Howard has no chance to prepare himself for the pain that awaits him when he rouses again. His head feels as if it's being split from the inside, worse than even the migraines he's had in the past. Blood is smeared across his face, and his hand is gripped around the handle of something. In the background there's motion, but Howard's too disoriented to realize it's people killing each other.

He gets up on his hands and knees. The ground seems to sway beneath him, as if the very world is seasick. He tries to find his feet.