It appears without a whisper of warning. The strange but all-too familiar beast has woken. It paralyses her mind, no longer able to focus, as it feeds fear into her system. Heart pounding faster by the seconds, rapid fire runs through her and racing thoughts consume her. Trapped in a doorless room with no windows and no light, she wonders if this is where she will remain forever.

Eyes closed, she focuses on deep breaths. Thoughts slow down, becoming mindful of place, no longer walking by the schoolyard fence, nobody laughing, nobody sniggering. The glitch is not always simple to catch before it becomes the monster within. Deeper breaths now fill the space with gratitude and sunlight.

 

 

 

 

© Sabrina Dudgeon-Swift. From Twice Not Shy published by Night Parrot Press.

 

 

Sabrina Dudgeon-Swift is descended from the Bardi people from north of Broome, and the Gija people in the East Kimberley. Her short stories and flash fiction writing have been published by Margaret River Press, Westerly and Night Parrot Press. Sabrina especially enjoys writing for children, and has been published by Fremantle Press.

 

 

www.nightparrotpress.com