Nightmare

I bolted upright in a panic, staring into the blackness of night. I could hear my breath coming out in short gasps as my chest moved frantically in an effort to keep the same pace. I could feel my heart thumping wildly in my chest as if attempting to escape. I remembered it was all a tragic nightmare and tried to calm myself down. It was the same nightmare I’d been having all week. Only it wasn’t a nightmare, it was a horrific memory from my childhood.