Three O' Clock in the Morning

I woke up at three o' clock this morning.

Three o' clock is the only totally silent hour. No one is settling down to sleep, and no one is rising to start the day. The whole world is hushed.

I woke up and felt a bit strange. I guess it was mostly that I wasn't hungry, although I often am when I wake too early. I started to worry that I was going to throw up. After that, of course, I felt nauseous.

The nausea bloomed until I was panicking, for the first time in a long time. I can't even remember the last time I had a whole-hearted panic attack. I was terrified. I ran downstairs from my bedroom and into the dining room, where I had left my purse with its ginger gum. At least, I thought I had left my ginger gum in there. I rummaged, trembling like I was preparing to shed a skin, and hurried back upstairs to another bag in which I suspected I might have left the ginger gum.

It was indeed in the bag upstairs. I took two pieces and chewed for about twenty minutes before I finally felt calm enough to turn out the light and try to fall asleep once more.

I was starving hungry at breakfast this morning.

Nothing was wrong with me.

At least, nothing was wrong with my stomach.

~Emily