8.

To the left of where both Melvin and Frederick had pulled their cars over stood a steep incline, a hill about sixty feet high. The road ahead stretches a couple hundred meters or so before turn right round to the far side of that incline and with where they currently are, there is no sign of Dan.

Frederick was struggling to catch up with Melvin who had already begun to make his way up this incline, and he was climbing quite quickly with a belief that up upon this hill would be as good a place as any to begin a search. If they couldn't see Dan in the immediate vicinity, then perhaps a height might help. There may be few streetlights thought still, it is dark enough to hinger an immediate visual search.

As Frederick got closer to the top, he could hear Melvin calling out. At first it sounded as if the calling out was aimed at Frederick, but it soon became apparent that it wasn't at all. It wouldn't be so long until the two men would once again join each other.

From the top of the incline both men were able to see Dan. Dan had made his way down the far side of that incline and then out onto the road beyond, the same road from which Melvin and Frederick had come from, a road which indeed winds right round the hill that both Melvin and Frederick find themselves upon.

Dan was stumbling and was stumbling around out on that very road. One car needed to swerve to avoid hitting him. As you may be able to imagine, the driver of the swerving car struggled to make out just what the hell it was he was swerving out of the way of, and of course, its headlights were adding to the problem.

Seeing this, Frederick joined Melvin with calling out. The next oncoming car, however, did not find itself having as much time as the car ahead of it and had to swerve when they came close to what they could see in the road. Unfortunately for all involved, the car came into contact with what had been stumbling around. Dan had been hit and the contact made too was unfortunately quite hard.

You can imagine just how both Melvin and Frederick reacted to that moment, though there would be no time to dwell on that moment whatsoever. Dan is a large individual, generally strong though already had been in a far weakened state prior to being out on that road.

'Fred, listen, go get your car and drive right around, I am gonna make my way down to Dan, ... go quickly.'

Frederick did as he was asked and of course, Melvin made his way down to Dan as quickly as he could. The driver of the car that had hit Dan got out of that car not knowing what to do or say or even how to react.

'I ... I ... didn't see it until it was too late, I'm ... I'm sorry, what the hell is that anyway?'

'Please, give us some room here' spoke Melvin as he knelt down at Dan's side. 'And please, do me a favour ... cut your headlights ...'

Dan was still alive; his breathing was clear to see. His sheer size and bulk worked to his advantage. If he had been an average person, he'd probably be dead or likely beyond help. It did not take long for Frederick to arrive on scene with his black Lexus.

'So, what now?' asked Frederick.

'We need help, Dan needs help. Do you know of anyone who may be able to aid us?'

Frederick paused for a moment then made a phone call. 'We need to get Dan to the hospital; I have a good friend who will meet us there.'

Melvin didn't know how to respond to that, he didn't like the thought of going to a hospital, but Dan does need help, he seriously needs help.

The trio soon arrived at the hospital in question. They pulled up right outside the hospital entrance; Frederick quickly got out of the car and went in to meet his doctor friend. It was not long before they came out to the car with a wheelchair and a couple of orderlies. Of course, Frederick knew what awaited them but when the other three saw what awaited in the back of the black Lexus all they could do was stand right where they were looking at one another.

'What are you waiting for?' asked Melvin who had been waiting by the car for aid to arrive, his voice sounding quite desperate.

'We may need a bigger wheelchair' spoke Frederick's friend.

Mayhem would ensue. Carried on a trolley, for there really isn't a big enough wheelchair in the facility, Dan would quickly be brought deeper and deeper into the hospital, too weak to properly shriek ... with Melvin and Frederick following all the way. Hospital security would become involved in things. Arriving at a ward heavily labelled ... RESTRICTED AREA ... security would prevent both Melvin and Frederick from going any further. They were told to stay right where they are. This did not in any way sit well with Melvin.

'He needs darkness, the light, any light is harmful to him' is all Melvin could get out before Dan would be moved out of his line of sight.

Two guards would remain at the ward entrance which was sealed and locked as soon as Dan was brought through, and further access would only be gained with the use of a swipe card and a security code and there are those guards too.

All Melvin, along with Frederick, could do now is to find themselves somewhere to sit and wait. This is horrid, this is painful. First priority is Dan's life and if he survives ... well, take things as they come.

9.

A couple of hours passed, Melvin and Frederick had yet to hear anything. Melvin growing impatient began pacing back and forth. He was never one for worrying, but worrying was something he couldn't help but do at this moment in time. He worried as to how Dan was doing. He worried as to if the people taking care of him could be trusted but that wouldn't matter if Dan doesn't survive.

It may still only be a matter of hours since Melvin first came across Dan though Melvin felt responsible. Melvin felt blame, he felt anger and he felt very much uneasy. He waited all his life to meet someone like Dan, and this is how things go. Add the worry that Dan will surely become some sort of specimen if indeed he manages to last the night.

After pacing for a good ten minutes or so, Melvin stopped and looked over at Frederick who had been seated and had remained seated since they both came to be where it is they both are.

'You've been awfully quiet.'

'What would you like me to say?'

'Can you stop being a psychologist for a minute? This is serious. Can we trust this here friend of yours?'

Frederick paused for a moment before responding. 'Sure, yeah sure ... we can indeed. But ... maybe it may not be a bad idea, ya know, to leave Dan here ...'

'You didn't really just say that did you?'

'He would be safe ... they will take good care of him here.'

'There is no way I am going to let that happen' spoke Melvin raising his voice slightly.

'It is alright Melvin; it was just a suggestion.'

'Yeah, a suggestion that I would never entertain; besides you were there when that vortex thingy opened up, you heard what that guy said to us, we have got to get Dan back to where he belongs.'

'We do not know if that is at all possible.'

'If it is, then we have to try.'

Frederick's friend approached.

'So, what can you tell us doctor?' asked Melvin.

'Well, we do not know much about your friend's anatomy, but we did manage to stabilise him, so we believe. There are no broken bones and no serious injuries from what we can tell. He does however seem to be suffering from some sort of jet lag. Has he recently travelled a large distance? ...'

'Yeah, it's safe say that. Great, so when can we go see him?'

'... Err ... there seems to be a bit of a problem ... your friend ... well ... he is not where we left him ...'

'What do you mean he is not where you left him?' asked Melvin raising his voice.

'It is alright Melvin' spoke Frederick getting up out of his seat and moving towards where the other two stood. 'I am sure that wherever Dan got himself to, we will find him.'

One of the two nearby security guards put a hand to his earpiece and responded as if he was in communication with someone. He then proceeded to move over towards Melvin and Frederick.

'Gentlemen, I kindly ask you both to please take a seat.'

'Take a seat? No, not until I know where my friend is' Melvin says ... still speaking quite loudly.

Melvin's movements distracted the guard, and Frederick began to move away. The second security guard began to move towards Frederick, but the hospital doctor interjected himself to distract this guard and Frederick began to run. He began to slow when he came to crowded areas looking behind himself to see if he was being followed.

Frederick managed to make it all the way back to his own car. Once inside his own car he began to start the engine and as he did so he could hear a moan coming from the back seat. It was the same kind of moan that he heard earlier that evening.

'I take it that you are Dan' he spoke, looking at the rather large alien lying on his back seat. There would be a bit more moaning before Frederick would speak again just as he began to also drive. 'Don't worry; I am somewhat of a friend of Melvin's.'

'Where is he?' asked Dan.

'I think we should get you somewhere safe before we worry about that.'