I open my eyes. It's nice and warm. I'm lying on something soft and there's some kind of fabric on top of me. I sit up slowly and wipe the sleep from my eyes. Where am I? I look around the warm room. I can hear footsteps outside the door of the room. They're getting closer to the door. 

I look down to see what I'm wearing. I was wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of long pajama pants with a checkered pattern. They were made of some very soft fabric. My bandage is gone and I'm wearing some other kind of bandage. There's not much blood left. 

I look towards the door again and the door slowly opens. Someone is coming in. I see a head peeking in. Is it my father? Oh god. No, no, no! I get scared and move closer to the wall. I close my eyes hoping he'll go away. 

"Are you okay?" A voice asks. It's small, but you can clearly hear it. I open one eye and see a figure, but it's not my father. My body stops tensing when I see them. I open the other eye and see them a little more clearly.

“Who are you?” My voice shakes and I think I do a little as well. 

“I’m one of the doctors here at Meadows Academy,” she says and smiles. Is that a fake or real smile? I was good at telling if it was, but I can’t read them. What are they? “Are you feeling better?” Am I? It doesn’t hurt so much anymore, so I think so. 

“Uh, it doesn’t hurt so much anymore?” I say, a little uncertain. But my voice is firmer than before. 

“That’s good my friend,” she said and smiled at me. I could read that it was a real smile. 

The door opens again and another head appears in the doorway and comes in. 

“Is he okay?” A boy with dark brown hair and brown eyes stands staring at me, with a worried expression. 

“Well he’s feeling better than when you found him.” I look at him. 

“Did you find me?” I ask.

“Yes,” the boy says. “I was chasing a phoenix and I found you inside the cave, the phoenix’s light made it easier to see you, otherwise I wouldn’t have noticed you. And I took you back to the doctor here to get you checked out.” 

I tilt my head and look at him in confusion. “Phoenix?”

“Yes, a phoenix? Don’t you know what it is?”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t. What is a phoenix?”

“It looks almost like an eagle, but it’s just much bigger, stronger and more beautiful. And the feathers are red hot like fire and glow in the dark. The mighty wings are red and the back is blue-violet with red spots. On its head, the phoenix wears a beautiful crown.”

Okay..? I don’t know if what he says is true, but I have a feeling he’s not lying.

“Well, it’s good to see you’re feeling better!” He smiles. “My name is Rafe, what’s your name?” I wonder if I should tell the truth or lie. I choose to tell the truth. It doesn’t hurt, right?

“My name is Leo.” I say hesitantly and give him a small smile. 

“Cool.” He gives me a thumbs-up, and laughs a little. 

“Well, here are some panadol you need to take twice a day.” says the doctor and puts a bottle of Panadol on the nightstand next to the bed. 

“Okay, I will,” I say. “Where am I going to be? Am I going to stay here for a while?” 

“Yes, you need to rest for a while and in the meantime you can stay here. When you are well enough to go you can share a room with Rafe, he doesn’t have a roommate. And then Rafe can show you around the academy.” she smiles and looks at Rafe, I do the same and he smiles and nods at me.