I felt a gentle shake on my shoulder. I opened my eyes. The light of the morning sun was streaming in through the window. Sam. He had once again come through the portal.

I yawned.

“Look if you really want to be a good brother, why don’t you just log out and come here on a flight? That portal will close in minutes.”

“Shh!” Sam said. “I will be the best brother the world has ever known. I am taking you to Dharti.”

“Are you crazy? I can’t even move my legs. That game world is wonderful, but it’s not a place for me anymore.”

“Shut up! I am taking you there,” Sam said, “I am going to heal you. Now stop asking questions because we don’t have a lot of time. Now, how am I supposed to pick you up?”

Sam scratched his head. He tried to heave me up, but every time he put his hands underneath me to lift, he would withdraw them, fearing he might harm my already tender body.

“No, this won’t work,” Sam said.

“Look, you don’t need to do this,” I said.

“Don’t worry, you are gonna be alright,” Sam said, “you will be able to walk again— in minutes.” In minutes? Sam had definitely crossed the line that separated mild crazy from insanity.

“Wait a minute,” Sam said and snapped his fingers as though having a light bulb moment. “I can take you and your bed to Dharti.”

It was relatively simple just to drag the patient cot to the portal. The problem was that the portal didn't touch the floor, instead hovering a couple of feet above. Sam raised one end of the bed in order to take it through the contracting portal. My heart beat soared. My legs were now in the game world while the rest of my body remained in the real world. What if Sam was not able to take me through in time? Would I be severed into two?

“This is not going to work, Sam!” The glowing edges of the portal were fast advancing from all sides.

“Shut up, man!” Sam said. He looked scared as hell, his face dripping sweat. Both of us were in a tight spot. To add to the ongoing disaster, we heard footsteps outside.

Sam froze. The narrowing portal did not. As if in slow motion, we watched as the door of the room was pushed inwards, possibly by a nurse. Sam leapt to the door with lightning speed, forced closed and bolted it, eliciting a shriek from the nurse.

The nurse rapped the door.

“Who’s in there?”

“Just a second, I came to see Vicky,” Sam answered, slightly modifying his voice.

“But nobody’s allowed at this hour—”

“Ah, fuck you!” Sam groaned, frustrated at all that was happening. I meanwhile had accepted the worst, ready to bid adieu to half of my body. Somehow it didn’t occur to me that if I was split in halves I would bleed to death.

Sam was beside me in a second. He let out a war cry of sorts, grabbed my bed and hurled it into Dharti. The cot bounced, rattling my bones, but thankfully not causing me any pains. As soon as Sam was through, the portal ceased existence behind him, dropping shiny gold dust with its demise. Both of us breathed deep sighs of relief. Sam caught my eye and laughed. I thought he looked like a lunatic even as his maniacal laughter filled the room.