*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Don't read this if you haven't read the story yet.
No. It deffinately wasn't what I expected. The first time he woke up, I was sure it was just a dream. After that I had the feeling that it was a dream inside of a dream. I thought he was going to die when he got back to the train because he was feeling the pain from his injuries and you don't feel pain in a dream. That's why I said that in the first comment. It kept me in mystery the entire time. Now I feel that it wasn't a dream at all. I'm wondering if these humans were just the keepers pets in a world that exists somewhere else.
I can't give to much away! BUT I call the place Rangforne.