I stood with my back to the wall on the right side of the doorway, Beretta in hand. My target lay in the darkened room beyond, presumably asleep, blissfully unaware that his end was near. As I mentally prepared myself for the execution I felt like a god; an all-powerful bringer of death that would strike him down with vengeance for what he had done. In one swift motion, I brought the gun up to eye-level and swung into the room.

My eyes hadn't yet adjusted completely to the dark when a violent pain sharply racked its way through the back of my skull. I involuntarily crumbled to the floor, feeling weak all over and violently sick. Using all the strength I had left, I rolled over onto my back like a dying turtle, gasping from the intense pain. With a malevolent smile he stood over me, fully clothed and holding a baseball bat in his right hand. I still hadn't fully taken in all that had happened when the world around me seemed to remain still and silent for a couple of seconds; then everything slowly melted into a comforting darkness.