"No no NO GET AWAY FROM ME!!" I screamed only to be yanked out of my nightmare by my alarm blaring. I sat up covered in sweat and panting, clutching my shirt trying to call down. I could feel my knuckles twitch from how hard I was latched on. I couldn't think straight, it always seemed so real. I should be use to it, but I couldn't stop shaking. I've need suffering from realistic nightmares for 6 years now. It just started happening and nothing has been able to stop them. I wake up with aches in my vocal cords and my throat sore from screaming. Bruises from twitching and thrashing around through the night.

I've been to doctor after doctor, physiologist after physiologist. Nothing ever helped and my parents; thou loving, ended up buying noise canceling headphones to sleep. I don't blame them, I'd get sick of the screams too. I remember staying awake for a couple days at a time. I'd pass out at bus stops, on swings, and walking home. I was assigned a walking buddy by the school about the third time I passed out at the bus stop. Sure my classmates thought I was faking. Even some of my teachers were skeptical. Having one student with a rare condition was hard. I was usually sat in back and I often heard people talking about me while drifting to sleep. It never bothered me. I obviously had bigger concerns than making friends.

My parents worked out a deal with my school. I'd get homework packets everyday, including lectures and I'd due them every night before school. If my grades remained high, then there wasn't a problem. They weren't easy by any means and sometimes harder than other students homework. Though I kept it up, it's not like I had a choice.

I slowly got ready and tried not to fall down the stairs again. My lunch on the corner table next to the front door, along with my book bag and my umbrella. Looks like mom thinks it will rain today. Both my parents worked. My dad in a publishing firm, and my mother worked from home in the back office. I got my shoes slipped on and when I opened the door I saw (f/n)'s bright smile.

"You're up faster than normal," They smiled. "I didn't notice," I tried to say with at least a little energy. "Well come on. Did you need to hold my hand or can you manage today," they asked supportively. "I mean it wouldn't hurt," I smiled as they took my hand and we walked to school. "So how were the nightmares today. Do you need to talk about it?" They asked softly. "They weren't as bad today. The same nightmare I had yesterday. I still kept waking myself up and I'm still tired. I wish I didn't have to sleep," I mumbled before yawning. "Yeah yeah I know, but on the bright side we have a study hall for 3 classes now because of our midterms yesterday so you won't have so many homework packets," They said cheerfully and I nodded.

The rest of the walk was calm and quiet. I tried to relax as much as I could with out falling asleep while walking again. We walked into the school and (F/n) helped put my umbrella and other things into my locker. Then to our first classroom where I immediately fell asleep as soon as I sat down. I woke up to a packet being placed on my desk and people chatting between classes. (F/n), who was sitting in front of me turned to face me. "You fell asleep faster than normal. Didn't even make it through attendance," they joked. "Yeah I thought today would be better, I guess not," I yawned. "Well next is study hall so if you want I can help you with your packet," they offered. "No it's ok. I'll do it tonight. I need something else to keep me awake anyway," I signed and they looked concerned. "Ok. Well if that's the case how about some coffee? I brought some in my thermos today since I woke up a little early. Want a cup," They smiled. "If you wouldn't mind," I smiled back. They nodded and reached over to their book bag and pulled out a small thermos. Enough for 2-3 cups of liquid. They unscrewed the cap and poured me a drink. I took in a slowly sipped.

I'm not even a big fan of coffee. It's always a little too bitter, and leaves a strong aftertaste in my mouth. Though it did make me all warm inside. It did help me stay a little more alert. Managing to be awake for half of study hall thanks to (F/n) talking to me; before dropping in and out of consciousness before completely passing out. The rest of the day was a blur and I managed to make it through the day a little more awake than normal.

