My eyes flew open and I sat up gasping for air – like in a movie when the actress or actor has a bad dream. Only mine wasn't a bad dream. Mine was reality. I looked over to where my digital clock stood, displaying "3:08 AM" tauntingly.
"Great." I moaned softly, pulling my pillow over my head.
There was no way on earth I'd manage to get to sleep now! I lay in bed for a few minutes before giving up, sliding myself out of bed in one slow and languid move. I slipped on my fluffy bunny slippers and opened my bedroom door as silently as I could. Every small whisper of a sound was loud in the silence of the early morning, and each step I took sounded as if I was stomping.
As I passed my father's study I noticed that the door was closed and that a thin sliver of light escaped from under it. My
