The scream startled me awake

And I jerked.

“You okay?” he said,

And he rolled toward me.

“Silly nightmare”, I said

But he curled into ne.

“The usual one?”

“Yes. The usual one.”

He sighed and kissed me,

“You’re safe you know.”

“I know. It’s just that….”

My voice fell away.

“No more tonight. You’re safe.”

He snored in minutes.

I lay there, my heart still racing,

The scream echoing in my head

And I feared the fall into sleep.

So many years later

But still the screams

That never completely died.