The old man was in a hospital bed. He could tell that because of all the machines nearby and the tubes attached to his arm. He was tired and thirsty. There was a bottle of water next to his bed, and he drank happily.

"So the mister miracle is finally awake?" A woman asked, entering the room.

Judging by her clothes, she was a doctor at the hospital. Her name was Trish Kent, and she told him that he was hiking in a mountain off the city when he fell in a hole. That part of the mountain was a tricky path that only experienced hikers would explore.

Now the old man remembered his own stupidity. He had been warned, but he was a curious person and wanted to check out that path. He went by himself and fell into a hole that he only saw when it was too late. It was like a trap set by the mountain itself, he thought.

"When I heard that you had escaped from Uriah's trap without any help, I couldn't believe it. But the forest ranger said that they found you out of the hole, half alive and half dead, mumbling something about the end and darkness.

"Oh!"

That was all the old man managed to say.

"So, mister miracle, you hit your head on the fall. I need to ask you a few questions. Let's try the baby steps, shall we? Do you remember your name?"

He nodded.

"Gaiman. " He said.  " My name is Neil Gaiman"

After all the medical procedures, he was informed that his family was on their way to the hospital. He was changing into his own clothes the last time he saw his doctor.

"I was wondering..." he asked her. "Why do they call it Uriah's trap?"

"Uriah was a very good climber, although not a famous one around the world. She reached Everest once, and it is the pride of this little city. But she fell in that hole last year while exploring the mountain alone. When they found her, it was too late. It's a funny thing you had to fall in the same place, now that I think about it," The doctor said, sitting in a chair close to the bed.

"And why is that?"

"I went to the same college she went to; we used to frequent the same book group back then. You were her favorite author. I still remember which of your books she always carried around..."

"Instructions" Neil said.

That wasn't a question. It was something he knew.

"Yes! That's the one. How did you...?"

He smiled at the surprise on the doctor's face.

"A lucky hunch, I think." He said, and then looked into the window of the room.

It was a sunny day out there.

Neil thought about the black woman in his weird dream, and he knew she had to be Uriah. She helped him when he was trapped in a place between life and death. Somehow, she showed him the path out of that hole. He wished he could know where that place was.

It couldn't really be Here, he thought. Not even There, but her spirit was somewhere. Somewhere where she could keep living her adventures. Somewhere where she could help other people like himself. Somewhere where good people live.

Somewhere special.