Karma pushed the heavy door open and carefully crept into Paul's

study. The room looked as though someone had turned it upside down.

All the once neatly placed books and weapons now lay on the floor and

Paul's desk had been stripped bare. Paul himself sat on top of the

pile of books with his head down. He stared at his big hands. They

opened and balled up again. Karma drew slightly closer, carefully

stepping over his books. Paul did not look up, but she could see his

eyes. Anger and hate and defeat filled them. She watched the muscles

in his jaw tense. Karma remained silent not even daring to make another

move. She did not know what exactly had happened but she knew this

mood. Something had gotten out of control, something had beaten Paul.

One would do better facing a wild animal than Paul at the moment. Paul

cracked his knuckles and put his hand around the handle of an axe. The

change in movement made Karma back away. He dragged himself to his

feet and leaned on the axe for a moment. Out from his lips came a cry

that could only be described as demonic as he lifted the axe above his

head and brought it down on the desk. Splinters flew in all directions

and the desk fell in on itself. Karma flinched slightly. Paul threw

the axe down and turned to the door. More pictures fell off the wall

as it banged shut.