The carriage flew along the dirt road, heaving disconcertingly from side to side and nearly colliding with trees more often than not. The boy driving it didn't feel frightened, not at all. He'd seen Sebastian drive the carriages all the time and he made it look so…so easy. Something cold fluttered onto the boy's nose and he glanced upwards to see dark storm clouds, heavily laden with snow, drifting ominously overhead. It didn't matter; it would probably pass by anyway. Within a few minutes the snow was falling quickly and heavily. Blinded, the boy couldn't see the sharp turn and the carriage crashed into a ditch.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

There was darkness, an endless darkness, interrupted by occasional noises. He couldn't tell what they were, but it didn't matter, not really. He also noticed something else: the pain. It came in waves, and as consciousness grew nearer he noticed it came in timed intervals. The pain and then nothingness. The cycle was interrupted by the breath being forced down his throat. It was hot and disgusting and it reeked of things that probably hadn't been eaten in weeks. The breath raped his mouth and lungs, filling him with the horrid air. 'Breathe, dammit, breathe!' "I will," he thought, "Just please stop…." The mouth parted from his and a strangled breath rattled into his throat. The assault stopped and he faded into darkness again.

He forced his eyes open. The light of the room burned his eyes as he gazed at his surroundings. Dull white walls with the occasional painting hanging here and there, a single window with the curtain wide open: providing that blinding light, and a nightstand right next to him with a shaded lamp sitting on top. He looked down the length of the bed and saw two almost grotesque looking lumps where his legs should be. Swallowing roughly he pulled aside the bed covers and looked at his legs.

His stomach gave an uneasy jolt. His legs were crushed lumps bound roughly together by splints made of bent crutches. His left knee was nearly non-existent and his shins were sticking out at weird angles. Fighting nausea he closed his eyes and pulled the blankets back so they were covering his legs again. The door creaked open and a blonde boy came bouncing through the door.

He smiled exuberantly, "Ooh Ciel, you're awake!" Ciel gazed at him with unfocused eyes, "Who….who are you?" The blonde walked over to the bedside and set down the medicine bottle he was holding. "It's alright Ciel," he whispered, "Everything's going to be alright. I'm Alois Trancy, Ciel, I'm your biggest fan!"