I crawled into bed. I accepted my fate and closed my eyes. I was suddenly in a city. Skyscrapers, shops, yet no people. Everything looked run down. I quickly ran into the closest building. A bread shop. I hid under a table, and planned to wait out the horrors that I knew were coming. Didn't take long before I saw deformed unsettling creatures walk past the glass. One after another as if on parade. Till one made eye contact with me and I ran to the back of the shop. I heard footsteps coming after me! Growls and groans too terrifying to be human. I made it out the backdoor where I headed down the alley. I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. I won't be made to feel death if I keep running. I didn't dare look behind me. I just kept running till I saw a beast unlike anything I've ever seen appeared before me. It was massive, the body of a slug, with the ruff texture of a cobra. Millions of mouths with sharp teeth covered it's body; along with many tentacles. The creature roared and I stopped abruptly, tripping and hitting the ground. My body shaking from pain as I tried scrambling to my feet only to be pushed back down by a creature behind me. My heart racing and my mind frantically looking for a way out. Before I could try to get away again I was grabbed by one of its many tendrils. I knew this feeling too well. I know what will happen next and I still screamed. I screamed bloody murder, as it threw me at the concrete bellow. I braced for impact knowing I was going to get the sensation of breaking my spine. When at the last second I got caught by something. My eyes too scared to open. It felt human, yet I've been tricked like this before. I then felt my body being set on the ground then footsteps running away from me. I peeked to see the silloete of a man running toward the beast with sword in hand. I watched him fight and slay the beast then running back to me. I screamed as he grabbed me. Throwing me over his shoulder and sprinting away. I latched on to whatever I could and found myself unable to stop screaming and pleading for my life. Is he going to kill me himself. Murder me slowly. It's not like he's being gentle. We stopped at a dead end alley where he pacticlly dropped me onto my butt. I braced myself for an attack that never came. Covering my face and gritting my teeth. Yet nothing ever happened. I slowly opened my eyes to see him looking at be bored and almost irritated. Did he think I was just being dramatic?

"Who are you," I choked out still shaken from what just happened. My hands clutching my shoulders, unable to calm myself down. "Does it matter," he said with tone that didn't exactly evoke conversation. I slumped forward... If was going to kill me he would have done it by now. Right? I sat there trying to get myself together, usually I wake up by now. He sat next to me abruptly. Letting gravity do all the work. I tensed up and didn't dare to move. "Relax," he said in my direction. The same tone as before. His shield still in hand and his sword in its sheath. "Why am I not waking up," I said quietly kinda hoping he didn't hear. It's finally not scary and now it's the anticipation of something attacking that's making it worse. I can't deal with the suspense. My eyes just darting across the opening of the alley. Hidden yet so out in the open. After a while I finally stopped shaking. He seemed unbothered by all of this. He just did combat yet he's acting like I just woke him up from a nap.

They say a mind can't create faces, I'm wondering where I've seen him before. Maybe in class? I'm always falling asleep so I'm not sure who's really in my class. He had dark hair, and honey colored eyes. He was almost as tall as an adult but I'm sure he was around my age. I was distracted and I felt myself starting to relax. I jolted. "Wait what if a monster comes!" I panicked but out of the corner of my eyes I noticed his eyes closed.

I slowly exhaled. "He's right I should calm down. He did protect me just now... I... I guess I should be great full and at least trust him for now," I thought as I hugged my knees. I spaced out for what seemed like hours, just waiting, hoping I'd wake up soon. The silence of the world was almost relaxing. Finally the monster screams and cries were muted. I scanned the ally entrance as if a creature could come at us any second. Were we really ok hiding out in the open, shouldn't we be in a building? I guess he would know best. I slowly let my eyes close. A strange foreign feeling of pure bliss. Your muscles loosing tension, your heart slowing down. A feeling like you're walking on air that was so foreign to me.

Suddenly my alarm snapped me back to reality. I jolted up, for once I wasn't out of breath, I wasn't in pain. I forgot how this felt. My body was relaxed! I felt tears run down my face. Using my hands to wipe them away I mumbled, "Thank you my Knight," in relief. I got up and opened my window taking a deep breath of that morning air. "Good Morning (Y/n)!" I looked down to see my best friend waving at me. "Be down in a minute," I smiled and they looked surprised. I quickly got dressed, almost forgetting my bag in the process. Ran past the mirror to check my hair as I hastily brushed it, then throwing the brush in the umbrella stand by the door. I opened the door and I felt amazing as the sun shined on my face.

"(Y/n) what's going o-,"

"I GOT A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP!" I yelled hugging them. "Wow that's amazing! So what finally broke the cycle," they asked excited. "A knight," I smiled before skipping past them. "A night of what?" They called out confused trying to catch up to me. With the wind on my face I never felt so alive. I'm fully awake! I have so much energy! Could I feel like this every morning, maybe the cycle really is broken, maybe.... just maybe, I don't have to be afraid of my bed anymore. I looked at the clouds and smiled really wide!

"Thank you my Knight."