Victory!

I'm sitting in my fortress. The walls shake as the loud banging sounds resonate throughout the room. There is the battle cry of the warriors who will eventually penetrate my world and steal my sanity. The room is in a shamble and there's nothing that I can do to prevent it. I only sit and wait until the battle lapses into a lull so that I can gather my wits and repair what's been broken.

I hear them again. They are coming now. Up the stairs, through the doors, from the windows...I can see them now. They're here and they are ready to hear me surrender. They want to see me crack from desperation. But I won't! I refuse! They can have my body, but not my sanity. They can't penetrate my will. I will conquer.

They see me now and wait for my response. So I give to them, cold and raw:

"Go to your room and clean up that mess!"

Our little soldiers march to their bedroom where they spend the next 20 minutes complaining that there are too many toys to pick up and not enough room for their books. I tell them they are not leaving their room until the floor is completely visible.

I keep my sanity and the room eventually makes sense. Today I am victorious!