Carlos couldn’t stop scratching.

A terrible itch gripped his entire body from head to foot. It felt like ants were crawling beneath his skin. No matter how hard he scratched, the feeling wouldn’t go away.

He squeezed his eyes shut tightly.

“Three… two… one…” he whispered to himself.

Maybe if he distracted himself somehow, it wouldn’t feel so overwhelming.

But the itching only got worse.

Carlos scratched frantically at his arms.

“I can’t take it anymore!” he shouted.

Almost immediately, a nurse hurried over to him and gently placed the palm of her hand against his forehead.

The relief was instant.

Carlos froze.

The itching was simply… gone.

He blinked a few times in disbelief.

“How did you do that?” he asked quietly.

The nurse gave him a slightly confused look.

“You’re in the infirmary here at Pluto Station,” she replied calmly.

Carlos looked around for the first time.

Rows of hospital beds stretched throughout the room. A tall woman stood nearby tending to several patients beneath the dim artificial lighting overhead.

He hadn’t even realized he was in a hospital.

Slowly, Carlos looked upward and noticed a hanging sign near the far wall.

EMERGENCY HELP REQUESTED.

Carlos stared at the words uncertainly.

Then he looked back down at his hands.