Collusion

103

He crawled, pain driving him on. Light ahead, just feet away. His lungs screamed. Heat everywhere. Just the will to live.

And the hate.

He reached forward, grabbed floor, pulled.

Hate.

Hate can carry a man far.

Far past the pain.

Even when the mind has gone, hate can carry the body forward.

Forward to the light.

The light is cool, clear.

Like a pool of clean water, waiting to soothe.

One more foot.

Six inches.

One more inch.

Air. Dear Christ, the air, so cool, so clean.

Falling now.

Oh God, the pain.

Pain, pain, go away, come again another day.

The Traveller screamed.

The Traveller breathed.

The Traveller laughed.

The Traveller crawled.