Mark opened his eyes slowly, only to find a ceiling of dark wood with crossed beams and a couple of cobwebs swaying with the draft. And instantly, the pain hit him.
It was a throbbing headache that pulsed from the base of his skull to his temples, as if someone had hit him with a hammer while he slept.
Then came other sensations: a dry mouth with his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, his stomach growling insistently, and also a deep pain running through his entire body, as if every muscle and every joint had been broken and then put back carelessly.
'Everything hurts like hell...', he thought, gritting his teeth.
He looked to his right and found a small window with the curtains half-drawn letting in the soft light of dusk. There was a table next to the window with a pitcher of water, some folded cloths, and what appeared to be a bowl with leftover food.
