[center][i][u]Paul Delacroix - In a bit of a bind[/u][/i][/center]

[center][i]BANG![/i][/center]

Like the booming crack of a clap of thunder, the loud raucous gunshot so rudely grabbed the slumbering gentleman and swiftly ripped him into the waking world. His eyes snapping open,  he felt as though he were a drowning victim saved from a potential early and watery grave. Sharply gasping for a breath of air as he abruptly woke and immediately wished he hadn't. His head swam and his ears rang painfully as he briefly thought for a moment that he was blind. Coughing violently, the young man blinked a few times as he fought back the urge to vomit from the horrid fetid and rotten smell that had wafted up his nostrils. Shaking his head, he let his vision adjust for a moment and determined that he was thankfully not blind. More alarmingly, it was just an intense darkness. Frowning, he then thought that perhaps he had died and that this was the afterlife. Breathing heavily, he tried to move and found it difficult to do so as he was tightly detained by knotted ropes. Dread filling his heart and causing him to panic, he realized that he was indeed very much so alive. At least, for the moment. 

[i]"I'm not dead. I'm captured. More than likely about to be executed if that sound was anything to go by."[/i] he thought to himself. 

Instead of struggling against his bindings and thrashing about screaming for help, he forced himself to gather his mental faculties and to remain calm. His head still ached with a dull pain, the smell of wherever he was located was just horrible, and his ears were just now recovering from the sound that was responsible for his conscious state. Needless to say, he wasn't feeling too good about himself at all. Shutting his eyes tightly, he thought hard to himself. 

[i]"Okay, think. First of all...who am I again?...My name...My name is Paul. Paul Delacroix. That's right. Alright, so how-...how did I get here? What..."[/i] Having rediscovered his name, Paul was quickly regaining his bearings. Only problem was, he strained to remember much else other than a few bits of knowledge about himself. Thinking any harder caused his mind more pain.  [i]"Ugh...my head. Okay, that's not as important right now. Right now it's very obvious I've been captured and detained. For what reason, I don't know. All I need do right now is to stay calm and think of a way to get out of-.."[/i] 

The sound of other voices and movement caused his eyes to reopen and he came to the sudden revelation that he was not alone in this blacked-out place. Far from it. It was hard to make out details and shapes, but he was certain there were others just like him moving about and even speaking. Damn it all if his senses weren't taking their sweet time to fully recover. Still feeling hazy and sick, he decided to give himself more time to assess the situation. Straightening himself as best he could, he wriggled his way backwards. Why that particular direction even he wasn't sure of, but when his upper back met with a wall he let out a quiet sigh of relief as he sat up against it. For now, he would take no action. Deliberate information gathering was the name of the game. Eyes flitting to and fro, he used his peripherals to try and make out exactly how many others were there with him. His ears focused in on any spoken conversation, though that was a bit of a challenge as his blood loudly rushed through his veins and washed everything out. Adrenaline and a fast-beating heart the main culprit there. Willing himself to calm down, he futilely looked at his bindings to see if he could somehow work his way out of them. He figured as tight as they were, he didn't have the dexterity and finger strength to free himself through that method. Instead, he maybe thought to use their tightness against themselves. If he could find something sharp or serrated enough, he could carefully rub his wrists against it until freed.

[i]"One thing at a time. For now, stay quiet and observant."[/i] Paul told himself.
A nervous bead of sweat slowly rolled down the side of his face, his breathing still labored and ragged from fear.
[i]"Damn it all if I can't at least get this disgusting taste out of my mouth!"[/i]
Leaning forward and reaching up with his bound hands, he successfully removed his gag and spat a few times to rid himself of the aftertaste of wherever that filthy rag had been. At least now he could breathe a little easier. For the moment at the least.