Sleep Comes at Last

The dim light from the street lamps helped her see it was ten of ten. Savannah Link angrily begged for sleep. Her only refuge was being denied her. In just the other room, her mother was moaning and wailing in sorrow. Sleep was the only way to escape it, but the noise was keeping her conscious. "Note to self: Get stronger alcohol and more of it next time," she grumbled her temper shortening by the minute.

She attempted every cliche tactic to drown it out. The radio worked to keep out the cries, but the music was far worse to listen to. Muffling it out with pillows made her too uncomfortable. Knowing her mother the wails would be done by morning. Seven hours to go. Savannah resisted all temptation to silence her mother herself. It would only end with a visit from the authorities.

But as it always does, sleep eventually crept over her and rescued her from the troubles of the waking world. The forever welcome darkness blind and deafened her from her worries. Tonight was different though. She was rescued only to be flung into far worse troubles.