Jess sprang awake, the echo of her scream still ringing in her ears. She was drenched in sweat, her sheets sticking to her. She glanced towards her night stand. The alarm clock read 4:18.
“Fuck, another night’s rest ruined,” she grumbled.
This had become a pattern for her. At least 3 times a week, she’d wake up, screaming. It had been going on for the past 4 months, and it was starting to show. The bags under her eyes were getting harder and harder to hide under make-up. The constant supply of coffee wasn’t keeping her as energized at work. Her appearance was starting to slip too. Just the prior week, she walked into work wearing mismatched knee-highs and tennis shoes.