The devil's hour

Waking up at three in the morning may not be my most favourite thing to do. Strangely enough, it holds its charms even for someone who feels that she is better off bewitched by a blanket of sleep. The darkness seems to have settled down, not willing to move for another hour or two at the least. The night air itself seems paralysed, too afraid to breathe and wake the sleeping trees. The world around you has come to a complete stop and in times of inner chaos, the silence is strangely comforting. Social norms and expectations disappear in the darkness. There is no one else but you. A feeling that frees you and inhibits you all at once. After what feels like an eternity, you realise that you have all the time in the world at your fingertips but the shackles of duty bind you to your dull blue textbook. After soaking in the silence for two hours, I find that my eyes feel heavy again. The powerful hand of sleep meets with little resistance as it lifts me off my bed, makes me turn the lights off and return - all in one smooth, automatic motion - to the comfort of my pillows. I close my eyes and within seconds, the world ceases to exist. There is no one anymore.