5 OPHELIA CLARK
October 12
It was 12:30 AM and the pressure in my head felt like my brain was being separated from my skull with a crowbar. I kept expecting to hear a loud pop, followed by the feeling of ooze dripping from my ears. It was that time of the month again and the cramping in my abdomen was like nothing I’d ever felt before. And though my discomfort was mostly physical, I could feel a mental shift taking place, and it scared me more than anything. My thoughts were a mess. In my mind, I felt weak and powerful, strong and vulnerable, ordinary and mystical all at the same time.
I took my meds and hoped the shadow dreams would stay away tonight. Over the past three weeks, I had the same horrifying vision of the shadow, and as much as I tried to think happy thoughts before driftin
