Like so many times before, I slowly rose from the warmth of my bed. My feet slid out from under the covers, and onto the carpet. The constant hum of the air conditioner filled the room, accompanied by the soft pad of my feet as I shuffled toward the bedroom door.

It was still too early for any light to show through the blinds, but I wouldn’t have noticed nor cared from behind my closed eyelids. I’d memorized the path after walking it all those times before.

I arrived at the only real obstacle in my path, and reached up groggily to unlatch the lock on my sliding glass door. It slid open smoothly as I stumbled out onto the balcony. I took one final step forward, and as I flung myself over the railing, my eyes snapped open.

“Great, not this dream again,” I sighed, as I waited for myself to wake up while rapidly accelerating toward the pavement below. Unfortunately, it was only a brief moment before the impact that the realization hit me.

Maybe it’s not a dream this time.