- Nooo!!!

I jumped up in bed.

Phew… It was just a dream.

Dream…

His heart was still beating wildly, he dug his fingers into his hair and pulled with all his might. I hope that at least this way it will be possible to drive away the remnants of the horror that I experienced in a dream.

Out of habit, he stretched towards the second half of the bed. But it, as before, for the last five days, was empty.

As soon as breathing was restored, he lay back on his pillow. For a few seconds he thoughtlessly examined the ceiling, chasing away the sticky remnants of sleep. Then...