Shaken

I shuddered and stirred from that state of half sleep. The shaking made me think it was an earthquake, and I was filled almost immediately with dread and fear. But fresh in my mind was the dream, so intense and so seemingly real...

Moments before regaining consciousness, I saw myself in bed, lying there sleeping, or falling asleep. Next to me was my friend,  who had his hands around me.

"Stop!" I called out, "stop shaking me!" I was in a foetal position, legs curled, and body folded together as tightly as possible, with both my arms folded before my chest. It was a defensive posture.

My  friend had one hand down my chest, and it looked like he was grabbing at something. But I protested, quietly at first, then louder and more insistently.

"Stop, stop shaking me," I called out, but he would not stop. I can't recall what kind of mood I was in, maybe playful, maybe serious, but my body was being shaken uncontrollably, and I confined to protest. Was it just playing, or was I really afraid and had no control over how my friend was shaking me? I don't know. I only k know he continued to shake me, and seemed deaf to my calls to stop.

And I was shaken awake...