Alarm

He awoke from deep slumber. Something had disturbed him. Groggy and in the state between sleep and wakefulness, his brain managed to convince itself that sleep was the way go. And in the split second before sleep was actually attained, whatever woke him up returned.

A sound. That was what it had been.

He was awake now, heart hammering away, head throbbing, panic sending cold waves all over his body. He kept his eyes closed.

It was getting louder now. He could sense the ground thumping beneath him. He was afraid.

Louder still.

He began to tremble. Eyes squeezed shut and terrified into immobility, all he could do was listen as it came nearer and nearer and nearer. Heavy, hard-hitting, thunderous. It sounded like a stampede. Or a herd of elephants. Stampeding elephants. Much louder.

What was he going to do? He could get trodden on by these creatures and be dead in no time! And him so young! He did not want to die! There was so much he wanted to do, so many things not done yet! If he did get out of this okay, he would do it all. He would travel the world! Work harder! Take up a hobby! He would be a better, sensitive, caring, giving person. He would be a loving son and brother. He would not be such a pain-in-the-arse boyfriend. He would propose to her the very next day! Have a big wedding! A wonderful honeymoon! Have kids! Give to charity. Do social work. In fact, the first thing he'd do if he got out alive was visit god in his house and pray and show his gratefulness.

Rumbling like frightening thunder, the sound was upon him now. No use. He'd be dead any second now. He opened his mouth to scream...

The rush of commuters from the first train of the day walked out of the station without sparing a second glance for the drunk young man lying in a heap outside the station moaning softly.