The hunter lay on the stone slab she had fashioned into a makeshift bed, writhing like someone caught in a nightmare. His fists clawed at his own hair, and his back arched violently off the ground.
"Get it out!" he screamed, the sound ragged. "GET IT OUT!"
"Hey— hey! Calm down!" Megan dropped the basket at the edge of the cave, its contents forgotten. She rushed to his side, knees hitting the cold rock as she grabbed his arms. "You're safe! Just try to stay calm!
But he didn't hear her. He thrashed harder, his body slick with sweat, eyes wild and unfocused. "Out! Get it OUT OF MY HEAD!"
"Stop— please —you're hurting yourself—"
Frantic and helpless, Megan clutched his face with both hands, her thumbs brushing against his temples as if she could press the madness away. "Please," she whispered, eyes wide, voice shaking. "Just stop—just try to—"
But it wasn't working.
