Slumber

By Shelly Seong

The lashes drop heavily on her lids.

She falls into a deep slumber

and awakes at dusk.

Evanescent peace blankets over her as she closes her eyes,

away from the reality of the superficial world.

"Go to bed," her mind instructs her body.

"Surrender and retreat to the bedpost."

It is then when a supernatural force extracts all the strength out of her body

and turns into an empty carcass.

She is lifeless, numb, and indifferent to the world.

She sleeps to escape the truth.

She sleeps to validate her weakness.

She sleeps to avoid confrontation.

She sleeps to enter another world.

But even when she lies asleep, her mind runs a continuous marathon.

Images, voices, and scenarios of doubt haunt her subconscious state

and she realizes that even in her dreams,

she cannot entirely break free from the demons that cling to her.