The exhaustion is taking its toll. My arms and legs feel weighted. My head feels as if it is attached to a cinderblock. As much as I wish to move, I can’t. Frustration seeps through my body as I try to make sense of my muddled thoughts. One thought is clear; sleep is the only thing that makes sense to me now.

My desperation for the elusive necessity of peaceful slumber is at an all time high. All I wish to do is close my eyes and get the rest my body requires. The need for sleep is close to overtaking my decision to stay awake. My eyes flicker shut for only a moment, but they reopen in terror of what is to come.

What horror awaits for me tonight? I think back to the most recent nightmare that my mind created. I remember sprinting frantically as the monsters of smoke and fire were chasing me through my burning house. I can practically smell the ash. I can still feel the flames grazing my skin as I try to find a way out. I can’t escape. The maze of fire is filled with dead ends. No one can hear my screams. I shake my head to take myself out of the painful memory.

I know I won’t last much longer. My eyes scream in pain. “They can’t hurt you,” I remind myself, as I finally give in. They are only dreams.