The worst way to wake up

"I love you"

"I love you too."

I looked at her. Her face, even though fuzzy and unclear was still the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. Who was this angel who has graced me with her companionship.

"Who are you?"

"Don't be stupid! Come on, I'm tired.."

I suddenly realized I was in my pajamas. I could have sworn it was day time.. but it was suddenly dark. I looked at her again. Her face seemed so familiar and yet so distant. But still, beautiful.

"Well? Are you coming to bed?"

"Yah... I guess.."

I walked slowly to her. I could not see where I was going and yet I didn't fall over anything. It seemed as if I glided towards her. Her face never became any clearer as I approached. Still fuzzy.

We talked for awhile. I told her all about myself. I'm not sure why because I almost knew for certain that she knew everything about me. But if she did, she showed no sign of it. She listened with the eagerness of a child, hanging on every one of my words. It seemed that she understood what I was saying, for once, someone understood me.

"I've told you so much about me, I think its your turn"

She laughed. A chill went through my body. That laugh, it seemed so familiar.

"Don't act stupid! You know who I am!"

Suddenly, with the fear and anguish that I can only imagine now, memory came flooding back. I knew her. I have seen her many times. Always at night. We always have the same conversation.

I began to cry.

"Why are you crying? What did I do?"

"Nothing, thats the problem. You're not real. This isn't real."

"Don't say that, I don't know whats gotten into you. Just come to bed, you'll feel so much better tomorrow."

"NO! I don't want to sleep. I don't want to lose you again."

I realized how useless those words are for even as they left my mouth I felt the wave of sleep come over me.

"You'll see, tomorrow is gonna be so much better. Tomorrow always is. You'll feel so much better. Just come to bed now."

Unable to fight, I went to her. I felt the warmth of her body against mine. The curves of her figure.

"I don't want to lose you again. I love you."

"Good night."



I awoke. The sun was in my eyes and yet I felt cold. There was nobody beside me. Just me. Alone again in my apartment as the world went by. I hate dreaming. No, thats not true. I hate waking up.

1. Quickly

The first worst way to wake up is quickly, not because the act of getting up quickly may result in neck/back pain, but because having to wake up quickly generally means there's a reason for it. Sure, your inital waking may be slow and controlled, but when the clock reads 9:15 and your final exam started at 9, that changes. Your sense of awareness goes out the window as you panic, trying to remember where you have to be, what you have to do, and why oh why can't the alarm wake you up in time? (Note: Often results in having to run to class with minimal required clothing and not having showered.)

Other reasons for this include being jostled awake by a loud noise or phone call, leaving you scrambling because you have no idea what happened or where the phone is.

2. From a nap (only if you wake up in the evening)

This only happens if you wake up when the sun is starting to fade. Results in initial shock caused by the fear that you've actually slept through the night and that it's now morning. Generally followed by relief when you see what time it really is.

3. In the middle of the night

Leads to massive disorientation, followed by the realization that you can either attempt to fall back asleep, thus turning your sleep into a nap, or you can just stay up and get through the day. Often is the cause (or result of) massive alterations to your sleep cycle.