Dreaming Fear

Darkness, I felt it prickling at my skin, something was coming. I felt my heart begin to pound, fear was coming. A wave of darkness came, filling my lungs and blinding me, I choked out a strangled scream, but no one was coming. I clawed my way through the shroud of anger, stumbling, I faintly sensed something else, pain maybe? Using what little strength I have left, I try to push myself further, and fail. I am completely drained now, and I know what’s coming. A red glow, little pinpricks of light are bobbing closer, eyes, red as rubies, and shining like fresh blood. I hear a slick sound, as fangs protrude from its gums. I struggle, my mind tearing at the fog that is settling over me, but that only makes it hurt more. I feel the fangs slide into my neck with ease, fire erupts into my blood, a cold burning sensation that drips through my veins and crawls towards my heart, boiling my blood, I can't escape, it's going to happen this time, there’s no way out...

I awoke with a start, sweat soaked sheets tangled around my body like a snake. I tore my bedding away and walked over to the window. The clear starless night was lit up by the full moon. Gazing at the trees in my backyard, I noticed a silhouette against the forest. I pulled away from the window, yanking down the blinds. This was the same dream I had had ever since I was four. Trudging down to the kitchen I pulled out a chair and sat with my head buried in my hands. I remember the first time I ever encountered anything like that. My friend Toby and I were playing in the forest when we were four, We had snuck out of the house, carefully tip toeing
past my parents bedroom, glimpsing their sleeping forms breathing heavily in and out. Once we were outside we ran, the light of the full moon pouring over us, then as we got into the forest, leaving dapples on our skin. The forest smelled of pine and crisp night, I inhaled and spun in circles, letting the moonlight dance across my skin. Night is my time, it always has been, even back then I felt a connection to it. Drawn into its cool dark comfort. Something about its solitude, the way the wind catches you and carries you into its arms, embracing you like a child, whispering with the moonlight soft promises of dark security. I have known the night, and the night has known me.

What happened that evening is something I have never, nor will ever forget. A different type of night took Toby from me. A darkness that only my nightmares can sum up came for him, and for that reason, I know the night, both sides of it. We were spinning around and around, letting our young imaginations carry us across the forest, until we stopped, we had no idea where we were. I looked around for some sort of significant landmark to remind me where we were, but when I tried to focus, a dark haze clouded my vision, blurring the world, all but Toby and I. I was only four, and I thought I was going to die. My body felt like it was being pulled, limb by limb yanked apart, racking waves of agony rippled though me and I sobbed, my tiny body was immobile, I couldn't move. By now the entire world was nothing to me, and all I knew was my pain, I could faintly sense Toby beside me, we were both dying, Toby and I were fading into the shadows. Emerging from the haze, a figure made of shadows but for its eyes, which were crimson red. The figured glided towards Toby; I tried to focus, struggling to keep my vision clear, not giving into the darkness pressing in on me. I saw a flash of white as fangs slid from the creature’s mouth; it lowered itself to Toby's throat. I watched as Toby at first flailed wildly trying to free himself from the monsters grasp, then went limp.

The world came back into focus, slowly at first, then all at once I was standing in the forest not ten feet away from a cloaked figure who was holding Toby's limp form. I went to go towards it, but I saw a line of blood drip from his throat, and ran. I plummeted through the forest as fast as I could, being mangled by the vines that clawed at my tender flesh. I burst into my parent’s room and woke them up. "Mommy! Mommy!" I screamed. She woke and looked at me confused, "Mommy! Toby and I were in the forest when the shadow killed him! Mommy! The shadow man is eating Toby! He was going to eat me too but I ran away!" I frantically called for my mom to follow me. The rest goes pretty simply. They found Toby's body. Drained of blood. Ripped to pieces. I caught a glimpse of it before Mother shielded my eyes. I saw red. Ever since then the dreams have come every night, and every time I wake up and see the figure in the shadows.