Unsuspecting

    Sometimes, I can be a really deep sleeper, sleeping through what seems to be a hurricane, even though I live in Minnesota. And then there are times when I'll be sleeping, dreaming, and the real world seeps into my mind...
    Cold. Silence.
    Absolute silence as if the world, if just for a moment, suddenly froze.
    Cold. My room felt unnaturally chilly as though I had left the window open all night. But I hadn't. Thinking back on it now maybe, just maybe, I had known something was wrong. That something bad had happened.
    Suddenly, time began again. I vaguely heard the robins playing around outside my window, singing happily. The copper pipes that ran through the inside of my unfamiliar home vibrated softly against each other, giving the illusion of clanking chains in the distance. The floorboards creaked as gentle footsteps made their way to the stairs and continued down to my room, stopping in front of my bedroom door.
    I was still partially asleep, so my breathing remained normal. The doors quietly slid open. Unconsciously, I could feel a presence standing very still next to my bed.
    "Divena," he whispered.
    I turned over, "Huh?"
    "Michael," he paused, took a deep breath and continued, "Michael passed away last night."
    I laid there, dumbfounded, the reality of this simple statement not really sinking in.
    Then it hit me. Hard.
    "Are you kidding me?" I asked in disbelief. My dad sadly shook his head. Without another word, he turned and left.