They are always watching 

He sleeps away 

hibernating 

They were always awake 

Five A.M., the alarm goes off, telling me to start getting ready for the day. I reach up and grab my phone, turning off my alarm and sit up. My body aches, the futons I sleep on doing nothing to cushion my body from the hard floor. I stretch my arms above my head, my bones popping as I do so. Sighing, letting my hands flop onto my lap, I roll onto the floor. Closing my eyes once more, only for a moment, the chilling tiles feeling like cool water against my skin. 

Opening my eyes, I avoid gazing into my closet, who knows what will look back if I do. I reach over and grab my glasses off my laptop, placed there from the previous night. And, begrudgingly, I push myself off the floor and stand in front of my dresser, still a mess. I grab my toothbrush from its place in a coke bottle and look over to where my toothpaste is. Empty. The tube, stripped of all its toothpaste, now sat there as thin as could be. Sighing, I turned away from my dresser hoping there was more toothpaste in the bathroom cabinet. 

I could feel their eyes watching me, mixed in with posters taped the walls. My room barely illuminated by the dim light from the lamp that sat outside my window, the shadows seemed darker than ever. Giving a quick glance at the pile of the clothes sitting near my bed and the papers scattered on the floor, I made my way to the door. I still don’t look into the closet. Past the fan blowing at the edge of my bed, around the chair the sat by my desk, and by the table that sat an empty fishbowl, I found my way to the door. And there I stood, readying myself for the pitch-black darkness that awaited me, to be put on display for all their eyes. 

Summer days gone 

The shadows wait 

For the show to begin 

Placing my hand on the doorknob I slowly opened the door. It creaks and I hold my breath, everything seems so much louder. The bathroom was directly across from my room, so close yet so far. Walking out into the dark, I could feel my heart beating out of my chest, terrified. I quietly closed the door behind, this time it seems to scream. I rushed into the bathroom. I could feel their eyes on me from either side, piercing me. Turning on the light in the bathroom, I look back as I close the door. The darkness waiting for me to walk out once again. 

With winter breaths 

they wait for him 

The light not his savior 

Once the door was closed, I made my way to the bathtub, my eyes never meeting the mirror. I sat on the edge of the bathtub, waiting. The silence was chilling, my mother’s fan rattling from the next room over. I knew, deep down, that if I really wanted, I could start brushing my teeth. I just had to get up, move over the sink and begin. But, I just couldn’t will myself to do so. I had to wait my turn. The fear of seeing someone else staring back at me, the fear of seeing “her” staring back at me, kept me sitting there, waiting patiently. 

Bringing chilly winds 

She starts her day 

Don’t cut in line 

Once the minute was up, I walked over to the sink and looked at the mirror. A head of messy curls and tired eyes stared back at me. I turned away, placing my toothbrush on the sink and moved over to the cabinet. Opening the door, fear rising in my chest for just a second, my eyes scanned over its contents. Once spotted, I grabbed a box of toothpaste. Closing the cabinet behind me I begin to get the toothpaste out of the box. I placed the empty box on the rack near the sink and grabbed my toothbrush. I turned on the sink and placed my toothbrush under the chilling water, it reminded me of the tiles. Now wet, I opened my toothpaste and squeezed a dollop of toothpaste onto the bristles. I then placed it under the water once more and began brushing my teeth. 

Back and forth, back and forth. I brushed my teeth, the cooling mint helping to wake me up a bit more. Staring back at my reflection, I let my mind wander, thinking about what I could read once I was done getting ready. I let myself forget, just for a moment, about their eyes, about “her”. Once I deemed that I had brushed for long enough, I spit out the white foam, watching in swirl down the drain. I then placed my toothbrush under the water once again, rinsing it off. I then shook off excess water off my toothbrush, placing it to the side, and cupped my hands under the water. Leaning down, I bring the water into my mouth and swish it around a few times. I repeat this until all the foam is out of my mouth. 

Standing up straight I look at the mirror once more. Though, my hair still a mess, eyes looked a little less tired. Just a little more awake. Taking a deep breath in a prepare myself once again to submerge myself into darkness. Grabbing my toothbrush and toothpaste I turn towards the door. I grab the doorknob and open the door. This time prepared to face what lies ahead. 

Icicle fangs 

the snake glares down 

Onto a fearless mouse