Awake

Its quite some time past midnight, close to 3am, which is what I feel the phrase 'middle of the night' should mean.
I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, the blinking of the status LEDs of modems, routers and other assorted gadgets being a poor substitute for the twinkling stars that one can no longer see. The still air, heavy and foreboding, doesn't whisper the same lullaby that a softly flowing breeze sings without a second thought.
Alone, in the darkness, all my thoughts have been robbed of colour by the same all-pervasive gloom. I wait for sleep to come, to pull me along into the world of dreams. Not that its all rainbows and unicorns over there, but atleast its better than this.
I wait, the ticking of the clock - amplified a hundred fold - provides a metronomic rhythm which my slowly beating heart tries hard to match. I glance in its direction and observe the damn thing, stuck in a circle for all eternity, traveling many miles each day but not going anywhere. The second hand ticks past its brethren, but the stillness of the night seems to have taken its toll everywhere. I can feel the reluctance with which it advances - as compared to the day - ponderously taking the next step, an eternity between this moment and the next.
Somewhere in the distance, the high pitched squeak of a bat makes itself heard. I close my eyes. And see You. Like a pendulum, my imagination always swings back to the center, inevitably. Where ever I stretch it, however far. Its not a dream - I'm wide awake. I will my eyes open once again and wait for the dawn.
Meanwhile, there are some cracks on the ceiling that demand my undivided attention. I lay awake, staring at the ceiling ....