Hours ticked by at a glacial pace for Duke and his companions. Duke's discomfort stemmed from his urgent need to use the bathroom, which had become a pressing concern. Meanwhile, the others were bogged down by indecision, struggling to devise a plan for their next move. As the minutes dragged on, the option of going their separate ways began to look like the least dangerous choice.
Just minutes before the penalty expired, profound sleepiness began to envelop Duke, unlike anything he had ever experienced. Despite his initial resistance, Duke surrendered to the exhaustion, hoping it would alleviate the intense tingling sensation coursing down his spine and provide a reprieve from the unsettling physical discomfort that had taken hold of his body.
Mere seconds after Duke had shut his eyes to sleep, he found his eyelids opening, blinking a few times with an unfamiliar sensation of a bed under him.
