THE APPRENTICE (DOCTOR STRANGE STORY)

2

The doors opened to an entirely different place. The people were all a different race, the city looked more like one big worshipping place with different temples; but I stepped outside. I mustered up some courage, stepped outside, the smell of incense hitting my nose, the sound of hustling and bustling voices hitting my ears.

What the hell did I do?, I thought, and proceeded to walk around the city. There were people practicing their beliefs everywhere. Everyone had different paints and dyes on their bodies, the streets were all flooded, and I was completely lost.

"Excuse me, do you know how to get to New York?" I asked an old lady dressed in old and baggy garments. She simply tilted her head and walked away hastily "oh, I'm the crazy person" I sighed and continued exploring the city.

I walked into an alley, relieved that I finally found a quiet place that didn't have people chattering and rusty vehicles honking. Four men slowly walked towards my direction, making me hasten away.

I ended up in a dead end, trapped as they walked to me. Shaky, I let out a weak exhale as I tried to diffuse the situation.

"I-I don't have any money or anything" I explained, frightened. The men were inches away from me, their breath touching my skin. I'm gonna regret this, I thought as I drew my arm back and punched him square across his face.

I kicked another man in the groin and made my escape, but felt the back of my hoodie get gripped by one of them as he pulled me against the wall, making me hit my head.

A hard jab landed on my face, my cheek throbbing from the feeling. I withdrew my leg to kick the man, but felt him grip it tightly and pull me, making me fall down on my back. My head roughly hit the ground as I struggled to break free from his gasp.

He pulled his arm back to punch me; I covered my face with my hands and waited for his strike, but it never came. Grunting and hissing noises sounded around the place as I opened my eyes slowly, finding the man who called himself Doctor Strange standing over their unconscious bodies.

"I told you" he remarked, taking all of them down without a scratch "come with me" he commanded, and I quickly scrambled to him without a sound.

* * * *

"Kamar taj" he simply said as we entered the building I started in "If I have to say it again, we're in Kathmandu, Nepal, and you're far away from home."

"Who's this?" A big, bald man wearing red robes inquired, a book in his hands. Strange faced me, awaiting from me to introduce myself.

"Uh, Hazel. Hazel Wolfe." I breathed

"You should tell your trainees to be aware of their surroundings at all times. She was pushed by one of them." He shook his head "can you tell them how irresponsible they are? It's a rookie mistake, don't let it happen again"

Trainees?, I thought. Are they training to be some sort of magical monk? Why does he not look like he's from Nepal?, My mind filled with racing thoughts as I struggled to make sense out of the situation.

"It was an accident" the man debated

"Exactly. It doesn't make it any better, she still ended up here, didn't she?" He gestured to me, who was fiddling with the sleeve of my hoodie

"Well it was her fault for being around the area!"

"They were supposed to keep it closed in the mirror dimension." He firmly said "it was their fault, they were rusty, and admit it: they're not ready to go out yet."

"They caught him," he redeemed "they caught Gyor, didn't they?"

"That's not the point!" He raised his voice, booming around the room causing me to jump in shock. "I don't wanna argue with you." He turned away and faced me

My face was heating up, and my fingers were furiously fumbling with my sleeves. I don't know why, because I didn't even do anything wrong, but I felt like I was in trouble.

"You don't have a place to go to, do you?" He asked and I shook my head, making him scoff "what are you, some kind of street rat?"

"I'm not a street rat!" I blurted our impulsively "I-I'm not. I was looking for a place to live, you see?"

"What, you had a fight with your mom and dad and you wanna prove to them that you can live your own life?" He asked "you wanna show them that you're capable of doing things on your own and that you don't need them? Well guess what, kid- you do."

"My parents are dead" I said uncomfortably, making his expression soften "I live with my sister. Well, lived. She got herself into some trouble, with stupid things and sketchy business, and now she's paying the price and...here I am" I sighed

"Oh." His mouth sealed shut and his eyes glued to the floor "Well...fine. Stay with us, then."