Determine if the following story takes place in the past, present, or future.
He had been walking for hours, his feet aching from the long journey.
The story takes place in the past.
Below is an instruction that describes a task. Write a response that appropriately completes the request.

### Instruction:
Determine if the following story takes place in the past, present, or future.

### Response:
The story takes place in the past.