“What…” she sat up too fast, head spinning, a slight ringing in her ears. ”...happened? Ow!” her hand instinctively touching the large knot on her head.

“Easy tiger.” Eric replied, helping her to her feet. “That was some hit.”

Just as she was convincing herself it had all been nothing but a bad dream, her eyes locked on the young man.

He was sitting, knees to chest, arms wrapped around his legs tightly. He swayed back and forth, gently sobbing, eyes distant. Jet black hair flowed over broad muscular shoulders. Veins bulged in well defined arms under flawless skin. He was lean, tall, toned and maybe the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

“Oh, meet Ker.” Eric gestured in his direction.

“Is he, um, OK?”

“Oh, he’ll be fine. He just needs a bit of… time.”

“Poor thing.” she said as she reached out to touch Ker’s face. Instantly he recoiled as if slapped, eyes fixing suddenly on hers.

“W-w-what happened… to me?” he finally managed to mumble out.

How to tell someone they died? She thought.