His feet stumbled on the ground, and he felt himself falling backward. A well of fear swelled inside him, as the freedom of the fall overtook him. The sensation was timeless, with no beginning or end. The Doctor closed his eyes as the surreal limbo slowly crept through his veins, like a siren singing a soothing tune.
The solid force behind him came from nowhere. The reality of the force stunned him. His eyes flew open. He was wide awake. Familiarity had disappeared. A curious feeling flowed from his abdomen, progressively numbing his consciousness. Then he tried to move.
Overwhelming pain washed over him. His senses rushed back. His vision vanished. When the world slowly came back into focus, the Doctor found himself paralysed. His life was bleeding away from him. He was helpless. He was scared. He was alone.
He made a noise between a croak and a sob, as a final curtain of blackness came down on him.
