"Mama, I can't sleep. There are monsters," I would say.
Mother shook her head and chuckled.
"Don't worry. It's all in your head, sweetie."
She tucked me in, kissed my forehead and laid beside me until I fell asleep.
I was four.

"Mama, I can't sleep. There are monsters," I would say.
Mother shook her head and sighed.
"There aren't any monsters. It's all in your head."
She tucked me in, kissed my forehead then went to bed.
I was ten.

"I can't sleep. There are monsters," I would say.
Mother would leave the room without saying a word.
I never saw her much after that.
I was fourteen.

"I can't sleep. There are monsters," I would say.
No one would listen.
"It's your head," the doctors would say.
Nurses gave me pills to help me fall asleep.
I was seventeen.

"I can't slee-" They wouldn't let me finish my sentence.
Nurses rushed in to strap me into the bed.
They injected something into my arm to make me fall asleep.
I never made it to eighteen.

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