Robert woke up quite slowly, even for Robert. His head pounded, not like a normal headache but rather like he was physically pounding on his own skull. He managed to get to his feet but didn't trust his legs and instead chose to lean against the tree he had woken up under. He didn't know exactly how he got there, he remembered taking his pain meds before he left work and then nothing. He looked around observing his environment; the asphalt, lines, and hoops allowed him to quickly decipher he was at the basketball court. Not far from his house, he decided he would try and walk, one foot forward, then the other; try not to trip, try to stay strong and not collapse. That's where he wasn't so good. He collapsed and realized moving was an exercise in futility and stuffed his hand in his pocket for his phone. After fishing around for a minute, checking all his pockets, he came up empty handed. He picked himself up and scooted over to the tree.

He couldn't believe what was happening, he couldn't go anywhere, couldn't call for help, and no one was in sight to help out. Just then, a figure appeared, walking on the sidewalk across the court, then another. They were getting closer and Robert knew in the bottom of his stomach that something wasn't right. He called out to the figure walking ahead of the other but nothing came out of his mouth. He tried again but nothing. He could feel the dry air rolling over his vocal chords but they refused to move. He watched in helpless horror as the second figure grabbed the bag of the first. He could only watch as a weapon was pulled; the first figure put their hands in the air, forgetting about the bag. And the second figure ran.

All of a sudden, Robert's ears started ringing. He could hear the birds chirping and the wind blowing across the grass in the field behind the tree on which he leaned. It hadn;t even crossed his mind that he couldn't hear. Nevertheless, he stood up without realizing and bolted. He didn't want to be anywhere near the victim across the blacktop. It made him sick to his stomach seeing another person stripped of their outer walls of protection, becoming naught but a hollow shell of a human being. Vulnerability: the one thing Robert couldn't stand to see in anyone, particularly himself.