Rude Awakening

It was about three in the afternoon, I think. About that time of day when the summer heat chases me back into the house. And besides, I was tired. I had been nurturing a twig in the ground for a couple of years, and now it was about 6 feet tall. So this morning I transplanted it to a new and hopefully permanent location near the patio. A Hawthorn tree, I think. So, I rested on the couch. And I was listening to some music. A nice long ambient piece by Eno. And I was just about to nod off, when there was a startlingly loud blast, like a gunshot accompanied by shattering glass. I sat up abruptly, thinking I was dreaming. That's when I looked up and saw that my window was completely blown out. There was glass everywhere. My heart began racing, my mind was trying to convert this crazy unreality into a rude matter of fact. I stepped into my shoes only to experience a sharp pain in my heel as it sank down onto a sliver of glass. That definitely made it clear that something was wrong. I hobbled to the window just in time to see a car at the corner past my house swing a U - turn and begin heading back my way. A moment later, another blast rocked my front door. I caught a glimpse of the guy. He looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place him. I could feel the warm wet blood in my shoe as I ran to the closet. My hands were shaking as I groped for my 16 gauge shotgun. It was a relic I bought at a flea market. I had never even fired it before. I just bought it on a whim after listening to the crisp metallic snap of the pump action. I had a moment of amazing clarity though, as I grabbed a box of shells from the shelf above and loaded four shots.
Another window shattered to the floor as I turned around. I got off a shot into the back of the car and saw the trunk fly open. I was ready now. A deadly calm came over me as I pumped out the empty shell. I knelt on the floor by the glassless window and steadied the barrel on the sill. I muttered, "Bring it on, asshole!", as I watched him turn to come back again. I could see his face now through the front windshield. I know who this is. We fired at the same time. I broke into a heavy sweat as I sat up on the couch and relived the dream. He had been me. I had been him. And we had just tried to kill ourselves.