My ears are popping.
drip drip

Where I am, whatever place this is, is hot and wet and very dark.

It also stinks in here. And I'm moving. The space I am in is moving.


Rocking.

Rolling.


back and forth, back and forth, back and forth














       I'm in the hold of a ship.    

        





This may sound crazy but I can feel dozens of small eyes staring at me. They're out there somewhere, I know it, close, maybe closer, y'know, than I perceive them to be.














i guess i took that hit of acid after all.


I could sure use a cup of April's Mountain Tea.
            But wait! Everything's coming back now. Slowly, in bits and bytes.

Three men wearing masks rush into the restaurant ...



They half-walk, half-run to where Anita and I are dancing. There is a struggle. Knives flash. Anita resists, tackling one of the men and pinning him to the floor. I scream. Bull snores. The waitress sweeps up.



One of the men picks up a heavy, and I mean heavy ashtray and whacks me over the head with it.



And I'm down for the count.





LEVEL FOUR OR FIVE HERE



Max City