"Fear is the mind killer, fear is the mind killer, fear is the mind killer-shit!" he spat, cowering behind the dumpster with his ears wide open for signs of approaching footsteps. Why hadn't he seen this coming? All of the signs were there-the precocious co-worker suddenly gone silent, the whispers and glances as he passed in the hallway, the emails and calls not returned. No time to think about all that now, though-all that mattered was getting out of this alley alive.