‘I’ll tell you what happened to you,’ he said, dully. ‘Oxygen deficiency triggered hallucinations. Release of endorphins gave you the calming effect. The light isn’t real, it’s just an ophthalmologic phenomenon created by the optic system. It’s a common reaction to mental and physical stress—women during labour often report the same symptoms. If you lie down, with a one-hundred-millilitre injection of ketamine, I can show you the same bright tunnel of light. You heard of REM intrusion, Gracie? When the mind awakens before the body, sensory information overloads the visual cortex.
