9:30 pm 

The wife and kids are asleep. It’s finally quiet. I have the rest of the night to indulge in whatever downtime I have. I excitedly get into bed and open YouTube on our TV. I bury my head into my clima-cool pillow, keeping my head cool on this hot summer night. Pure bliss. 

9:45 pm

My snoring drowns out whatever brain rot is playing on YouTube. The inevitable crash has defeated me once again. 

12:27 am 

I wake up. Nature calls. I make my nightly trip the bathroom. I reach for the handle of the door and that’s when I notice it. A small sliver of light catches my peripheral. I make my way to the source of the light, navigating the minefield of toys that litter the hallway. 

I peek around the corner…. Someone left the fridge open. I close it begrudgingly, thinking of the electricity bill. I make my way back to bed. 

2:38 am 

I hear the faint sound of pitter-patter. It immediately pulls me out of my sleep. I quickly turn toward the doorway. The outline of a figure stands there, completely still. I rub my groggy eyes, trying to clear my vision. There’s nothing there. I reluctantly scan every corner of the room. Nothing. The only sounds are my wife’s light snores and my beating heart. 

I wrap myself in my blanket as a type of armor to protect me from whatever is out there. I close my eyes and try to go back to sleep. 

2:39 am 

I’m completely drenched in sweat, hiding in my covers. My eyes are shut as tight as can be. 

The pitter-patter returns. This time, louder and closer. 

I’m praying it’s my sleep paralysis, it has to be. 

The sounds grow closer until they are right in front of me. And that’s when it starts, the breathing. I can feel the warmth against my ear, the breathing thunderously loud. I work up the courage and slowly open my eyes.

And there she is, standing in front of me, she always visits me at the same time. 

“Daddy… daddy… can I cuddle with you please”