How to survive in your favorite book

Chapter 1 - The unfortunate fall of Liam

You know how they say a person could go crazy without sleep? Well, I'm thinking just that. I know I shouldn't have stayed up three whole days just to finish "Darkness in Light" but I seriously can't think of a different reason for what's happening now.

Imagine, you have finally finished that one book that you have been trying to read since a year ago. You have gone without sleep for three whole days and is starting to see words popping up before your eyes. You immediately decided to go brush your teeth (yes, I'm sorry but I believe in dental hygiene) and stumbled to the restroom. You happened to not see that stupid Nintendo DS Lite you had dropped on the floor four days ago. You slipped on it and fell backwards. You flapped your arms around like a crazy bird (Liam: But it would have been matrix-style in slow motion! Ling: == yeah, right....) but failed to grab anything to help your balance. You continue falling and hit the back of your head, hard. Conclusion? You blackout and wake up to see the white ceiling, white walls and white tiles of a hospital room....

WRONG! Apparently, you woke up to find yourself surrounded by water and unable to breathe. I would be lying if I say I didn't panic (who wouldn't??). However, unconsciousness took over before I could comprehend the situation.

When I did wake up again, the first thing I felt was the horrible headache. It was like someone cut up my skull and used a fork and spoon to stir up my brain (kinda like how you mix a salad). Thinking back to that water incident, I tried breathing cautiously. I don't need another near-death experience (Ling: What about those near-death experiences throughout the whole book? Liam: I'm talking about now!). This time, the air came in smoothly.

Maybe a little too smoothly for my comfort. Being a college student in the modern 21th century, the one important thing you need to get use to, is air pollution. You may not feel it most of the time, but you do recognise a change in the air the moment you get to a rural or a less polluted area. It's fresher, clearer and overall cleaner. However, the air I'm breathing now is too clean. Too clean to be from the modernise world. Too clean to be the air I should be breathing from a hospital in the middle of town. (Liam: Talk about being lengthy, more than half of this paragraph is unnecessary. Are you trying to cheat the word-count? Ling: Josh, Liam's here!! Liam: Wait, what? Josh: Thanks (carries Liam away) Ling: (shaking the index finger) Never question the author. Never.)

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was red. Red ceiling, red walls, red blanket, even the floor was a deep shade of red. Now, this is a totally inappropriate colour for a hospital. People too vivid an imagination might wonder if those were painted in blood. (Liam: Can you understand my shock? It's a curse to be so talented (sigh). Ling: (raising an eyebrow) Or just pure hallucinating.)

"Get the doctor! Young master has awaken!" someone shouted from besides the bed. "Young master, how are you feeling?" that someone asked anxiously.

Can this girl pipe down? Doesn't she know that a quiet environment is what a patient needs? Not to mention that I already have an unbearable headache going on. "I would be fine if you could just lower down your volume," I replied weakly.

What? You're asking me how I could be so calm in such a bizarre situation? Well, don't you know something called forging ignorance, not wanting to face the truth? DO NOT REMIND ME OF THE SITUATION!! (Ling: You're totally panicking there. Liam: WHOSE FAULT IS THAT?! Ling: (ran off before he starts shooting))

As reluctant as I was, I had to try to make sense of the situation. Taking into consideration how the girl was addressing me, it was understandable that I have been transported into someone else's body. No one in their right mind would call me "young master" if I am still the same person . Looking around the room, it was also obvious that I'm not in the mental institution. No institutions in their right mind would paint their rooms red. (Liam: I'm like Sherlock Holmes! Ling: It's because you happened to love these genre of books. I'm pretty sure you'll be in hysteria otherwise. Liam: Are you certain I'm your main character? You don't seem to like me very much. Ling: (looking around awkwardly and refusing to see Liam in the eye) Whaaat...? You're delusional! Don't worry, I love you!...)

An old man walked into the room and sat down on the bed and started pulling my eyelids and poking around. "Young master is recovering well. However, he had been submerged in water for quite some time. It is currently difficult to determine if there is any permanent damage to the mind." He then gave me a pill that I'm guessing is very effective painkiller because my headache subsided immediately. I gave myself a mental note to get more of that pill.

"Thank you, doctor," the girl sounded relieved. The doctor walked out leaving the girl and I staring at each other in silence. We stared at each other for so long that I was wondering if we were actually having a staring contest. She finally decided to break the silence with, "are you hungry, young master?" Finally! I would have lost the contest if she didn't speak up! (Ling: ...you aren't even in a staring contest in the first place) "Yes, I'm hungry." "I will go and prepare some food immediately." 

Alone in the room, I pondered about my next step. I need to get well and find a way back to my own body (stomach started growling loudly).....okay, I guess I shall start with filling up my stomach first.