Darkness Falls

The best way to describe the terror was a brief moment of total paralysis followed by the cool breeze of a cold sweat which then transformed into near suffocation.  Sweaty as I was, I was not about the let even one toe poke out from under the blankets lest I become vulnerable to attack. Each time I waited it out until my body temperature returned to normal and I could breath again.  This would repeat itself every few minutes until sleep finally rescued me.

I was one of those scared kids.  Each night I slept in the hall while my parents watched MASH.  I watched (or listened to) so much MASH that when the show ended when I was the tender age of 12, I bawled my eyes out for hours.  Hawkeye, Hot Lips and the gang were my bedtime companions, offering a new bedtime story each night.  I don't recall ever making my way to my bed each night.  I think that was before my Dad left and he carried me to bed every night.  At least I hope that's how it happened.

Photo by Nika Fadul