There may always be something lurking in the dark. Those shadows that we form into shapes may exist, and those evil things we imagine are watching us sleep may actually be there. Right there in the same corner of your dark closet or room you’ve been avoiding looking at all night. There beyond your line of vision because you’re too scared to turn your head or open your eyes. Maybe at one time you wished you were different and could see the world’s wonders and mysteries… but not now… not while you’re buried in darkness and feeling ever so vulnerable. Feeling creeped out yet? Well don’t look now… It’s right there.
***
Valerie argues against her own thoughts:
“Don’t turn around, don’t look I know you’ll see something I can feel it. It’s so dark”
“No Valerie stop, get a hold of yourself. Just go to sleep, relax nothing’s there…”
“He is there.”
“He? What the… don’t talk like that you’re just scaring yourself… Bed, now!”
“You know what it is don’t you?”
“Nothing! Change the subject think of something else please.”
“Demon”
“Don’t think that… No!”
“Demon”
“Blah blah blah unicorns puppies kitties anything but that! I feel it’s looking at me I shouldn’t turn around I shouldn’t acknowledge this… this fear of nothing… It’s nothing… nothing.”
Valerie is dreaming:
I didn’t notice I was dreaming until the dream was over. The walls were dusty gray, with dark shadows in every corner. It was like the world was void of color. It is a familiar room, the dining room. Behind me is the bathroom and I’m walking forward, quicker now, the bathroom looks sketchy and dark. Anxiety washes over me. Suddenly on the large vaulted ceilings there was a shadow crawling from side to side, almost dancing. I felt sick watching and suddenly it stood still, appearing to stare at me but I couldn’t make out a face.
It was just a silhouette, nothing but black. Except it had… horns? My heart races at this realization… “In the presence of a demon,” echoed through my thoughts. Curse my evil brain for making this worse. I wasted no time and I did the only thing I could think of. I threw my hands up, allowing my fingers to form a make shift cross. I started shouting the only prayer I knew. Almost as quickly as the thought left my brain and I opened my mouth to begin the prayer, I froze… No I was FROZEN. I struggled and struggled to break free, to speak, to pray. It was just standing there, still and daunting. Just making itself and it’s powers known. I couldn’t move and my continuous struggling must’ve woken me up.
I was in bed now and I could tell by my colored walls I was awake. I laid staring at my ceiling registering what just happened. I almost sighed in relief until I realized… I felt something watching me. Knowing me my thoughts went crazy, shouting out exactly what I thought I knew it was but wanted so desperately to deny! MY HEART IS RACING.
“Don’t look, it’s there! From your dream, demon demon demon! GET UP NOW, PRAY! KICK IT OUT! YOU CAN’T LET IT CAUSE YOU FEAR!”
I found myself struggling again. I couldn’t move a muscle, I couldn’t sit up or scream. I couldn’t turn my head! I didn’t know for sure, but I almost just knew it must be laughing at me. I saw it in my mind. I shut my eyes not wanting to see, not wanting to be aware of anything right now! I was freaking more and more wanted to run somewhere… I struggled and only grew less brave and more frightened. I just wanted to scream for my dad!
“Dad! Dad! DAD!” I lurched up so quick, I had whiplash. I looked around frantically, heart beating in my throat. My breathing was heavy and labored. I didn’t see anything. Relief washed over me as I saw the sunrise peeking through the window. Sweet blessed light! I laid back exhausted. There’s no way that just happened, I feel so silly. I shut my eyes and my nerves calmed quickly. That was a terrible nightmare, one of my worst! And I must not have been fully awake from it. It wasn’t actually there, there is no it. My mind was just playing tricks…
“I hope…”
