Evander Langdon felt as if he'd been having a very long dream.
In the dream, he was no longer himself, becoming brutal and savage.
He had seen too much bloodshed and death.
But then, he had another dream, one that was wonderfully pleasant.
He was a child again in this dream. His grandfather led him by the hand past a gurgling mountain spring, pure sunlight casting a glow on his grandfather's back.
He heard him say:
"Evander, my boy, Grandpa hopes you will be like a clear river—to pass through the muck and remain pure, to be unrestrained... to live wildly and freely..."
Live wildly and freely.
Evander Langdon's eyes snapped open.
The sounds of frantic running and shouting filled his ears.
He was alone in the room. Wanting to know what was happening outside, he struggled to sit up.
He stared blankly for a moment at the hospital gown he was wearing, then shakily got to his feet.
It felt like he had been asleep for a long time, but a flood of memories returned to him.
