I felt a sharp jerk. Something was pulling me backwards. No, I was falling. Plummeting.
Nothing. Just darkness. I wasn’t falling anymore. I was on my back. My eyes were open. I was sure they were. Why were they open?
I shut my eyes and lifted an arm. It barely lifted. Weighed down by the blanket. I lazily drew my hand to my chest and scratched it. I tugged down my shirt. I was hot.
Rolling onto my side, I pushed the blanket away. Down to my waist. I felt the futon under me. It was there. I was still on it. What was that strange feeling? Wasn’t I asleep? How did I fall?
It was still too hot. I rolled further away, onto my belly. My face half buried into the edge of my pillow. I paddled the blanket down my legs. Exposed to the open air, I finally started to cool down.
I heard a loud snore as Little Sis took a deep breath. I felt her roll away from me, dragging the blanket with her. For once, I was fine with that.
I looked up from the pillow. The room lightened. It was easier to see now. But, something told me it was still late at night. There was a ghostly glow at the door. Its eerie light sucked the life out of the room. The floor, the walls, the desk. It appeared pale, cold, and dead. Washed with a perfect blue.
The invisible web that protected our bed materialized, glimmering. A chill went down my back. I felt trapped, alone. I could hear Hotaru breathing, but she ignored my silent panic. I moved to wake her up, but caught myself. I thought of how silly I’d look. I could not ask my younger sibling for comfort.
The blue glow gradually disappeared. I calmed down. I could not see again. Nothing to fear. I grew hot again. My belly, this time. Rolling back, I sighed. I couldn’t sleep like this.