When they got home Nicholai turned to his parents and started crying. “Nicholai, what’s wrong, why are you crying?” Asked Everette. “I’m just so happy to be back home, it’s been so long since I was last here, with the trip and then being in hospital so long.” “Well, we are happy you are home with us, your flat is still there, we made sure you did not lose it. Your sister moved in to make sure the landlord did not do anything with your tenancy.” Replied Everette. “Yes, she was happy to do it, in fact it was her idea.” Said Clara.

Nicholai went to what he thought was the dining room expecting to be able to sit at a table but it was now a bedroom. “Mom, Dad what is this?” He shouted. They both came running. “We turned it into a bedroom for you so you don’t have to worry about the stairs.” Explained Clara. “Oh wow, thank-you both of you.” He said excitedly. “Well, I helped as well.” Said a voice from the other room Nicholai went to see who it was. It was the oldest of his two sisters, Josephine. “Welcome home Nic, we’ve all missed having you around the place.”

He walked to the kitchen, there was something different here as well. A little round bed in the corner. He looked at it carefully and noticed there was a really small dog curled up on it. The dog was all white but with the tip of its tail black, a black diamond on the top of its head. “Where has this dog come from?” He asked his family. “Oh, we got her a few days ago, her name is Kiva.” Josephine explained. “She is so adorable, how old is she?” Asked Nicholai. “She is ten weeks old.” Replied Clara.

Josephine walked to the dog's bed and picked her up, she yawned and opened her eyes. Kiva rolled over to her feet, almost falling out of Josephine's hands. Josephine reacted quickly so she wouldn’t fall to the floor. Nicholai walked over to Josephine and went to stroke Kiva. She moved away. “Oh, she just doesn’t know you yet, when she is used to you then she will let you stroke her.” Clara explained.

Nicholai walked away from Kiva, he turned and went into the other room. Everette followed him, “Nic, are you okay?” “Yes, I’m fine. Just a little tired, not able to stay standing for this long since I woke up. It’s taken it out of me.” Replied Nicholai. “I’m just going to lay down for a little while.” Then he walked into the bedroom that was done for him.

There was a knock on his door, Nicholai stayed quiet as he was not ready for anyone just yet, he wanted a bit more time to himself. “Nic, it’s Cora, can I come in please?” He still stayed quiet. He heard her walk away. He rolled over to face away from the door.

His door opened, “Nic, I’m making sure you're okay, you’ve been in here for a few hours now. We are worried about you.” It was Josephine. There was no reply or movement, she looked round at his face, he seemed to be asleep but she wasn’t sure. She shook him gently to see if he would wake up. “Mom, Nic isn’t responding to my voice or me shaking him gently, please come help me.”

Clara came running in with Everette close behind her. She ran to Nicholai, she looked at him closely. He was breathing. “Everette please go and get the number for Doctor Whitby, I am worried.” She asked. He ran off straight away to get it. “Mom, please don’t phone the doctor, I don’t want to go back to the hospital.” Nicholai said quietly. “If you feel bad then we need to get advice on what to do.”

Everette returned with the number, “here it is my dear. Would you like me to dial it?” He asked. “No thank-you, Nicholai needs to do it so he can talk to her about what is going on.” Nicholai took the phone from Clara, he looked at it then looked up, “Erm, could you please leave the room and give me some privacy.” They left the room. Nicholai dialled the number that the doctor gave him, it rang. “Hi, I am calling for Doctor Whitby, it’s Nicholai.” “Yes, one moment why I go and get her.” There was a slight muffle and then “hello Nicholai, how can I help?” Doctor Whitby said. “My mom made me phone you. She said that they could not wake me.

“Well Nicholai, it could just be tiredness due to how much you have moved, do you think you need to come back to be checked over?” Doctor Whitby asked. “No, I would just like to sleep right now, if I don’t gain any energy in the next few days and am still the same I will call back and come to be checked.” Nicholai replied. “Yes, that is fine Nicholai, if you need me in the meantime just please call back.” “Yes I will, thank-you doctor.” He then hung up the phone.

Clara opened the door. “Nic, why didn’t you tell the doctor everything?” She asked. “I did mom. I’m just tired, I’ve done so much today compared to all the time I was admitted to the hospital.” Nicholai said. He then rolled over facing away from Clara. She grabbed the phone and walked out of his room and closed the door.

When she got to the kitchen she spoke to Everette about how worried she was about NIcholai and how he is now he’s home. Josephine walked in during the conversation to put the dog back in her bed and said, “Nic just doesn’t seem himself, seems down, not the fun bubbly person we knew before his trip.” Then she walked back out of the room.

“Well, we don’t know what happened during the trip. Whatever it was has obviously affected him negatively.” Josephine said. They all walked through the door into the back garden. Josephine looked at Nicholai, he was just sitting at a table staring into thin air again. This is what he did everywhere he went.

Clara went looking for Nicholai. She found him in his room. She had the letters he needed to phone up for the specialist appointments. He had been receiving them over the past few weeks but hadn’t phoned to book any yet. That was his next course of action. He looked down and had two questions repeating in his head…

Was what he was dreaming a true adventure? Was it just a dream? Nicholai could not figure out which it was…