She was alone again.

The dark walls were closing in on her, and she could feel the cold air pressing down her throat, filling her lounges until she thought they would explode. She tried to focus, taking a few steps forward, then back again. The concrete floor felt cold against her bare feet and all she wanted to do was to curl up into a ball, hide in a corner, close her eyes and don’t open them until she knew she was safe again.  

Deep down, she knew she was dreaming; knew she was reliving moments from the past that she was trying to forget.  

But she couldn’t forget.  

It was still so real, so fresh to her memory, that every time she closed her eyes, it was there. The fear. The hunger. The cold.  

She was tossing around on her bed, in her sleep, silently praying, wishing, that someone would wake her up. The white linen sheets were tangled around her legs, the pillow wet from tears, her body tense, trying to protect itself from the cold that didn’t even exist.   She was floating now. Her legs were no longer touching the ground. Suddenly, she felt herself being dragged out of the cold. Fresh, warm air filled her lounges, the smell of the ocean hit her, and the sound of waves filled her ears. In her sleep, she smiled to herself. 

She was finally safe, finally home again.