“William ... William ... are you with us?” My vision blurred and came into focus. Two men were in the boat next to me. “You blacked out from the pain. We're approaching shore. Can you walk?”
I didn't answer. I had no thought or focused logic. One man looked up, gazing into the distance. I tried forcing my body upright, rolling to the left, grabbing hold of the wooden seat and pulling with the minimal strength I had in my one good arm before sliding upward into a seated position. It all flooded back … the man I scoured the depths of hell and lost my soul for was sitting next to me ... Judas.
“Help me get him up!” The boatman shouted. Four men, at least they somewhat resembled men, skin stretched and hung off their faces like an over cooked Thanksgiving turkey, approached from the rocky shore. One of them reached in and grabbed me by the armpits, I groaned, pain shooting through my aching arm. “Careful” the boatman warned. “That arm needs to be set.”