deep sleep

My whole body hurt me--my shoulders, my hips, my knees--but i could sleep. I could dream.

For the first time it seemed to me that sleep was a place. When i look back on it, I know that up to that point in my life, i always fought sleep. i never really wanted to run away into it. Even when I was afraid in the hills and the fires were burning, I wanted the fire to go away, the angry bandits to go away. I didn't want to flee into sleep. Flee into my mother's arms, yes. Flee to our own safe house, yes. But not to sleep.

But now, in this sickness, when my shoulders and legs were hurting me, if felt good to tumble down into deep sleep.