None of the words made sense. He heard soft, soothing, lulling voices. His head was strangely heavy, hard to hold up. His cheek rested in the hand that gently stroked it. When the hand pulled away, he didn't even notice that his head flopped limply forward until he felt the slight jerking of momentum that made him rock as his head hit his chest. His hand flopped into his lap and he pulled his head upright again, confused as to what had happened. Everything was so distant, so far away. The voices around him echoed through the haze of pain. He felt consumed by fire. Something pressed against his shoulders and he groaned, beginning to struggle against it. He found it extremely hard to move, but he put up a valiant effort.<br/><br/>When something pierced into his side, he cried out, sound ripping through raw vocal chords. The cry was brief, but filled with utter misery. When it finished, he groaned again, struggling. He didn't understand what was going on. He didn't have long to try to figure it out. Within minutes of the piercing pain at his side, he began to feel a cool, soothing numbness spread through his limbs. The fire of pain was extinguished and he felt as though he were floating in a cool stream, pulled along by a gentle current.<br/><br/>He sighed, a last groan escaping him, and allowed the current to take him wherever it wished.