An Instrumental Dream

My mother shakes me from pleasant slumbers. She looks overly excited, like a manic kid's show host; her toothy smile almost twists around her ears. "Hey, Julie!" she shrills in monotone. "Let's play muuuusical instruments!" I flinch back, into my postered wall, hoping to disappear. But she grabs me by the foot and drags me back, screaming, tears shaking my chest. "Let's play the drums, Julie!", she yells. She raises her hands and smacks my chest, over and over, until the bones rattle. "Bong bong bong! Bong bong bong!"

When my mother comes to comfort me, I push her away.