The Perfect Storm

~ 1 ~

Chapter One

Song: Mr. Sandman - SYML

*****

"Be enough for yourself first, the rest of the world can wait"

The sunlight reflects delicately off the surface of the water, creating a brilliant mosaic of colours which dance elegantly among the gentle waves. The sun seeps into everything; a comforting warmth to contrast with the icy chill of the ocean. Sharp calls of seagulls are muffled in the distance, the sounds of laughter and squeals of joy echoing from the crowded beach.

For one small moment everything is perfect, a serenity settling over the chaos of the world.

The next moment, everything collapses.

The previously soft sunlight now reflects harshly off the water. Once dazzling in beauty, now painfully blinding. The sounds, only seconds ago soothing and filled with warmth, suddenly seem uncomfortably loud, cries of joy turning into cries of helplessness and fear.

Everything is too bright...

Too harsh...

Too loud...

Then, in an instant, everything becomes silent as I am engulfed into darkness.

My head is pounding, every cell in my body desperate for relief from this mind-numbing anguish.

My lungs are screaming for oxygen, but I can't breathe.

I can feel myself falling further and further into the abyss, the darkness encompassing me...

*****

I wake with a gasp, allowing my lungs to be filled with the air I so desperately craved mere seconds ago.

Memories flood my mind instantly. I need them to stop.

My entire body is trembling. Harsh, ragged breaths preventing me from finding any sort of calm in this storm of emotions. Even in the darkness I can feel my head spinning with confusion, splotches flashing across my vision as I clutch desperately at the bedsheets.

Everything in my mind feels like it's playing in fast-forward. Memories flash through my mind, skipping, reversing, never pausing. I try to focus on one memory alone, but they crowd together and intertwine like weeds overpowering a delicate garden of roses. My mind struggles to keep up with the whirlwind of sensations and my heart threatens to beat out of my chest.

I just need to focus...

Breathe in...

Breathe out...

Breathe in...

Breathe out...

I'm not sure how much time passes, but eventually my breathing shifts from its harsh, uneven gasps into a semi-regular pattern.

I look down at my shaking hands, clasping them together to prevent the uncontrollable tremor.

Even when my body finally relaxes my mind is still reeling.

I should be shocked or scared, confused maybe, but instead I just feel numb. My entire body aches with fatigue, my eyes straining to make sense of shapes in the darkness.

I've been having the same dream almost every night for the past month, so often that at this point I should really have expected it.

My eyes adjust to the dark shadows of my bedroom as an eerie silence settles around me. It's too early even for the sound of the birds' morning call to ring through my window.