3
Tony didn’t awaken until much later, and by then it was well past sunset. He shifted and groaned when his muscles protested the movement with little tingles of pain. The ground beneath him was rough wood, and small splinters dug into his skin. With a great effort he was able to open his eyes and glimpse a world of shadows and half-familiar shapes. Regardless of the pain in his body, he pushed himself up into a sitting position and glanced around.
He was still against the side of the island, but there was no sign of the creature sprouting from the floor. That was the only consolation he had because he felt as weak as a child and there was a great deal of pain spread throughout his entire body. However, the main points of suffering were at his heart and his injured hand. He held u
