File 0001.4: The Fantastical Tale of Mister Edinger part 3

His head was spinning, the headache definitely was back now and in full force. He considered for a moment to hold the same position as the rock that he hid, in hindsight, was quite comfortable. He also heard a voice in the back of his head saying that he might have a concussion and that losing consciousness was probably a bad idea.

With great difficulty he sat up, his head was pounding and he felt dizzy. He quickly felt around his head to see if there was a wound but luckily…or strangely there was none, not even a bump where his face had “interacted” with the rock.

He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to remember those meditation videos that an old girlfriend once forced upon him.

“What are you doing?” a highly pitched voice asked. He quickly opened his eyes and saw…nothing…the forest still looked the same and he could not see who was speaking.

“Hello?” he stammered…unsure of what to say.

“Hi,” a reply came. It was difficult to determine where the voice came from, especially with dizziness that doesn’t seem to want to go away. He gave up trying to make sense of it all.

“I have a giant headache so if you could just show yourself I would very much appreciate it,” he said…in hopefully a friendly enough voice with only a slight bit of sarcasm.

“I am showing myself…I am in front of you just move your head down a bit,” the voice replied. Edward followed the instructions…which seemed to cost him a lot more effort than it should and in front of him was a cat. A grey cat, with bright green eyes. It raised it’s paw as in a wave

“Hi,” it said.

“Okay…now I know for sure I have a concussion…” Edward said. He got up (with again this great difficulty…) and started walking…well stumbling in the direction he came from.

“Uhm…are you sure you should do that mister,” the cat said concerned walking behind him.

“Yes, as my grandmother used to say, when cats start talking to you, it’s time to go home and call a doctor,” Edward said distracted.

“Did she really say that?” the cat asked.

“Yes…” he replied.

“Really?”

“No,” Edward said increasing his speed.

“Mister, I really think you should sit down for a moment, you had quite a journey coming here,”

“No not really,” Edward said. “I only walked for about half an hour before I fell on a rock,”

The cat suddenly stopped, thought for a moment and then said: “Ah…that explains a lot…”

Edward didn’t know what to make of it…he wasn’t even sure if he wanted to make something of it, for now he just wanted to go home and call a doctor.

“I have no idea what you are talking about, I don’t even know why you are talking. I cannot have hit my head that hard what I do know is that I need to get my head checked,” he said.

“Mister…if you just listen to me for a couple of minutes…please…it will be better for your head and you are no rush right? What could a doctor do that can’t wait for five minutes longer?” the cat said. Edward had to admit that the cat had a point and that patch of grass did look really inviting to sit on for just a bit while this cat would tell him some nonsense. Yes, all in all it would not hurt to sit down for a bit more. So he did.

“Okay, very good…so my name Arthur, and you are?”

“Edward…”

“Okay, nice to meet you Edward,” the cat said holding up his paw again. Weakly Edward shook it.

“Sooo…eh…question…what’s a doctor?”

“You don’t know what a doctor is? Then how would you know if these five minutes could not be life threatening?!” Edward said angry making an attempt to get up again.

“The fact that you sat down immediately afterwards…I figured from whatever a doctor is…that person wasn’t immediately required…but seeing that you have a headache and maybe a concussion I am going to assume that a doctor is a healing kind of person?”

“Yes…”

“Ah, good. Yeah you don’t need him,” you don’t have a concussion Edward, you just traveled a long distance in a very short time and your body is catching up. If you wait a couple of minutes…15 max, you should feel like your old self.

“I did what?”

“You travelled….you don’t have this word? You moved from one place to another, travvvveeellleeedddd,” Arthur said as if Edward was a two year old.

“You know what…let’s just wait till your recover for a bit,” Arthur said, laying down in typical cat fashion.

Edward didn’t feel like he had it in him to object so he also lay down, feeling the cool breeze passing over him.

“Best not to fall asleep though…just in case I am a figment of your imagination and you have a concussion,” Arthur said.

“Noted,” Edward said.