Nightmares and Dreams
Cyn Bagley (c) 2013
I knew I was having bad dreams because when I woke up and stumble to the bathroom, I’d shiver and shake. My heart beat at a 100 miles per hour. As I slumped on the toilet relieving my bladder, I would try in vain to remember the details of the dream. The dream became hazy and I would fall back in bed and be asleep instantly.
Sometimes I would hear an engine in the distance, rolling up the mountain away from the small town before I sank back to a deep sleep.Other nights the burros would lull me back to sleep with their loud hee-haws through the night. The next morning I would wake up stiff and sore as if I had been running all night.
One cup of coffee and I was back to myself, ready for a full day of reading, writing, and house-cleaning. The next night it would start again.
After a week of feeling like road-kill, I decided to stay awake the entire night. I suspected that I was sleepwalking. There was no other reason that I felt so sore and beat. At 10 p.m. I brewed a large pot of the strongest coffee that I could make. I watched the late night TV shows and when I got bored I pulled out my e-reader. Every time I felt the need to lie down, I took another swig of coffee and then walked around the small apartment.
Around 3 a.m.. I was groggy and cranky. When I saw a light in the front window, I felt a burst of adrenaline. I grabbed a lamp and stood near the door. The light descended from the sky, but I knew it wasn’t an alien. The vehicle had a combustion engine. I strained my ears, listening for any sound or any clue of who or what was there.
I heard a male voice say, “She’s awake.” Then a laugh.
The lamp was heavy in my hand. I heard a click and my door opened. I tried to swing, but his brilliant golden eyes forced me to stand as still as a statue. I couldn’t move my limbs and I couldn’t defend myself from the two intruders who walked into my apartment.
I crept to the door, a large flashlight resting on my shoulder, and put my ear on the wood. "She isn't asleep," a low voice said to someone else standing near the door. I heard a click as they opened my door with a key.
I tried to swing, but as soon as I saw the men's eyes, I couldn't move my body.Then I lost consciousness.
I rolled out of bed, stiff and sore, trying to remember a dream I had last night. The only remnant was low voice asking, "Are you comfortable?"