<P>"This is not your game," the machine monster boomed, hissed, tremored. "You are in my game, my w-w-woRLD. DO NOt ignore mE. You are merely a pawn. You will not disobey. You will c-cOMPLete your task or your mind will be TORn from your body."
<P>
<P>Dominic was suddenly brutally tossed to the wall, slammed against it, hard, bone snapped, he screamed, the blinding light continued, the noise, the suffering, no end, no escape, no control, helpless.
<P>
<P>He was tossed again. Hit a wall. His ribs snapped.
<P>
<P>"There is no escape from my demands."
<P>
<P>Thrown again. Smashed the table, the radio. His knee shattered. Blinding brightness. Noise. Pain. Boiling down to basics. Sensation. Instinct. Reaction.
<P>
<P>"I cannot be ignored. Do not think I have no control."
<P>
<P>Thrown again. He couldn't see. He felt his head hit a ledge, or a doorway, or something. He didn't feel anything else, because his neck broke with an audible snap.
<P>
<P>He crumpled to the floor.
<P>
<P>And instantly, the blinding was gone.
<P>
<P>The pain was gone. He couldn't feel anything anymore. His spine was severed.
<P>
<P>Completely broken.
<P>
<P>He could see. Everything returned to normal. Everything disturbingly peaceful. The sound of a light wind. No voices. No more voices.
<P>
<P>The moon shone serenely through a window.