Stone Circle transcendence

There was something different in the air that day. Murdock could taste it, even though he'd been finding it increasingly difficult to draw breath, as of late. Winter was ending, and with it, so was he.

The sun was warm on his back that afternoon, and there were birds chirping that he was sure he hadn't heard in months. The breeze was soft and peaceful... he was tired, and it seem that now was a perfect time to nap.

The man shut his eyes, listening to the sound of the birds. It seemed to grow more and more distant as a peculiar ringing reached his ears. It might normally be an unpleasant sound, but like everything about the moment, Murdock simply found it soothing. It helped to lull him into a deeper sleep than he'd had in weeks, months, years...

A tiny smile remained etched on his face. Perhaps he did not need to wake so early as he usually would the next morning. Perhaps he need never wake again.