text: I lie in my crumpled bed, bathed in unease. I anxiously peek at the dim light of my alarm clock which reads 4:35 AM, as the first light of dawn peeks through my curtains. Sleep escapes me more often than not at the moment, and my body feels tense. My mind is abuzz with grim anticipation of the coming day’s sleep deprived work. But my frustration is suddenly lifted as I feel the familiar pull of slumber. A heavy blanket descends on me, as my body relaxes and my eyes fall through the back of my head. Slowly the sides of my bed fold in and I start to lower into the dark, in my casket being committed to the soil. My room disappears along with the pulsing in my temples, and time stops for a half of a moment. I am adrift in a small lifeboat in a gentle sea, surrounded by endless dark. The boat is softly furnished and more comfortable than any real bed, so I allow myself to float quietly, swallowed by the soft cushioning. No horizon is visible beyond the sides of my vessel, only a perpetual obsidian. But buried deep in the distance I see a faint light, dancing like a thin wisp of cloud caught in moonlight. I am compelled towards the light to seek its warm glow, so I take the paddles and begin to row towards it. The waters are almost silent as the paddles dip in and out, and only the faintest ripples are audible. I continue on my journey but I am making no progress. No matter how far I go I never get any closer to the light. Defeated, I drop the paddles into the waters, and watch them slowly roll into the abyss. I lie back down to avoid the taunting allure of the light and close my eyes in resignment. As I lie stranded in the vast waters my calm deepens. I focus on my breathing as its waves gently lap in and out of me. My mind turns inward and the light exits my consciousness. As soon as I forget about the light, I start to feel an ominous presence enveloping me. I smell Christmas dinners with family, and homemade bread. I feel the familiar wrap of an old jacket, and a lost lover’s embrace. I hear birdsong in the forest, surrounded by fragrant blooms of lavender. Cold winter feet thawed by log fires, and the first warm breeze of summer. The rough tug of tree bark on young hands, and echoes of old friends' voices. I embrace the bliss, bask in its warm glow, gliding in nostalgia. A sharp buzz shatters my illusion and I quickly awaken. Harsh reality floods back into my mind as I open my eyes to see the clock blinking on 8:15 AM. I roll over to stop the annoying sound, and turn off the alarm. I stare through the ceiling and clench my jaw. Another day begins too soon. &#x200B; .