Lucky Sweven

I went to bed that night, feeling restless, anxious, worried about everything going on, concerned about whether I would be able to continue at the pace I've been going, afraid I was going to finally crack under the pressure of my life. Not even crack, but experience a seismic shift.

Sleep was a long time coming, as I stared into the darkness, trying to quiet my thoughts and force my mind to be still. Sleep, when it did finally come, was fitful. I stirred just before dawn, reveling in the hazy feeling of being both awake and asleep at the same time. I left my bed and walked downstairs, gazing out the front door, admiring how night and day collide in the sky, creating a misty, pre-dawn, pale sunshine.

A shrill ring cut through the stillness. Who in the world would be calling at this early hour?

I picked up the phone, my heart racing, knowing that it had to be something bad. Bad news to start the day.

"Hello?"

"Hi," I heard in return.

It was a strange, yet soothing voice. But there was something...something that was eerily familiar, yet not familiar. But it tugged at the recesses of my memory, gently prodding me to remember.

"I'm here," the deep voice whispered, barely audible over the rhythmic, electronic static that hummed through the poor connection.

"Where?" I asked.

"Behind you," he replied. And I felt the strong presence of someone. Of something.

I waited to be frightened, waited for my skin to break into goosebumps, waited to feel dizzy with terror, waited to give way to the scream that should have been building in the back of my throat.

None of that happened.

Instead, I carefully hung up the phone, cradling it in the receiver. Then, I allowed myself to relax, free-falling backward into two powerful arms that swept me up and held me.

"It's okay," he whispered, his breath warm against my ear and neck. "I love you. You're not alone. I'm here, and it's okay. You're going to be okay."

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. Tears of relief. And I felt at peace.

He held me tight, pressing my head to his chest for a moment. As he carried me upstairs, I rested my head against his shoulder, looking back, aware that his feet left deep imprints in the plush carpet. He laid me down in bed, and continued to hold me, stroking my hair. I drifted back to sleep, unconcerned with the fact that I never saw his face.

When I awoke again, this time to bright sunshine pouring through the window, I had only one thought...When you looked back and saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.