As it turned out, it was the wrong way to go. He should have known that well in advance, but he had not heeded to the warning signs way back there a couple of miles ago. Or was it ten, twenty, perhaps one hundred or more miles ago? Rather than turning back at this point, the more obvious thing to do was just sit down, think things out, and then when it started to get dark lie down and sleep. As if that could be possible at a time like this. There were a number of options, some better than others, but there was no option one could view as a clear winner above the rest. Soon enough he fell asleep after it became darker, and that night he had a dream, a very realistic dream. They had taken control of his brain stem, more specifically the area known as the medulla oblongata. You see there a number of natural processes which are controlled here. Breathing, the heart rate, swallowing, the startle response, sweating, blood pressure, digestion and bodily temperature. Things like that. Intertwined and elongated neurons which affect the level of alertness, the ability to sleep and the sense of balance. A very important part of the inner brain to say the least. For some unknown reason, they had implanted this alien object just below the auditory and visual reflex centers. When viewed on the x-ray it was a thin, metallic sliver of various colors. This was confusing to him to no end, but because he was sleeping they would not allow him to wake up when it was time to continue further. Actually the brain stem consists of the mid-brain, the pons, as well as the medulla which are all located deep in the posterior part of the brain. So who were they trying to kid anyway? Upon waking and when allowed, it was time to go. No more reason to think things out nor retrace the steps which had already been taken the day before. Just shake it off and continue onwards.