The air is thick, the earth is scorched A naked man staggers, his self stripped to the bare flesh. The sharp rocks shred his feet with each step. The naked man wraps his arms around his body. He shakes. There are no signs where he walks, nor anything that is familiar for him to find.

It is dark now in this hostile place.

Every minute is an hour, a terror-stricken stretch of time. Things flash, and burst; a blur of colour and shape, all form streaking into a scream. The naked man looks up, searching for a moon in an endless sky.

Thunder makes the naked man afraid; its loud sounds make his heart race. No curse or begging makes any of it go away. No amount of tears or pleading can steer him into daylight either. He is alone, without a god or love or hope.

His wounds still bleed as his steps become heavier. Rain falls thickly as the thunder roars around the rock. There is a dull thump as the naked man crumbles to the floor. His body curls up. He holds himself tightly and feels his heart creak beneath its weight.