He lurched forward, dripping sweat mixing with rain that fell like broken glass, shattering against the hard ground. The trees blurred as he ran,dark smears in the shadowy twilight. The effects of alcohol still poisoned his system, and he swayed dizzily across the floor of rotting leaves.

But the drink was not enough to stop the tempest of roaring images and emotions in his head, pressure building as a hurricane.

Like a whirlwind it swirled, until only flashes and indistinct, gabbled wordscould be detected from the din. Faster, faster…..

He collapsed forward, vile liquid spurting from his mouth. He coughed and retched, his body trying to eject the horrible burning in his stomach. But you can not get rid of something that is not flesh and bone…

The terrible pain in his stomach was paled by the agony that boiled inside his heart. Icy rain dripped down his back, soaking his shirt.

Screams reverberated inside his head, echoing as though from the bottom of a dark well.

He was on his knees, alone in the dark.

"What have I done..." he whispered to himself. The softly dripping forest was silent. Perhaps it was a good thing that no-one answered...