Eddie lay in bed, all ten years of age, waiting to drift\naway,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recounting the day that was and like all young\u2019uns looking\nforward to Saturday,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eyelids feeling heavy now, the sweet embrace of sleep \u2018bout\nto settle in,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another school day comin\u2019 up tomorrow morning, the\ninterruption was most unwelcome,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In walked Momma, little brother Mario in tow, tears running\ndown his face like he\u2019d just seen a ghost,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traumatized \u2018bout a story teacher read to class, no blood or\ngore but nevertheless shook him to the core,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Can your lil\u2019 brother sleep here tonight?\u2019 asked Ma,\n\u2018something teacher read to \u2018im seemed to give him severe trauma,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was room for two but Eddie wasn\u2019t having it, all that\nspace taken by the little squirt, he wasn\u2019t goin\u2019 for it,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then he took one look at Mario\u2019s tears and wobbly mouth\nbefore he reluctantly relented,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Climb aboard, Bro,\u2019 he invited, \u2018but don\u2019t take up space,\nyou kick me once I\u2019ma smack you in the face\u2019,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lil\u2019 Bro complied and immediately latched on, pulled Big Bro\ninto a tight embrace, that little kid sure is strong,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot so tight,\u201d protested Eddie, \u201cI can\u2019t breathe!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m scared,\u201d answered Mario, \u201cthey\u2019ll kill me in my\ndreams!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Too sleepy to wrestle off the kid, got too much pride to tap\nout,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then much to his frustration, Kid Brother was the first to\ngo lights out,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How\u2019s he off in Dreamland while his grip remains tight?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eddie squirmed and shook but couldn\u2019t shake him, try as he\nmight,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tempted to smack that lil’ fool but fearful of the repercussions, he\u2019ll hear it loud and clear from the parents, little siblings are masters at dobbin\u2019 and snitchin\u2019,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arms are feeling numb, that kid\u2019s cuttin\u2019 off circulation,\ngotta do something now \u2018fore he runs out of oxygen,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He wriggled like a gator crushed by an anaconda, careful not\nto knock Mario and wake him,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Limited arm movement meant that legs did most of the heavy\nlifting,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Miraculously the snake loosened its grip, remained in a deep\nsleep,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blood rushed back into Eddie\u2019s limbs before leaving a\nfeeling of needles and pins,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From there he finally drifted off, melatonin finally kicked\nin,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another day ended, not quite as expected, gotta get up early\nto do it all again. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Eddie lay in bed, all ten years of age, waiting to drift away, Recounting the day that was and like all young\u2019uns looking forward to Saturday, Eyelids feeling heavy now, the sweet embrace of sleep \u2018bout to settle in, Another school day comin\u2019 up tomorrow morning, the interruption was most unwelcome, In walked Momma, little … <\/p>\n