"Can you please come and get me?" says a soft voice on the other side of the phone line. The voice sounded scared, hopeless. "I'm at the hospital, but the doctors don't want to help me. They keep saying that I can't leave, that they need to do more tests. They keep poking me with their tools, and they never get close to me without hazmat suits on. Please come get me, please." It sounded like the voice was reaching out to him, begging him to save whoever it is. Dread filled him as he realized he didn't know where he was. All he knew, all that he was sure of, was that he needed to save it. And the voice, it must have belonged to a child. "Hello? I’m here, I’m coming, don't worry." He tried to keep the panic out of his voice, to calm the other speaker. Moments of silence passed, no answer. Nothing. In horror he looked around the room trying to find a way out. But there was only one light, shining on the phone he was holding. When did he pick it up? Why was he here? Where was here? Questions filled his mind until he felt as if his head would burst. No, it was more than that. There was an inhuman pain, growing stronger. He dropped to his knees, unable to keep himself standing. Then there was a scream. It pierced his ears, adding to the existing pain. "Hurry, please! I can't, I need…" and then the line dropped. The dial tone was all that was left. The pain increased. He looked around, but there was no one. He was going to die alone and scared. But above all, he was worried. Worried for whoever was pleading, begging, for help. All he could think about was that he wouldn't be able to save the child. But from who? It said it was the doctors, and that it was at the hospital, but where? He crawled away from the phone. He wanted to leave his own skin. Just get away from the pain. Silent tears began to fall down his cheeks. He curled up into a ball, holding his head. The tears fell, one after another. But he couldn't bring himself to call out for help. To call out at all. There was only silence, then nothing. Lucas woke up in a cold sweat. His sister was standing over him, an annoyed expression on her face. She changed her position slightly as he sat up, clutching his head, remembering the pain. "You woke me up 20 minutes early. You were screaming. Again." her expression changed, and she sat on the edge of his bed. "Another nightmare?" her voice was soft, caring. She had a worried look in her eyes, almost scared. Flashes of the bad dream streamed in his mind, and he shook his head to rid himself of them. But they didn't go, and he gave up. "No, no. I just dreamed that I was falling, like everyone does from time to time, right? I'm just very expressive, that's all." he tried to push down the thoughts flooding his mind. He stood up, and started to walk towards his closet. But his sister reached out and grabbed his hand. She gasped and let go. "You're burning up, you are not fine. How long has it been since you got a good night's sleep?" dread filled her voice, it was honest worry. He walked into his closet and changed. He didn't want to tell her, she had enough to worry about. Finals were coming up and she was stressed about college. "I'm fine. I don't have a fever I promise. I don't even feel hot." He grabbed a loose shirt and pulled on a jacket. The weather was cooling, as the trees began to change color and kids were decorating for thanksgiving. He stepped out, making sure to stay out of his sister's reach. "Look, if you won't talk to me, I will take the initiative that mom and dad gave me and take you to therapy for.." "No!" She peeled back in shock. "I mean, I don't need to go to a hospital, I told you I'm fine. I definitely don't need to go to a hospital." he snapped back at her. He hadn't meant to be rude, but the thought of going to a hospital was just too much. It made the dream too real. The pain came back, throbbing. But he had to keep walking, keep going. His sister couldn't know. She wouldn't know. He walked down the stairs to the table not yet set for breakfast. "I didn't set the table, I went straight to your room. The plates are in the cabinet, I can make food. What do you want?" she said in such a sweet voice. The pain faded, the dream was just a dream."I don't know, maybe pancakes? Oh! How about eggs?" he grabbed plates, just two, and set them on the table. Just two forks and knives and cups. Just the two of them.