Nightmare

I had a ghastly dream last night. I was in the company of a young girl and her father. Behind them, lying on a bed was an elderly woman whom I took to be the grandmother. As I watched, the grandmother began to shiver and tremble, unseen by the others. This increased to vigorous shaking, then convulsions. Despite her guttural moaning, and the thumping of her legs on the mattress, the others showed no interest. I saw a pale blue froth all over her face and she looked scared stiff. Suddenly she went rigid, eyes wide open and I knew she had died.

 

I awoke abruptly with an intense sensation of dread.



 

***

 

This morning, after a full night's sleep with no disturbances or interruptions I arose with the images still on my mind. Although early, I took myself off to the gym. During an intense thirty minutes of interval work on the Elliptical my heart rate reached 169 and my pores opened and released a drenching sweat. The heat, power, intensity, then a drive home with the car windows down savouring the icy chill, brought clarity and calm.