Phobia

Help me,

they’re coming for me–

12:37 am

I shine my phone’s flashlight under the bed, in the closet, beneath the dresser,

up and down the walls

I wipe the floor with tissues

the vent slats

the outlets

1:23 am

I crawl from under the covers

turn on the lamp

bend over and stare under the bed

move bins around

check behind the bookcase

peer beneath the desk’s legs

I shake my phone to turn the flashlight on,

check under the dresser, in the closet, beneath the bed

again

5:42 am

my eyes won’t stay open

but I’m awake

what if they’ve come for me

just beside the bedposts

behind the desk

on the ceiling

dropping toward my mouth

I turn on my lamp

check under the dresser, in the closet, beneath the bed

again

again

7:04 am

8:51 am

10:28 am

this time

I wake up

get out of bed

I shine my phone’s flashlight around

I find a web going from the doorframe to the wall

they came for me

while I helplessly dreamt

again

where did they go

when did they come

when are they coming again

how do I sleep

at all

tonight?