Welcome to Pharmacopeia!

The world is dark. You feel as if your body is floating, but you can't see anything around you as if your eyes are glued shut. Suddenly, there's light filtering through your eyelids. You feel some rough fabric laid across your body and a soft cushion underneath. You feel disoriented and nauseous as the world feels like it's spinning. You feel a cool towel placed on your forehead and hear someone talking but you can't make out what they're saying. Suddenly a wash of fatigue takes you and you fall back into darkness as you lose consciousness.

What feels like a few minutes pass by and light filters through your eyelids again. However, this time, they don't feel as heavy as before. Slowly, you attempt to open your eyes. The room is blurry at first. As you look around, the room slowly comes back into focus. You find yourself in a single bed next to a plastered wall with large wooden beams . The room itself is clean but simple with a small desk against the wall next to you under a window. It's sunny outside and part of the window is propped open. The light is filtering in alerting you it's early morning. There is an armoire across the bed against the opposite wall. Suddenly, the door next to the armoire opens forcefully and in comes a petite, middle-aged, woman with a tray of food. She wore a white blouse with a high neck with a ribbon tied into a large bow. She had lantern sleeves with ruffled cuffs, and a chocolate brown, full length, skirt that sported a blue laced up belt. She didn't wear any shoes but her black stockings peaked under her skirt. Her brunette hair was swept up in an elegant bun. She wore a a wide smile with a twinkle in her stormy gray eyes.

"Wakey Wakey! I hope you had a good nap! It's been 3 days! I can't keep staying in here. I have to get back to my work! So much to restock and scripts to fill. So, it's about time you should wake... Oh you're awake!" All of a sudden, panic rushes into you. Your brain finally processes that you are not where you are supposed to be. A string of questions start pouring out of you.

Where am I? Who are you? What is going on? Where's my backpack? What time is it? What day is it?

"Whoa there! Hold on! Breathe! It's going to be okay." The woman puts up her hands. You jump out of bed only for vertigo to take over. You start to fall forward. The woman rushes to your side catching you before throwing you back in bed.

"Patients need to stay in bed!" You try to get up again. "What did I just say?!" With a shocking amount of strength from the petite woman, you're forced back down.

I can't stay! I have to go! My case presentation is tomorrow, a journal club on Friday, and my last rotation starts next week! If I don't show up, I'll fail, and if I fail, I won't graduate! I can't fail! Not mention writing the conclusion for the publication for Dr. Hartmann by Friday too. Oh and I promised to help volunteer at the clinic Thursday and help set up the student appreciation party Saturday! I need to go back!

"First of all, please calm down and eat first. You've been unconscious for 3 days." As if on cue, your stomach complains loudly. Flushed, you look at the tray of food the woman brought in. A simple bowl of soup and soft bread were spread in front of you. You grab the spoon next to the bowl and dig in to the meal. The soup is delicious and warm. The bread is also warm as if it's freshly made.

Please explain what's going on? Who are you? Where am I?

"Just keep eating and I'll explain." The woman takes a simple chair from the desk and sits next to you. "First, you may call me the Pharmacist."

Your name is Pharmacist? That's not a name.

"That's right. It's a title. Anyways, I found your unconscious body 3 days ago outside my home so I took you inside."

How did I get here?

"That's what I was going to ask you. It's not everyday an unconscious person appears in front of my home. The pharmacy maybe... but not my home. Anyways, what's your story?"

You take a minute to remember. The last thing you remember was walking from the library after a long study session back to your apartment. You were really tired and wanted to get home as fast as possible to catch what little sleep you could get before your case presentation the next day. The last thing you remember was tripping into your apartment. When you tried to look at what had tripped you, the world went dark.

And then I woke up here? So where is here?

"Hmmm, sounds like you needed a break."

A break? I can't afford a break right now. What day is it?

"Oh, I don't think there's anything you can do about that now. Seems like you've been taken here for your own good. There are stories of people like you, students who appear out of no where wearing strange clothes who have become so overwhelmed that their bodies can't keep up and forcibly shut down. They're brought here. Though usually they're said to appear at the town hall receiving room."

So, I'm stuck here?!

"Only until your body recovers. Though from the sound of it, you may be here longer than others. Visitors usually stay for a few days but they're also usually not unconscious for 3 days after arrival. You must have been stretched extremely thin."

The anxiety starts rearing its head again. You've never missed a single assignment or presentation, even if it wasn't exactly how you wanted it. All your hard work over the last 4 years feels like sand falling through your finger tips. Your body starts to shake. There's a lump in your throat as it becomes hard to breathe and your chest starts to tighten. Tears start to fall from your eyes which causing your breathing to become more unsteady. The Pharmacist moves the tray of food away onto the desk before facing you.

"I can't imagine what you're feeling right now, but I think you're having a panic attack. Try to take a deep breathe in through your nose...hold .... a little longer.... breathe out through your mouth.... now repeat. I'm right here if you need me." The Pharmacist remains calm by your side as you steady your breathing. Your breathing returns to normal after what seemed to be forever. A handkerchief appears in front of you. You accept the square and blow your nose. After a few more moments and a couple more nose-blowing, you've calmed down. You still have so many thoughts racing in your mind, but the panic has diminished.

So, where am I?

"Welcome to Pharmacopeia, student."