I remember I was almost asleep and that half state we don't even realize you've nodded off until something jerks you awake.

It was a gentle knock.

My watch said 1230 and and I wrote in my eyes,

propping myself up on an elbow.

Yeah, Paul, I asked.

The door creaked open a hair, and Paul's face slid through.

Sorry, did I wake you? he asked.

Paul and I had been roommate since our freshman year of college.

He was quiet, respectful to the point of almost meek, never made a mess or used anything that

wasn't his.

His only quirk was that he had trouble sleeping.

Sometimes he'd be up days at a time before he could finally sleep,

and then I wouldn't see him for days as he tried catching up and all that missed sleep in one big

go. Still, he did his best to stay quiet and respect my more rigid schedule, and I couldn't think of a reason he might be knocking this late unless something was wrong.

Yeah, but it's all right. Everything okay?

His pale eyes slid around the room searching for something. Paul? He blinked.

Yeah, sorry, I...

I don't know if you might have had a guest here.

No, why?

I rubbed a particularly large clump of sleep from my left eye.

Well, there's a truck parked outside, he said. In that driveway?

I asked, suddenly, much more awake.

...