Nobody's come yet, and eventually the pain in my knees makes me realize I must have knelt on some of the broken glass. I climb to my feet shakily, reaching out to prop myself up with the nearby chair.

There are footsteps in the hallway now - fast ones - and I know that somebody's finally noticed.

I want to be calm. Collected. Everything a real man should be in this situation. But as the newcomer enters the room, it's all I can do to just not fall down again.