Sleepwalking

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Boy was I tired? I don’t know what was wrong with me. I was waking up more tired than when I was going to bed. What was the point of sleep if it didn’t work? I was considering taking mine back to the shop and asking for a refund, or a replacement. I mean it was obviously faulty.

Every time my alarm went off, I swore and exclaimed that it was not fair. The thought of not being able to return to the luxury of my bed for another sixteen hours was devastating. But still I dragged myself out of bed, plodded to the shower and somehow got myself through the morning routine. If this was the real world, then I wanted to go back to my make believe one.

I usually was fully awake for the journey to work, but today I was really struggling. My brain seemed blurred and my eyelids drawn. I could feel myself nodding off. The experts advise you to get out and walk when you can feel sleep enveloping you. The problem for me was I was already walking. Sleep walking to work

Ting, ting! Ting, ting! A cyclist whooshed past me, bringing me back to my senses. I’d strayed into the middle of the path and had nearly collided with him. I rubbed my eyes and stretched myself and carried on walking. I was glad I was in the safety of the park. Nearly colliding with a cyclist was one thing, a Cardiff bus would be a whole lot scarier. I had to stay awake, I had to stay awake, I had to staaaaaaaaaaaa aweeeeerk. 

I don't know how many more steps I took. It couldn't have been more than ten. Then the side of my foot brushed the curb, my leg crumped underneath me. I was rolling, down, down, picking up speed. I was aware of my movement, but not conscious enough to stop it. 

If you ever need something to wake you up, can I recommend freezing cold water? The rolling stopped abruptly when I splashed into the river. The spray of water scaring the swan who was diving for krill nearby. I was lucky it was low tide, that the river wasn't swirling and chopping and tearing out to sea like it was on most days in Cardiff. I sat up in the shallows and rubbed my eyes. All my faculties seemed to be in order. I stood up and let the water sluice from me. I fished out my phone from my pocket. Amazingly it still worked.

“Yeah I’m going to be a bit late… Well you are not going to believe it I fell in the river.”

I was right, they didn't believe it.