A faint knock wakes me from my slumber. It’s much too early for visitors, the sun has yet to rise. I snuggle deeper under the thick blanket, alone and naked. But the tapping is persistent, so I give in to curiosity. Emerging from my lair, I wrap my shivering body in a fuzzy blue bathrobe.

I peer through the peephole and I see Hope. I open the door. She stands erect, in all her glory, eyes glistening like the morning dew. She brought the sun with her and she is illuminated, her white-blonde hair creating a halo around her unblemished face.

“You’re here early today,” I say, rubbing my eyes. I forgot to grab my glasses and her edges are blurring into the light.

“I heard you calling for me in your sleep. You had a nightmare,” she says.

“I did?”

She smiles at me like a mother comforting a child who has fallen onto the unforgiving concrete.

“Rejection is coming for you, my dear.”

“He is?” My heart beats faster. “What should I do?”

“He’ll try to get in any way he can. His face will be covered.” Her smile has given way to a frown.

“Should I keep my windows closed always?”

“Leave them open during the day, allow the fresh air in. But after the sun sets, keep them locked. Rejection can only attack those in the dark. ”

“What about my dreams?”

“He cannot hurt your dreams, he can only bring fear. But don’t give up, my darling. No matter how many times he comes. Thank him for thinking of you and tell him you’re not interested.”

“What happens if he gets in?”

“There’s a chance he will slip in when you open the door to step outside. It won’t be your fault. He’s quicker than a thunder cloud and smaller than a rain drop. If he gets in, you call me. I’ll be there.”

Hope is fading into a cloud.

“Don’t forget about me, darling. I’m always here for you.”

The cloud lifts and the sun shines brighter now, so bright that I must close my eyes. When I open them, she is gone.