Full circle

The little girl is sleeping, her red curls falling around her face. She is breathing shallow and fast, her eyes are darting under the lids. She starts to sweat and becomes twisted in the covers. Some unseen thing, something nameless is chasing her, she can’t see it, but she knows it is scary and will hurt her. She starts to jerk and whimper in her sleep as the beast closes in on her. Her little heart is pounding. She is suddenly awake and terrified, unsure now of where she is. She cries out and soon she hears footsteps coming down the hall and into the room. In the dark she feels her daddy’s safe strong arms around her. She feels loved and safe. Soon she begins to drift off again into a safe restful slumber…

A man is sleeping, his hair turning gray, his mouth parted just a little and a quiet snore comes from his lips. His hands are bruised and crossed on his chest, he frowns every so often. He twitches in his sleep. Something with a name is consuming him. He knows what it is and he knows there is no escape, but he still fights against it. He is scared, he is so very tired, and his body is battered and ravaged. He wakes with a jerk and looks around wildly. He is in pain and it is dark and he is alone. He calls out, it is heard via a baby monitor down the hall. He hears footsteps running down the hall and then he feels warm soft arms around him, red curls brushing against his cheek. She checks to see what she can do to help him, but there is nothing… he just needs her. She comforts him and tells him he is loved and that it is ok if he is too tired to fight anymore. She tells him that he is a great Daddy. He calms and eases into a quiet deep sleep, soon his breathing grows fainter and shallower until it stops all together and he drifts off into a safe restful slumber…