Slowly she realized that she couldn't do anything.
That eventually everything around her would fade, that she would have to learn to live without the people she held closest.
A deepening sense of regret filled every part of her mind; she clambered to find an off-switch to her thoughts.
To encourage sleep to take her, she rolled over onto her side to turn off the lights. As she laid her head on her pillow, intrusive thoughts began to form against her will.
In the day, she chose to ignore the fact that she was in control of her own life. Now she was alone with her thoughts, and her mind was able to put the blame on the true culprit.
Sleep was pushed aside and replaced with the much more pressing task of evaluating everything she had done.
Following the pattern of what happened every night, her mind began to picture things she didn't want to see. Flashing images of her loved ones being ripped away from her consumed her thoughts. From experience, she had learned that you can never go to sleep when you are scared.
She readjusted her pillow again, in some sort of deluded hope that the thing keeping her from sleep was her position. In horror, she saw herself growing old and useless.
Picturing this possible future, she felt sleep seep into her. While her mind was still in limbo, she closed her eyes. It would be a while till she was able to sleep.
Tomorrow she will forget all the promises she just made to herself. She will wake up rested and shielded from the turmoil of the night before. She will hoist herself out of bed ready to pass through another day. Since the sun will be up and it won't be getting late, her mind will drift to more important things, and will be reminded only when it's too late.
She will climb back into bed, wrapped in soft blankets and tired from the day. While everyone else in the house is asleep, unaware of what happens every night, the nightmare will start again.
That eventually everything around her would fade, that she would have to learn to live without the people she held closest.
A deepening sense of regret filled every part of her mind; she clambered to find an off-switch to her thoughts.
To encourage sleep to take her, she rolled over onto her side to turn off the lights. As she laid her head on her pillow, intrusive thoughts began to form against her will.
In the day, she chose to ignore the fact that she was in control of her own life. Now she was alone with her thoughts, and her mind was able to put the blame on the true culprit.
Sleep was pushed aside and replaced with the much more pressing task of evaluating everything she had done.
Following the pattern of what happened every night, her mind began to picture things she didn't want to see. Flashing images of her loved ones being ripped away from her consumed her thoughts. From experience, she had learned that you can never go to sleep when you are scared.
She readjusted her pillow again, in some sort of deluded hope that the thing keeping her from sleep was her position. In horror, she saw herself growing old and useless.
Picturing this possible future, she felt sleep seep into her. While her mind was still in limbo, she closed her eyes. It would be a while till she was able to sleep.
Tomorrow she will forget all the promises she just made to herself. She will wake up rested and shielded from the turmoil of the night before. She will hoist herself out of bed ready to pass through another day. Since the sun will be up and it won't be getting late, her mind will drift to more important things, and will be reminded only when it's too late.
She will climb back into bed, wrapped in soft blankets and tired from the day. While everyone else in the house is asleep, unaware of what happens every night, the nightmare will start again.