A Glimmer of Hope

Slouched on the floor, Di Tou sat in silence. 

Again and again he pawed at his face, hoping to find a difference.

But each time, he was left unsatisfied as his fingers brushed over the creasing wrinkles and into the crevices in his skull.

After an unknown amount of time, Di Tou finally gave up this fruitless endeavor, moving his hands to the floor to try to find his way to the bed.

Step by step, hand by hand, he felt and bumped his way over to the bed and crawled up and lay down.

Laying on his back, for a moment he could imagine that he was simply laying there with his eyes closed.

That at any moment, he would kick himself in the head, and tell himself that he needed to work, and would burst out of bed, eyes open, ready for another grueling day.