I open my eyes.

I see black.

I slowly lift the covers off of my head. It is Friday morning. I am reluctant to get out of bed since the covers keep me so warm and cozy. Also, I do not want to go into work today, because my boss has had me working late shifts all week and I haven't been able tot sleep well. All this added to the fact that I haven't spent quality time with my wife, who lay beside me unaware of my awakening and arias, gave good reason for me not to get out of bed., but just not good enough. I rise from my bed and limp over to the bathroom in an almost zombie-like manner. I begin my morning ritual of shaving, showering, and brushing my teeth, but not necessarily in that order. I don my work apparel. Which consists of a standard suit and tie, and proceed to the kitchen to grab an invigorating cup of coffee.. As I sit and drink my coffee , I open my Bible to Genesis 37:20 which reads, "Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams." I jokingly thought to myself how that this is what my boss at work is trying to do to me, rob me of my dreams and aspirations by over-working me to death. My thoughts drift to ym dream I had a a child; the vivid ones that i can still remember. I haven't dreamt in a while, due to total exhaustion with little sleep. I comforted myself in the fact that this was my last day of the work week. I was determined to sleep good tonight and sleep late the next morning. Perhaps me dreams would return before I start to hallucinate. Being caught up in this thought, almost lulling my back to sleep, made me late for work. I quickly close the bible and get up from the table. I look outside. It is a cloudy day in winter. The cold temperature in worsened by the high winds. I grab my coat and run out the front door to my car sitting in the driveway. As I fiddle with my key chain, trying to find the right one, I drop then in the snow. I quickly reach down to grab them. Upon backing out of the drive way, I notice a car that is sitting across the street down a little bit with a man sitting in the driver seat. The man quickly starts his car and drives off. Had I not been pressed for time, I might have thought more of it.

I return from work late as usual, though the frequency of this would turn the late arrival in to what would be known as "on time". As I scurry up to the front door, a car drives past my house ever so slowly and almost in an inquisitive manner. The car appeared familiar to me, but the thought fly ou of my mind , chased away by the cold and the weight of exhaustion. I open the door and am greeted by my lovely wife. She tells me to go lie down on the couch and she wi;ll bring me something to eat. No sooner do I fall on the couch, I am asleep; out like a light.

In my sleep, my mind begins to wander. I see my wife standing in front of me. HE smile makes me feel warm inside and brings me comfort. She sits down in front of me and starts tellng me how much she loves me. In the midst of her adoration she lets of a blood curdling scream. He face is one of great pain and terror, but quickly returns to is nice warm smile. She then asks me a question," Joseph, do you love me?" To this I vehemently reply yes, but no words come out. Her smile shrank and her eyes grew blank. She asked me again, Joseph, do you love me?" This time I to say yes louder, but not a sound come forth. What was left of a smile turns to a frown and her eyes look sad. She asks me again, "Joseph, do you love me?" I try to say yes, I try a hundred times but I cant get a word to come out. She stands to her feet and begins to cry very loudly. She turns, face in hands, and walks out of the room. I try to go after her but I cant move. I hear another loud scream, this one so much more loud and real, wakes me from my slumber.

I am relived to find that it was a dream. I call for my wife to come into the living room. When she does not answer, I get up to go find her. As I walk into the kitchen, I see the back dorm swung open with broken glass everywhere. I turn and look in the hallway and see what appears to be blood. The trails leads upstairs where I hear foot steps. Thinking my wife was upstairs with a cut from the glass I run up to her as fast as my feet can take me. I call to her, but no answer. I walk into my bedroom. I see her there lying on the floor over on the other side of the bed. I approach the body and see her lying there in a pool of her own bright red blood, mouth a gape and with a look of utter terror on her face. With the life left in her, she utters these last words, "Where were you, don;t you love me?" She goes limp. I fall to me knees in shock and agony. I feel a presence approach me from behind but am to bereft to react. I feel a cold blade run across the soft skin of my neck and the warmth of the blood running down my chest. I realize the screams I heard in my sleep belonged to my wife, and that the meaning of the dream became all too real.