Dream by justine mclaughlin

The Dream

I dreamt
I was sleeping
I dreamt I was
Dreaming
Dreaming of a fox
But it was real
Real I tell you
Pacing in circles
In the space
In the front of my bed
Pacing
Circling
Pacing
Circling
Till it sat
Back facing me
Upright
Proud
Guarding me
Calm
I lay still as a corpse
Holding breath
Did he see me?
Could he smell the fear?
An eye movement later
He was snaring
At something next to me
Making ravaged sounds
He was hungry
Or angry
Nestling his snout
Violently
Into the pillow
Next to me
His tail brushed over
My hair
He’d found mew
Will I die?
I looked up
Time 4 AM