Most likely blood. My ears start ringing again, and we tumble to the floor, too weak to support ourselves.Just before I blackout, again, from the effo...t of moving the switch, I hear a small, almost imperceptible yawn.* * *I wake with a start, as fear courses through me, followed immediately by a massive pain in my skull, and I collapse backwards onto a soft surface."He's awake," a voice says, sounding distant, but I recognize it as Shanna's. What's she doing here? I wonder, and then. The locals had experienced men, accustomed to leading work parties, keeping my projects on task. This gave me the freedom to enjoy my time here, reducing my burdens, which turned my thinking more to my lovers. Our evenings together centered on walks, lounging in the temple pool and sharing a friendly dinner with neighbors interested in learning about all the changes happening in the area.My days alternated between lending a hand at work sites, riding around checking on the projects or spending. You can talk to me." I said."Maybe that's what I need. Someone to bite me. It might make it better," Maria said.I laughed."What's so funny?" She said."You should watch what you say. You never know what someone might do if you word something like that," I said.She looked at me with the most serious look on her face she'd ever had."I never said I'd stop you," Maria said.For the first time in almost ten years since I'd known her, I was actually nervous. I don't know why. I couldn't explain it. But. I try them on each of them and fit the helmets to them. I pull out a quarter (the same from last night) and say, ‘Okay guys, here’s the deal. I’m going to flip this coin. Jerry will call it in the air. The winner goes first, but the loser will get a longer ride.’ They think about that for a second then say, okay. I flip the coin and Jerry calls it heads. It lands tails. They both look happy. Mary is impressed. Perry puts on his helmet and pulls me out to my bike. I take him for a ride of about.