I almost asked him for ten more minutes when I remembered that I didn't just open my eyes on a lazy Sunday morning. And that was before realising that I didn't even open one of my eyes at all.

Back in the days I'd never passed the bottle around before taking a sip or a dozen and I'd sampled plenty of my wares quite generously. But none of that compared, nothing I remembered then or would ever remember felt quite like that briefest of moments after I came to and before I noticed what was missing.

The pain.

Like ripples from a stone in water I felt it coursing through my body, returning in shivers and growing like a noise coming in from the distance. Sirens and bells and screams, all approaching faster and louder and heavier until I thought I'd burst with it.

But even then it only came out a hoarse whine before my pale lips fell shut again.