The blood, it came as a dull roar at first.And then a pounding,like the punding of a drum,growing lounder and Iounder,as if some enormous creature were coming through a dark and alien forest.A huge drum.And then, there came a pounding of another drum,as if another giant were coming behind him,each giant intent on his own drum,giving no notice to the rhythm of the other.Throbbing in my lips, fingers, and flesh of my temple.Above all, in my veins.Drum, and then the other drum.I opened my eyes.And it was then that I realizedthe drum was my heart,and the other drum had been his.I saw him sitting a length away from me.Radiant.And we sat there for some time.In throes of increasing wonder.The end.The beginning.