At 4.00 am

 

by P. A. Westgate

 

a gulp of rough red wine

 

At 4.00 am blood pressure and body temperature are at their lowest and the risk of death is at its maximum. They say that more people die at 4.00 am than at any other time. At 4.00 am you’re lying in bed, your stomach in knots, praying that an unguarded remark hasn’t been reported. This is when you hear cars screeching to a halt in the street and heavy boots on the staircase. When you hear hammering on the door and harsh voices, 4.00 am is when you thank God that it’s someone else’s door this time and not yours.

 

About the author

P. A. Westgate is an enthusiastic but sporadic writer. He lives quietly in his native Essex.