In June 1917, Oskar Serti came to complete his convalescence in the quiet of south-western France. Unfortunately his sleep was regularly disrupted by the horrors he had endured at Verdun.
One night, a nightmare that was even more violent than usual had him falling out of bed. He had just been dreaming of a burning draught - formed from the last breath of all the soldiers killed on the front - which had him pinned against a huge door. The door finally opened under the pressure. But it gave onto a void. As he fell and fell, the door continued to bang behind him.
Serti tried to regain his senses. He needed to go for a walk outside. Anywhere, just as long as he got out of himself.
He leapt up to go outside. But in his agitation he woke up…