I don't actu ally remember waking up, but I know I lay there for several minutes in the grip of the dragon, shaking like I had Parkinson's, waiting for the pain in my bones to go away before even trying to open my eyes. W h e n I did, it was a mistake, the sunlight burning into my head, setting my drug-saturated brain on fire. My skull felt like it was going to crack wide open. Part of me wished it would. Why the fuck do I keep doing this to myself? How can I be so weak? So stupid? Good questions. N o t so easy to answer. Everyone on the street has their own dragon,, their own personal demon that keeps them in check. Whatever it is, it'll make you feel good, sure, let you soar with the eagles for a while, but it's a hell of a fall back to ground level. Dreams were for regular people, not guys like me. Ev¬ ery time I got too cocky, started thinking I might make it out of here back to the real world, the dragon reared up and bit me on the ass again, making damn sure I knew my place.
