The pain spread all along his ankle till it got to his brain nerves, where it turned into blinding spots before his eyes. He was forced to blink, to wipe them away. He then inspected the place around him: his eyes met a strong bamboo cane leaning against a hut wall. He reached it, even if he felt like his body was pierced by a thousand burning-hot needles, at every step he took.
He breathed, leaning his back against the wall. He stood still there for nearly a minute, listening to his own heartbeat echoing in his ears. His sight at first, and his hearing now. Sounds were coming muffled to him, much farther than they actually were.
No, he told himself. That isn’t good at all.
If he wanted to survive, or to go on at least, he had to pluck up courage. And to do it, he drew from the only thi
