Danny awoke slowly to darkness and a feeling as if his whole body was pulsing to the beat of his heart. He had never felt so tired in his life, and consciousness was a fleeting thing. His thoughts were incomplete...

He couldn't focus for very long and the constant beating of his heart, raging through his body, stripped him of every chance of putting two thoughts together. He fought to get free. Every time he could manage to take in his surroundings it always seemed closer. Everything seemed to slowly close in all around him, suffocating and restricting.

Infrequently, he would recognize muffled noises and lights of different colors. He thought he recognized some of the noises but couldn't focus long enough to remember where he had heard them.

As time passed everything got impossibly tighter, the walls closing in completely around him. He hated this feeling, this place. He had to get out or he would surely die.

Then everything changed.

The walls around Danny began to undulate and squeeze against him as he was suddenly moved. He was forced into a place of absolute darkness, devoid of all sound save his own heart beating. This seemed to go on forever then a shockingly bright light pierced his eyes and then pure noise stabbed into his eardrums.

He closed his eyes as tight as he could, but found he was unable to hold his hands to his ears as he wanted. He was lifted into the air and swung around by something under his back. His arms flailed uselessly as he fruitlessly attempted to balance himself. He tried to scream but he only ended up coughing as he discovered fluid in his lungs. His coughing fit lasted only a few seconds until he could breathe again.

Exhausted, he lay there as his limp form was jostled around roughly, until he was wrapped in something soft. He sensed something looming closer and then it covered the top of his head. He noticed, from behind his closed eyes, the lights in the room intensify. A rush of warmth enveloped him and permeated his overly exhausted body. He felt slightly better.

Deep, booming voices filled the air around him. Danny tried opening his eyes but they still hadn't adjusted to the light level. Eventually, through briefly squinted eyes, he could only make out vague shapes and colors. Unable to figure out what was going on, he was frozen with fear. He lay there, not daring to move. His heavily labored breathing was the only thing betraying his failed attempt at stealth. He wondered if the air here was thinner as his body struggled to take in enough air to fuel his body.

Once again he was moved and Danny felt his faced pressed against something like a soft wall. Fearing he was being suffocated, he struggled to turn his head away but he could only move it slightly from side to side. He struggled and opened his mouth to scream. Before he could get out a sound, part of the wall rushed in and filled his mouth. Fortunately he could still breathe through his nose but no matter how much he fought he could not get away from the wall or eject the part between his lips. In self-defense he bit down, and fluid rushed into his mouth. With no other option he was forced to swallow the liquid, causing more of the fluid to fill him as quickly as he drank.

This continued till Danny felt he couldn't consume anymore and he began to gag. The wall quickly receded from him and he lay there. He couldn't remember ever being so exhausted. With his nerves shot and his body empty of strength, Danny gladly accepted the sweet embrace of unconsciousness.