He opened his eyes to darkness, but still saw the flames clear and bright in his mind’s eye. He was still frozen, locked in his body, and the dream stayed with him, superimposed. He felt his own mind racing inside his skull, and clung to what little rationality he could reach—he knew what this was, it had happened before, it would happen again—and tried to keep reality in front of him, clinging to it like a lifeboat.