Loony Bin

My eyes shot open.

My lungs hurt,
my heart hurts,
beating faster
and faster
and faster.

I can’t breathe,
I tell myself to breathe,
it’s not working.

I let out a scream:
a cry of
agony.

Nurses and security rush in.

There’s a towel on my forehead,
They’re trying to calm me.

No one can calm me.

“You have to breathe for me.”
The nurse is coaxing me,
“In and out.”

I try.

In.
Out.
In.
Out.

It’s working.

“That’s it, it’s okay.”

She holds me.
She’s so nice.

“What’s going on!?”
It’s George.
He’s trying to get past the security.

I look up at him from the nurse’s arms.

He looks so concerned.

I pull away and run towards him.
He holds me,
I grip him.

I can’t stop crying,
he doesn’t mind.

The nurse tells everyone to leave;
she lets George stay.

We lay on the bed,
he’s still holding me.

“What happened?”
I grip him harder.
I want to tell him
I just can’t stop
crying.
He shushes me,
and pets my hair,
and cuddles me.
“Baby, please tell me.”

I hiccup.

“I had a dream.”
He nods his head.
He wants me to tell him what it was about.
“It was a memory.”
He nods his head.
He wants me to tell him
what is was about.
“Daddy came home.”