Chapter 1
1986
“Ugh,” screamed Leon Prado as a fierce black bull gored him in the groin with its right horn. The beast hoisted him above its head and tossed him five meters through the air as easily as a feather pillow. He landed on the arena sand with a heavy thump. The crowd gasped as attendants rushed to save him from more punishment by flapping their capes at the rampaging monster. Hopefully, they would distract it from finishing Prado off. He lay motionless, the pain was excruciating, and blood spurted everywhere. His blood.
He opened a bone-weary eye and blinked several times as the haunting nightmare faded, and reality started to bite. “Where the fuck am I?” he said to himself with a growing sense of unease as he sat up. “And why is my head thumping so badly?”