Daybreak and Dreamscapes

Now unto day

Now unto day----12/20/2013 5:15am

She materialized from the darkness; her smooth feminine curves hugging, no, arresting the dim glow of the television. Her voice echoed in my head; an indecipherable collection words spilled haphazardly into my fading dream / reality transition. I strained to find clarity but found my body still chained to that other world. A squirming infant stirred on my chest. I knew he too wanted nothing more than to shoo away the disturbing sounds. I peered at her through slitted eyes. She repeated her request yet I could barely hear it. My body, however, obeyed its command. I sat up and pivoted my head to survey the room.

"You can move to the other side of the bed now." She said and I finally understood.

I looked over at the large red glowing face of our digital clock. It scolded me with its offensive glaring. Four Thirty AM it teased. I felt sleep still tugging at my eyelids.

'Ok' I though but all I managed was a nod.

I didn't move though. I was trapped in the passing of minutes which traveled like seconds. She asked again, waiting for me to reply. I was frozen in time - suspended in processing. She stood there nudging me silently with her eyes. My body suddenly becoming lubricated with motive. Sleep was the goal; I had to reclaim it. I planted my feet on the cold carpeted floor. The squirming infant began to quietly squeak. I shushed him gently as I reoriented my entire body. My head now pointing north toward the wall. She lifted two of her fingers and kissed them with her lips. She shuffled a single step toward me and pressed the fingers onto my forehead.

"I'll see you later," she rasped, "Do you work today"

Her words offended my slumber. My body was already beginning to make me a slave to sleep. The blankets were my shackles and the pillow was my guillotine. I was ready to surrender. I was tired.

I answered her with grunts and nods. She asked her question again. I struggled to translate and found the word 'yes' buried beneath my fatigue. She pressed on with more question with business precision. Sleep was losing. The blood began to rush up to my brain, flicking on the switches and turning on the lights in my mind. I held tightly to the covers embracing the comforter with my full body. I gritted my teeth but drew in a lungful of air to counter the rising irritation. I exhaled fully and drank in another gasp of atmosphere before coming into full coherence. She smiled at my demise. I sneered and swore my revenge.

"I love you and I'll see you later"

I was only able to answer with a stare.

She exited the room with a satisfied stride. She hurried off to work while I shut my lids tight hoping to slip back into dream. Unfortunately the train had left without me. I layed there, cursing the dark of the room, damming the voices that screamed at me through the television. I looked down at the squirming body on my chest and he stared at me with bright innocent eyes sleepily asking to be fed. I inhaled and exhaled in rapid succession and rose to my feet. I nestled the infant down into a nest of warm blankets. I fell to my knees, bowed my head, and prayed.

I thanked God for giving me another day to live. I asked him to forgive me of my sins. I told him I would remember him and do only his work and I rose to my feet with his promises in my palms.

The squirming infant was now no longer asking but demanding to be fed. I made him a bottle, scooped him up into my arms, and fed him from the plastic tube until his eyes drooped in satisfaction.

This was my morning.

Now onto day.

Antonio-Jermaine Young