Happy Birthday

A hoarse sigh ripped its way out of my dry throat. The sound was pathetic, scraping against the quiet walls of the room. I shifted my weight toward my right side. My muscles protested the movement. I pulled my knees up, curling my body into a tight ball. Sleep was the only thing I wanted. I needed to fall back into that dark, dreamless void. Waking up today sounded like a terrible idea.

The heada