Periaktoi Writing Post

"I'm a survivalist," Jeevan explained

crushed by a sudden certainty that this was it

the divide between a before and after

a line drawn through his life

He rarely thought of his old life anymore

although he had dreams sometimes about a stage,

an actor fallen in the shimmering snow,

and other dreams where he pushed shopping carts through blizzards

I never wanted any of this

He was filled with an inexpressible longing

She had been dreaming of a rehearsal space at a college

and she tried to hold on to this

clinging at these shreds

because it was obvious,

even before she was entirely awake,

that everything was wrong

I dreamt last night I saw an airplane

Impossible to imagine

Kirsten wanted to close her eyes, but she was afraid of what she'd dream if she slept

"Close your eyes, I'll sit here with you. Try to sleep"

during what seemed like a dream

The dream lasted just a moment, but the moment was bright

In the dream I was so happy

"We dream of sunlight, we dream of walking on earth"

"Back to normal," Jeevan says