Awake Among Sleepers Who Dream

I don't mind the dark so much. It's the hour, the time when dark comes around that haunts me. It's the eerie silence of unconsciousness, and the quiet muffled sounds of white noise. I am awake among sleepers who dream blissfully and peacefully, who will wake in the early hours of the morning rested and ready to face the challenges of a new day. But not me. Though my eyes burn with exhaustion, I cannot close them to sleep. For when my eyes shut, it is just me; there are no distractions to fill that gaping hole of emptiness in the pit of my stomach. At this time, I feel more alone than ever.