"You're late."

Startled by this unexpected accusation, Jim looked up from the newspaper he was reading to get a view of the speaker.

"Excuse me?"

"I said you're late. You were supposed to be here an hour ago, the dogs have been waiting for you."

Looking around himself, Jim counted what appeared to be five wild wolves within fifteen feet. He wondered how he hadn't noticed them on the subway before, but he was more concerned with what the stranger meant by saying "waiting for you."

"You must have me confused with someone else," insisted Jim. "I ride the subway to work everyday at this time."

"I know who you are Jim," the stranger menaced. "This isn't about me or you; this is about the dogs and their thirst for blood. You'd better be careful."

Alarmed by this threatening language Jim decided it'd be best if he moved to the next subway car. As he rose from his seat three of the wolves let out a yelp and started to run toward him. Jim franticly ran toward the door that separated the cars, but just as he was on the brink of safety one of the wolves bit down on his leg. Letting out a scream, Jim kicked the wild animal and slipped into the next car before the wolf's friends could join the feast. Sitting down in an empty chair he gazed at his fleshy wound. It appeared to be a deep cut, but definitely would've been worse if he'd been around the wolves just a second longer.

Looking up from his wound for a moment to get a view of his new surroundings he was astonished to see a flock of ducks walking around. His curiosity getting the best of him he nudged an elderly woman sitting next to him, "excuse me, but why are there ducks in here?"

"Oh, they won't bite you dear. They always migrate south for the winter," she responded with a somber smile.

"But shouldn't they be flying? Why are they taking the subway," inquired Jim.

"Flying? No dear, too dangerous these days. There are too many hunters around the city."

Tending to his wound Jim noticed what appeared to be a tooth imbedded in his skin. Pulling it out, he looked down at the trophy his wound had won him and placed it in his pocket. Continuing to dab at the blood on his leg a shadow was suddenly cast over him.

"Excuse me, do you know what time it is?" the shadowy figure asked.

"It's just a quarter past 8," Jim informed him.

"Wrong! It's time to give me your money." And with this demand the man pulled out a gun and leveled it at Jim's head.

"Don't shoot, please don't shoot," Jim pleaded. "I'll give you what I have." Reaching into his pocket he was surprised to feel nothing but the tooth he had deposited there just moments ago. "I, I don't understand. My wallet is missing," stammered Jim while cowering before the shadowy figure and his pistol.

BANG!!!!

Entering the padded room the nurse ran to the bed and shook Jim.

"You've had a bad dream Jim, that's all. Come now, it's time for your medi..." Stopping mid-sentence she noticed a red puddle on the sheets.
"Jim your leg is bleeding, what happened?" the nurse asked before running out of the room to search for medicine.

Upon returning with a first aid kit she stripped the sheets off her patient, but while in the midst of bandaging the wound an object caught her eye. Upon picking it up she raised it toward the light to get a better view. Jim was somewhat incoherent, but he thought he heard his nurse softly mutter, "How'd a tooth get in here?"