The Passing

I listen to the thrum of distant traffic.
The familiar noises of the night.
My eyes sting, my body slackens.
I stare at the ceiling, mind empty.

Slowly, the noise begins to quiet.
The thrum deteriorates into a hollow silence.
I feel a slow, rhythmic beat, start to pulse through my body.
My heart skips a count.

My senses cloud further, as the ripple penetrates my consciousness.
Feelings of dread and despair wash over my psyche.
I feel my muscles tighten in fear.
The steady pulse overwhelms my own rapid palpitations.

The atmosphere begins to grow thick with condensation.
The moisture clings to my body, I feel it drag on my skin.
I feel weak under its crushing weight.
Relentless throbbing overwhelms my senses.

My body feels numb.
The deafening pulse penetrates my core.
My eyes begin to close..
Cold air saturates my lungs..

The pulse slows..
I can feel a shift in the atmosphere..
The pressure starts to subside.
I can breathe.

The pulse fades, I grow weary.
My limbs start to relax.
My eyes sting.
I hear a faint thrum in the distance.