The Dream

The Dream

The dream always began the same.  The heart pounding feeling of being watched along with a mild case of unease. She knew before she even moved that she would look over her left shoulder and the shadow would be there.  She didn't know why, but she never looked over her right shoulder, her subconscious seemed to choose her left without fail. As usual the shadow grew larger as she began to walk down the tree lined path.  She increased the tempo of her steps until their matched the quickening beat of her heart.  As the shadow descended upon her back she awoke, covered in sweat staring at the slowly swirling blades of her ceiling fan.  She glanced at the clock and noticed she had only slept for 20 minutes this time. The red numerals, 2:38, shone in the darkness reminding her that sleep would not come easy the rest of that night.  

She rose quickly from the bed and padded to the kitchen.  A quick drink and she would resume her battle with the sandman.  She filled her glass and gazed through the kitchen windows on the path that stretched from her back porch to the small copse of trees behind her house.  The light of the moon painted the path in silvers and grays that seemed to shimmer before her eyes.  She felt the first pull of sleep returning as she stared, trying to catch a glimpse of the water beyond the trees.  Finishing her water, she pulled her eyes from the night's beauty and made her way back to bed.  As she lay back down, her eyes beginning to droop, her eyes rested on the clock that shone, 2:18.

The dream began the same it always did.  The heart pounding feeling of being watched along with a mild case of unease. She knew before she even moved that she would look over her left shoulder and the shadow would be there.  As usual the shadow grew larger as she began to walk down the tree lined path.  She increased the tempo of her steps until their matched the quickening beat of her heart.  As the shadow descended upon her back she awoke, covered in sweat staring at the slowly swirling blades of her ceiling fan.  She glanced at the clock and noticed she had only slept for 20 minutes this time. The red numerals, 2:38, shone in the darkness and she thought she might like a glass of water.