The world swam before my eyes. I tried to remember what had happened last time- hallucinations? There was a part of myself locked away, trapped on the other side of the gulf inside my mind and I had just pushed it even further away.

Reality fell apart. The shadows I relied on to hide me recoiled and pointed at me with taloned fingers. Panic set in. I had to leave right away! I had to run!

I struggled in the snow but ended up falling and thrashing around like an animal. I was going to die. The entire world was conspiring to kill me. I wasn’t thinking coherently but my mind was jumbled with terrifying images. My heart thundered in my ears. Two words escaped from my mouth and mind at the same time. A whisper in the air, a mental shout, “HELP ME!” The shadows engulfed me and I lost consciousness.

The next sensation I became aware of was of being carried. I tried to say something but my face was stiff.

Shhh, go back to sleep. Everything will be all right.

Except that it was my own voice talking to me.