It’s gaining on you.
You’re trying to run, but your feet are stuck in mud.
Shadows start to close in on you.
Running.
Running.
Can’t get away.
Everything is black and your heart is pounding.
Open your eyes.
Everything is quiet and dark. Adrenaline is coursing through your veins and your eyes bug wide in the darkness. The only sound is your ragged breathing, and the clock ticking on the wall above your head.
Your brain chugs slowly to life as familiar shapes start to fade into focus, and you realize after a few seconds, that you are in your bed.
The cool feeling of relief washes over you as you slump back against your pillows.
A smile breaks across your face, as you contemplate your near miss.
A few seconds go by, and your smile starts to fade because you’ve come to a stark realization:
it’s dark,
you’re scared,
and you’re completely
alone.
It’s black everywhere you look. Shapes are only visible in the periphery, and even then, they are hazy. What’s hiding in the dark corner, or behind that door, or in the closet?
Quickly, you glance over at the clock for reassurance.
3:12am
Great. Four more hours until the sun comes up, and you know you are safe.
You assure yourself that you’re being ridiculous, and lie down and close your eyes, but you have a harder time controlling your ears; they perk up despite your best efforts.
If the neighbors opened a soda next door, you would be able to hear it.
You try to ignore the involuntary shivers, and the burning knot at the pit of your stomach.
Relax your muscles,
let your mind wander.
Peace.
Soft sheets.
Dark blue.
Stars.
Star fish.
Goldfish.
Sea monsters!
Oh shut up!
You try again.
Peace.
Warm breezes.
The smell of leather.
Sand.
Puppies…
Just as you feel yourself drifting into unconsciousness, you hear the wood floor creek outside in the hall.
Your eyes fly open and your heart kicks into overdrive. Sitting ram rod straight in your bed, you focus all your senses on identifying the noise.
How the hell are you supposed to hear anything with that damned clock ticking in your ear?
You consider taking it down, but you decide against it. It alone is guiding you to the safety of the dawn; it’s purpose is too great.
You’re trying to run, but your feet are stuck in mud.
Shadows start to close in on you.
Running.
Running.
Can’t get away.
Everything is black and your heart is pounding.
Open your eyes.
Everything is quiet and dark. Adrenaline is coursing through your veins and your eyes bug wide in the darkness. The only sound is your ragged breathing, and the clock ticking on the wall above your head.
Your brain chugs slowly to life as familiar shapes start to fade into focus, and you realize after a few seconds, that you are in your bed.
The cool feeling of relief washes over you as you slump back against your pillows.
A smile breaks across your face, as you contemplate your near miss.
A few seconds go by, and your smile starts to fade because you’ve come to a stark realization:
it’s dark,
you’re scared,
and you’re completely
alone.
It’s black everywhere you look. Shapes are only visible in the periphery, and even then, they are hazy. What’s hiding in the dark corner, or behind that door, or in the closet?
Quickly, you glance over at the clock for reassurance.
3:12am
Great. Four more hours until the sun comes up, and you know you are safe.
You assure yourself that you’re being ridiculous, and lie down and close your eyes, but you have a harder time controlling your ears; they perk up despite your best efforts.
If the neighbors opened a soda next door, you would be able to hear it.
You try to ignore the involuntary shivers, and the burning knot at the pit of your stomach.
Relax your muscles,
let your mind wander.
Peace.
Soft sheets.
Dark blue.
Stars.
Star fish.
Goldfish.
Sea monsters!
Oh shut up!
You try again.
Peace.
Warm breezes.
The smell of leather.
Sand.
Puppies…
Just as you feel yourself drifting into unconsciousness, you hear the wood floor creek outside in the hall.
Your eyes fly open and your heart kicks into overdrive. Sitting ram rod straight in your bed, you focus all your senses on identifying the noise.
How the hell are you supposed to hear anything with that damned clock ticking in your ear?
You consider taking it down, but you decide against it. It alone is guiding you to the safety of the dawn; it’s purpose is too great.
You spare it a glance.
3:27
Ugh.
It’s quiet for a while.
Just as you start to consider lying back down, another thump echoes in the hallway.
Adrenaline shoots back through your veins and your heart pounds fervently against your ribs.
You imagine a shadow, taking its time, only stepping every few minutes so the sound of its footsteps are spaced far enough apart to remain inconspicuous in the night. It makes slow progress to your room so that when it gets there, you’re sleeping unaware in your bed, vulnerable, and unconscious.
Another footstep.
It feels like your heart is going to fly out of your chest, and your stomach is going drop through your butt.
Quick glance at the clock.
4:34
Come onnn.
Seconds turn into minutes, which turn into hours. Sweat dews on your forehead, and your back is killing you from sitting stone still for… how long have you been sitting there?
3:58
You don’t know, a while.
The wood creeks again.
Though you’re still braced for attack, you’ve become desensitized to the noise.
(You’ve had a lot of time to think and rationalize.)
So you let your mind wander; only leaving half of your brain to keep a lookout.
Apple cider.
Hay rides.
Bon fires.
Shooting stars.
Lots of stars.
Planets.
The sun.
Two suns.
Eight suns.
A million suns.
Too bright.
You open your eyes.
Sunlight is pouring through your window, directly into your face. It’s morning, and you’ve survived another night. Surprise, surprise.
You roll over to check the clock and you hear your shoulder crack.
!!!
3:27
Ugh.
It’s quiet for a while.
Just as you start to consider lying back down, another thump echoes in the hallway.
Adrenaline shoots back through your veins and your heart pounds fervently against your ribs.
You imagine a shadow, taking its time, only stepping every few minutes so the sound of its footsteps are spaced far enough apart to remain inconspicuous in the night. It makes slow progress to your room so that when it gets there, you’re sleeping unaware in your bed, vulnerable, and unconscious.
Another footstep.
It feels like your heart is going to fly out of your chest, and your stomach is going drop through your butt.
Quick glance at the clock.
4:34
Come onnn.
Seconds turn into minutes, which turn into hours. Sweat dews on your forehead, and your back is killing you from sitting stone still for… how long have you been sitting there?
3:58
You don’t know, a while.
The wood creeks again.
Though you’re still braced for attack, you’ve become desensitized to the noise.
(You’ve had a lot of time to think and rationalize.)
So you let your mind wander; only leaving half of your brain to keep a lookout.
Apple cider.
Hay rides.
Bon fires.
Shooting stars.
Lots of stars.
Planets.
The sun.
Two suns.
Eight suns.
A million suns.
Too bright.
You open your eyes.
Sunlight is pouring through your window, directly into your face. It’s morning, and you’ve survived another night. Surprise, surprise.
You roll over to check the clock and you hear your shoulder crack.
!!!
You supposed that’s what you get for sitting like a rock in your bed all night.
You laugh at how stupid you feel; everything seems so safe and far away in the delicious light of day.
Contemplating clichés, one in particular finally resonates with you:
There is nothing to fear, but fear itself.
You laugh at how stupid you feel; everything seems so safe and far away in the delicious light of day.
Contemplating clichés, one in particular finally resonates with you:
There is nothing to fear, but fear itself.
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