And again he wakes up at night, suffocating from the all-consuming fear of the past that has haunted him throughout his life.

Nikto puts his head on your lap, like a trusting puppy, and breathes deeply, restoring breathing.

He is silent because he does not know what to say: guilt for his nightmares envelops him from head to toe. In your life together, there has never been a night that has passed in peace.

"I'm going to sleep on the couch," he says, lifting his head from your lap.