What Used to Be

Prologue

There were lights, blaring lights, cutting sharp edges across his vision. Mixing and blurring with the trees around him, twisting every shadow into a monster big enough to block the once-steady moonlight.

The left side of his face burned. He could feel his hands grasping at pine needles and leaves. He couldn't move properly, his limbs felt weighted and uncoordinated. He couldn't remember what was going on, why he was on the ground? The lights were blinding now, swirling blue and red bulbs that hovered somewhere above though he didn't know why. There was a sense of urgency rushing around him. The shadows were crawling towards him.

His head gave a sharp throb as he felt himself being rolled over. He could only see light and shadows. Was he floating?

"Thorsten, Thorsten can you hear me?" The voice was garbled and rushed.

He couldn't respond, his mouth wouldn't work. Another shadow grabbed at him, pulling. Suddenly he dipped into darkness, as he felt his body relax he was jerked quickly to his side, he was sure his head had split.

"Thorsten, Thorsten, stay with me budd-"

The rest of the words were lost as the shadows closed in.

But just as they had come, they were gone. He came to slightly as he was jostled, a small dot of light appeared in front of him but it was like looking through twenty feet of murky water at a flashlight. Everything was slurred together, sound, light, feeling. He couldn't tell them apart.

Was someone speaking? The shadows were back, prowling at the edges of his vision. Thorsten let them creep closer but before he was consumed completely it was as if a small part of his brain clicked on a light.

"Gem."