Chapter 2

The fat supervisor came closer and spoke with a hint of pity and care in his voice. The other man, on the contrary, stood aloof on the side. Kyon couldn’t get the meaning of the words, but he got the message.

{The fat guy is my lifeline. But why does he care about me?} – Kyon put two and two together, figured out what he was facing and pretended to faint. As expected, the fat man held out his hand and did not let him fall. Kyon was right. The fat one was his only hope for salvation.

The two men talked a bit more in their gibberish (which sounded like bickering), and then the fat supervisor carried the “unconscious body” in an unknown direction. The short way was lined with monotonous rows of light poles. There was not a living soul around. When they reached their destination, the fat man went upstairs, opened the door, and carried Kyon in there.

The décor in the room was lame: a dozen stone beds covered with a soft cloth and a couple of low tables. In the corner, there was a separate mini-room, obviously a toilet, and one more door. Judging by the smell, it was a storing place for medicine.

Bob carefully pulled off the boy’s working clothes and laid him on one of the beds. Then he went to get him a glass of water.

Seizing the moment, Kyon rushed to explore the room and found to his dismay that both doors were locked.

{Just like in jail… A jail?} – The boy ruffled his hair irritably. It was odd not to remember anything from his past, who he was, how he got there. He didn’t speak their language. He didn’t have the slightest idea of what was going on.

His savior returned a few minutes later. He put a glass of water on the table, took a last pitiful glance at the boy and left.

Kyon eagerly pounced on the water and drained the glass to the bottom. Then he fell fast asleep.

When he opened his eyes, there was vast gray space before him with a bright azure ball in the distance. It radiated a feeling of pleasant coolness and tranquility. The ball evoked a strange desire to approach, touch, and enter it. It was like a pond of clear water in the hot desert.

The ball looked like a small lump, but the closer Kyon approached it, the bigger it grew, turning into a huge glowing sun…

*flash*

The key noisily turned in the lock, pulling Kyon out of his dream.

It was morning.

A woman in the uniform entered the hospital. She must be a doctor. The woman was alarmed to find one of the beds occupied. Usually, they didn’t bring patients at night.

She was even more surprised to see Kyon, who looked about 14 years old. As a rule, no one under 16 was admitted to work in the mine.

The doctor examined him: she touched his forehead, felt his stomach, ribs, and other parts, and then she left Kyon alone again, not forgetting to lock the door.

During all her manipulations, Kyon made believe he was an unconscious carcass.

{I’m in hospital where they kind of take care of me. It means I might be useful to them… I guess I have a good chance of survival. Or so it seems.}

His headache was gone. He was feeling pretty good, except for the maddening hunger. But when he remembered his dream, the shock came flooding back like a massive wave. Everything went dark, the room disappeared, the memories of the past flooded back into his mind. The migraine that seemed to have calmed down attacked him with a new force, drenching his body in icy sweat…

The torture seemed to last for eternity, but in fact, it was no longer than a quarter of an hour. When Kyon came round, his throat was dry again. His mind was total chaos.

{All these memories… Did I have a dream about my past? I remember now all the details of my life from my birth till I was four…}

Kyon tried to organize his memories in chronological order. He was getting better with each new day reproduced in his thoughts, the chaos in his head gradually dissipated.

He remembered that his only parent, his mother, had died in childbirth, just after giving him a name, Lovr. He also recalled his days spent in the orphanage (he had a hard time there being a black sheep), and the episode with the dog in the park that changed everything. After that day a handsome man in black came and adopted him. And the last thing, the intelligence test after which his adoptive father dropped his jaw.

{My memories tell me I am a weirdo. The memory of my mother’s face immediately after my birth says a lot.} – Kyon sighed gloomily. It’s not every day that he found out he had no parents, at least until he was 4. The only thing that his mother gave him, beside his birth, was a name.

{I know this term, I have “an absolute memory.” Based on the technology from my dream (flying cars, energy from the air, world quantum network and other wonders of science), I am either in another world or on an extremely backward and poor planet, but… Quasi slavery of this kind would hardly be conceivable even on a derelict wreck of a planet…} – Kyon chuckled pensively.

