Challenge

I awoke a bit doddled
and pressed my hand
mouthward to suppress
the scream wedged
firmly in my throat.

Caught between the rock
of reality and the roll
of ocean waves, my stomach
heaved ho and struggled
to pull me under.

I scribbled my last wish
on the closest available
scrap of parchment, a book,
and squished all thoughts
of normalcy today.