Nightmare

NIGHTMARE

Michelle squirmed in her bed. She couldn't sleep. She reached out her hand and switched on her night lamp. On the floor lay her favourite book. Michelle picked up the book and looked at the cover where a girl was lying in a grave. Michelle had seen this cover several times. But tonight there was something different about it. Something that nobody could explain. Something that made Michelle scream in horror and stare harder at the book. The girl on the cover was none other than Michelle herself! She couldn't believe her eyes. There was something else that puzzled her. In fact, it almost scared her to death. Michelle realized that she was no longer sitting on her bed in her lovely room. She was standing in the midst of a cemetery!
Michelle rubbed her eyes and then looked around her again. There was no doubt about it. She wasn't dreaming. She was standing over a gravestone. Michelle leaned forward, dusted the dirty gravestone and read the name. She was horrified to find that her own name was engraved on it! Suddenly a bolt of lightning streaked the dark skies. The moon hid behind the clouds and there was nothing but complete darkness. Michelle didn't dare to move. She waited until the moon appeared and then she turned around and started walking. Dry leaves and twigs cracked beneath her feet. After some time, she heard a grating noise a few feet behind her.
Michelle whirled around. No one was there. Then she noticed that the gravestone that she had been standing over moved slowly. Gradually, a figure arose before Michelle's eyes. Michelle didn't wait to see who it was. She just wanted to get out of that wretched place. So she began running. But the figure ran after her, caught up easily and blocked her way. "Michelle, don't run from me. I'm not going to hurt you. All I want you to do is join me in our grave so that we may rest in peace forever." Michelle backed away and said, "Our grave?!! What do you mean? And who are you?" The figure growled, "I am your spirit and you cannot escape from me." Now Michelle could see the face of the figure clearly. She gasped. Her own face stood staring back at her. "No! This can't be true. This has got to be a weird dream. This just can't be happening to me!" The spirit advanced towards Michelle with arms outstretched. Michelle screeched, "Get away from me!' The spirit held her tight, shook her hard and said, "Michelle, get up! You're going to be late for school."
Michelle opened her eyes. Her mom stood before her, a worried expression on her face. She said, "Get ready quickly or you're not going to make it to school on time." Then she left the room. Michelle sat up in bed and recalled the strange dream that she just had. Then she remembered that she was getting late for school. She threw back her blanket and jumped out of bed. "Ouch!", she exclaimed. There was something hard under her feet. She looked down and to her utmost horror found that her feet were not only muddy but had twigs and pieces of dried leaves beneath them!!!