At the Time Appointed

For hours Darrell tossed wearily, unable to sleep. His head throbbed

wildly, the racking pain throughout his frame increased, while a raging

fire seemed creeping through his veins. Not until long past midnight did

he fall into a fitful sleep. Strange fancies surged through his fevered

brain, torturing him with their endless repetition, their seeming

reality. Suddenly he awoke, bewildered, exhausted, oppressed by a vague

sense of impending evil.