{No matter how many books I read in my early childhood, my knowledge is still insufficient. Even if the memories are coming back while I’m asleep, it will take a few days or even weeks to restore them. I have to learn the local language first, adapt to the circumstances, and in the meantime, find a way out of this situation.}

Soon the doctor returned to the hospital.

This time Kyon got a better look at her.

She looked pretty, in her 30s, dark hair, a white coat, about 170 cm (5.5 ft), a C-cup. The doctor was holding a tray with a bowl of gruel and a glass of water. Apparently, it was his “breakfast.”

«Oh, you’re finally awake.» – The woman smiled friendly and put the tray on the table. – «You must be hungry. Bob told me, they found you barely alive yesterday. I’ve examined you. There are no fractures or visible injuries.» – Kyon kept silent. Then she added, looking anxiously into his eyes: «You’re not a talking type. If you need anything, clap your hands or something.» – With another smile, she went to her office that smelt of medicine to get ready for work.

{Their language is not similar to any dialect of my world. Where am I, then?} – Kyon scratched his head and pulled the bowl with gruel closer to himself: – {Yuk! That’s disgusting! A mix of mashed potatoes and noodles.}

Kyon had no better choice, though. When he had all of it, he poured some water into the bowl and looked at his reflection. {Even though I was only four, I looked different, which means I have another body now… a different life… How curious!}

Someone knocked on the door.

«Come in.» – The doctor responded from her little room.

Mob, the tall thin man, came to the hospital, accompanying a half-conscious bald man with a formation on his forehead. The latter looked terrible. Either he had been injured in the rockslide, or he had been beaten.

«Martha, there’s a newcomer for you. He must have had an encounter with his mates. Take a look at him.» – When Mob addressed the woman, his lips curved into a shy smile.

Martha came closer, grumbling: «It’s the third this week. You’re not keeping anything from me, are you?» – She stared deep into Mob’s eyes until he had to look away.

«Well, we had a new delivery at the beginning of the week. These pests can’t adapt! They could learn from cockroaches and their perfect ways to survive, haha!» – His ready-made reply wasn’t as good as he was hoping it would be.

«Your wit needs groupies.» – Martha’s voice was heavy with sarcasm.

«Free places are still available.» – Mob scratched his nose coyly.

«Hah! Dream on. Put him on the bed over there.» – She commanded.

The 30-year-old doctor had the charm of a mature woman, and women were rare it the mines where mostly men worked. She had always caught torrid glances. As for Mob, he laid his eyes on her long ago.

He had been trying to attract her attention and get closer to her, but she kept avoiding him and finding lame excuses. This week he was especially persistent. Martha had long noticed his efforts, but she was in no hurry to bestow her favor upon the supervisor.

{He has the hots for her.} – noticed Kyon.

When Mob put the bald guy on the bed, he spotted Kyon wrapped in the blanket. He took a threatening step in his direction, hissing angrily: «You snot-nosed brat! Bob is coming for you to make a report about your defective formation. You can get me in trouble with my boss. If God forbid, I get reprimanded, this hospital won’t help you!»

Kyon understood the words and intonation, but he didn’t get the point. He widened his eyes dramatically, pretending he was scared. Kyon was hoping that Martha, who was watching the scene, would stand up for him.

The trick worked. Martha immediately came between her patient and Mob, clearly pointing the latter to the door: «Go and yell at your place, I’m the boss here. Get out before I call the guards!»

«I’m sorry it won’t happen again. The matter is, yesterday…» – Mob mumbled plaintively, but her expression grew cold and unyielding.

«Get out! I’m sick and tired of your fooling around. You are not coming back untill you learn to behave!»

Mob went out, throwing an angry glance at Kyon. As he closed the door, they heard a loud thump against the wall and, a second later, a cry of pain… Apparently, his daily trips to the desired woman with another beaten up victim were not going to work anymore.

Martha smiled encouragingly at her patient:

«Don’t worry, Kyon. I won’t let him hurt you. I need to talk to Bob. I’m sure, he’ll protect you.» – Martha read the boy’s name on the formation on his forehead.

A mature, sensible, attractive woman with a C-cup set of boobs, and an expression of universal kindness and care on her face… She could be an excellent ally.

He needed a bit of mournful sadness on his face, some painful wincing, and an ocean of gratitude in his eyes. What woman could resist the charm of this poor cutie?