Chapter 6: PainGarner awoke the next day with his arm throbbing painfully and his mind a gnarly mess. He groaned, and did not open his eyes. Through the lids he could tell that the room was filled with sunshine, but today he simply did not want to face the world. His only thoughts, when they first coalesced from mental chaos, were centered on escaping the pain. It took several minutes, however, before he remembered the small bottle of pills he had left on the night stand.
Without opening his eyes, he slowly reached his hand out, and began to feel for them. He found the nightstand, then the pillbox, which he opened clumsily, pills spilling out. He found a pill and put it in his mouth, crunching it between his teeth in order to facilitate absorption. The taste was bitter, but he swallowed s
