Short Stories

Only But A Dream

I could feel his hands around my neck almost every night. The pressure on my chest while he sits there laughing silently.

His long fingers that are pitch black with nails longer then a tiger's, tighten every second. The more I struggle, the pressure on my chest becomes heavier. Until my alarm goes off at 6am when its  time to get ready for school. He'll vanishes without a trace. I sigh at the relief that I made it through another night, but at what cost, every night my sanity feels like it slowly slipping away. 

Never any trace of the strange creature and never any marks left behind. It doesn't just come at night he follows me around and hides in the shadows never to far from me. His glowing yellow eyes peering through the shadows and any shade that give it the comfort to linger close. 

It awaits close by for when the sun slowly turns into night, or it catches me in places where the sun is hard to reach. Its there ready for another round of torment. It never kills me but brings me to the brink of death, loosen its grip and laughs as I gasp for air, once I've had my fill, it starts all over.  

I avoid any closets, storage rooms, small hallways, and more. I try my hardest to keep the light on at night when its time for bed but hard to do so when your parents turn it off while you sleep, that's when the fun always begins. 

I could feel his hands around my neck and the pressure on my chest getting heavier as he sits there laughing. With panic in my mind and fear in my heart I let out a horrid scream I once could never do, and in seconds his fingers tighten dimming my scream to silence. 

It was going to be another night of games for it how close to death will it take me this time, before it allows me to keep living? Without notice my chest felt lighter and the cold fingers that once enslaved my neck disappeared. 

I let out a cough and gasp for air as I saw the glimpse of light shinning into my room from the hallway as my parents rushed to my side.

"What is it why did you scream?" My mother asked as she held my in her arm. The look on her face was so concerning.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I said with a raspy voice as I looked at both my parents and slowly glimpse over to the corner of my room where it smiled and stared at me just waiting.

"Honey that scream didn't sound okay!" My father said as stood in the doorway looking frustrated and worried. 

That night I explained everything to my parents yet again about what's been going on for months, and hoped they believed and listen to me this time. My father searched my room from top to bottom and my mother gathered a few candles and night lights we had around the house.

"Honey I'm sorry you been going through this, hopefully things will get better now." My father said as he placed in the last night light and kissed me on the forehead and headed out the room.

"I know its been tough it will go away soon." My mother said rubbing my head and tucking me back into bed.

"How though!" I yelled hoping she could relieve this pain ive been going through alone. 

"As we get older it sometimes goes away on its own cause we are no longer afraid and it can't hurt us anymore, we tend to out grow it."  She said kissing me on my forehead. 

She got up checked my room one last time and lite all the candles before heading out. She turned around looked at me and said "Just remember, its only but a dream." Before leaving my room.

"Only but a dream!"