Nightmares and Day Fears by Alessia Cataudella (pg

Nightmares and Day Fears

By Alessia Cataudella

It’s quite magnificent. The golden sun transforms my fair skin into one that’s sun kissed. The flares of light hold me in a warm embrace, while the tree behind provides a delicate shade--they balance each other perfectly. The bright green grass cushions the bottoms of my feet as the blossoming flowers smile and wave. This is what peace looks like. This is what peace feels like. It’s quite magnificent.

It’s quite miserable. The raging sun beams down on my burning skin. The sun kissed colour dissipates into one of a soft red fire. The glaring rays are hypnotizing; I’m floating in a lucid dream. The tree behind no longer protects me from the sun, but sits and waits to attack. The bees’ nest dangles from above with my name written in honeycomb. This is what doubt looks like. This is what doubt feels like. It’s quite miserable.

It’s quite maddening. Bee after bee swarm into my humorously large ear; they’re a parasite and I’m their host. As I shake my head, enough tears flood down my face to water the dead grass beneath me. They huddle in my ear but choose not to sting. I shake, and shake, and shake, until all the bees leave the ear except one. This is what pain looks like. This is what pain feels like. It’s quite maddening.

It’s quite maniacal. My ear twitches as the bee buzzes around. I try, but nothing will drive it away -- this is where it’s meant to be. The rest of the bees didn’t hurt, but this one stings like my fiery skin. Panic inhabits me, as I lose control of myself. Arms fly, face droops, my body crumbles to the ground. Suddenly, I wake up. The rough ground reverts back to a soft pillow and the blazing sun becomes a chandelier once again. . . but the lingering feeling of irritation remains in the ear. This is what nightmares look like. This is what day fears feel like. It’s quite maniacal.