Through the curtain of tears, blood and sweat, a face looms before me.  It is an unfamiliar face, but a face I somehow know.  It is blurry, yet I can see it clearly.  A man's face.  A face filled with pain, anger, sorrow, loneliness, and recognition.  I blink away the tears and it is gone.  Had it really been there?

Before I can sort out the confusion, the pain strikes.  A sharp piercing pain strikes in my stomach, my head, everywhere.  It is too powerful.  It is unbearable. I relax into it and let it pull me into oblivion.

My eyes open automatically, as if programmed to do so.  I know not where I am.  My surroundings are indiscernible.  My last memory is of pain, of indescribable pain, and of a face.  Past that exists nothing.  I struggle to remember more, but can not.  My thoughts become flooded with the face.  My mind is obsessed with it.  I notice the pain is gone.  I have no feeling of any kind.  Nothing.  I try to think, to concentrate, but all that comes to mind is this face.  This man's face.  A strong and handsome face it is, but there is something sinister about it.  Do I know the man to whom it belongs?  I grow tired of trying to clear my thoughts, of trying to remember.  I close my eyes and begin to drift, letting the face lull me into slumber...

It haunts my dreams.  It is unpleasant.  Mysterious and menacing.  I can stand it no longer.  I awaken to complete darkness.  My eyes are open I know, but I can not see.  I am not blind, I hope. I put a hand before my face and do not see it.  Before, the face was my surroundings.  Now it lurks in the back of my mind, present, but not prominent.  It troubles me.  I know not why, but it seems so familiar.  Why is it there?  What does it want from me?  Why can I not remember?  I battle with my thoughts.  I dream again.  A dream which is not a dream...

*

Air rushes past deaf ears.  I see the water below.  Walls of rock surround me.  I feel the rush of adrenaline and scream.  i hit.  The water is cold, dark, deep.  I struggle to reach the surface.  Fear creeps in.  A hand clasps mine and pulls me free.  It is him.  We are in the cave.  He takes me to the fire and gives me a towel, but no clothes.  I eat the food he hands me.  We do not speak.  He stares into the fire.  The light reflects in his eyes.  His face is completely expressionless.  He looks up.  Our eyes meet across the fire.  Apprehension fills me as I gaze into those eyes.  What I see could drown the flames.  I foresee the next events.  The pain is not at first unbearable.  He is most arduous.  We end up in the lake.  The water becomes deeper.  He pulls me under.  Before the blackness closes, i ask myself why he bothered.

The beach stretches out before my feet.  A house stands above me on the cliff.  I am alone.  I strip and enter the water.  It is warm, comforting.  I float on my back and let the waves caress me.  The sun bathes my face with warmth.  I am content.  Something stirs in the water beside me.  Without opening my eyes I know it is him.  He disturbs the peaceful caress of the waves and takes his turn.  Restless and untamed.  I fight to no effect.  His need overpowers me.  I feel nothing.  I retreat to the corners of my mind and let him take me.  My duties are fulfilled.

*