have otherwise been recovering well." She looped her fingers around Elizabeth's wrist to feel her pulse. "Your heartbeat is very fast right now, which I would expect. Are you feeling lightheaded?"

"I'm fine, I guess?" Elizabeth looked down blankly at the sheet across her legs. She raised her head to Elora after a moment. "Wait, I've been unconscious for a week?"

Elora nodded. "Initially it was from the blow to your head when you landed, but Midgardians can be affected with additional lasting effects from the Bifrost, such as severe headaches and disorientation. I administered a medicine that would let you sleep and recover from landing and some of the other after effects. You were not so much unconscious as in a very deep sleep from which you have been gradually waking."

"So, I'm okay? I can get up and go home...?" Elizabeth gazed at her uncertainly.

"Yes, you can get up, just take your time. I'm sure you will want a bath and fresh clothing, as well." Elora stood. "Give me a moment, and I'll have everything ready for you. As to going home, you will want to discuss that with your afternoon visitors."