I wondered how long I had been laying like this. Half broken and twisted squinting up at the light. The buzz of a mosquito draws my attention to my ears and the ringing. Always that weird ring pulsing, and pulling at my sleep, prying at my life, and love... I can hear an incessant howling down the hall accompanied by the low thumping sounds of something being drug and swung, something heavy. A plate appears at the light, ruining my chance of escape, yet again. The smell of thick corn and old white bread wafts into my nostrils jerking me up and into a sitting position to heave my appetite back into shape. Enough to maybe even piss in the drain this time instead of in my cotton jumper after din-din. --- Fuck you! (I yell out to no one in particular, mostly  to hear my own voice, it comes out hoarse and in a sick whisper) What time is it? A fluorescent light flickers a bit then goes off, and then comes back on again. I can feel someone outside the door, breathing. The voice says. --- If I told you what time it was, would you feel better? I can hear what sounds like a cigarette being smoked, but I can smell nothing, my nose is broken, and clotted blood stands between me and smelling my own death. My soiled clothes, my matted hair and ammonia musk. I'm thankful for that at least, thankful, I can't smell my fear of dying in this miserable hole. ---No, but maybe If I knew I'd be certain time is passing. You know what I mean Mister? Hey, you out there? But he's not, and I don't think he ever was. Yesterday, it was a women, and the time before that it was a girl, skipping of all things. I start laughing at that. I almost even get up to challenge myself to try, but I don't, I shimmy on my elbows to the door, and get the food. I dare myself to look, look out through the light, and see what it is I crawled over to see, I push the food into the corner with the other tins. I haven't eaten it what appears to be over six days. The rats are starving themselves outside of the light to get in, but I'm starving to get out. I concentrate on the middle or what I suppose is the middle and imagine that I can hear the Ocean, lulling. And I do, in fact I hear... A seagull... no two seagulls and a family, no lots of families, and laughter, and a boat. The sound of surf, and a highway not to far off! I hear... me, younger, care free, calling to me, assuring me I can fit, I can make it. My heart is racing. I know it makes no sense, but what do I have to lose? I picture myself shrinking, and becoming the ringing in my ears. It's growing louder and louder, an incredible pressure all around. I thrust my arm into the light. It grabs me, firm, much firmer than I thought the vision should allow. I panic, and start to struggle. Then the worst possible thing transpires. My nose is pouring fresh blood, salty. I smell what at first strikes me as a fire, but not, smoke, I know that smell it's... Sulphur, the voice hadn't left. ---It's time... It slurred with what could only be thousands of years of patience, and practice. ---Time for you to come with me.