LOVE ACROSS THE DIVIDE: 012

The first thing I noticed as I woke up was the familiar silence.

It was the kind of stillness that only came in the dead of night, when the world was asleep and nothing stirred. I lay in bed for a moment, my eyes adjusting to the darkness, feeling the weight of the silence pressing down on me like it usually did.

Then I stretched my hand and switched on the light.

I sat up, letting the cool air wash over me, feeling the sheets fall away from my skin. The early morning sun cast a soft glow over my room, illuminating the familiar.

As I stretched and yawned, I felt the familiar pull of the day ahead. There were challenges to face, decisions to make, people to see.

But for this moment, I was alone, with nothing but the morning and my thoughts.

I took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill my lungs, and let it out slowly. It was time to face the day, and I was very excited, because I was positive that it was going to be a very good day. I could smell it, feel it in the air. I was very