Tape of Shadows

Chapter 6: Haunting Dreams

At the stroke of 3 am, I abruptly awoke, a chill sensation coursing through my legs. Confused and disoriented, I questioned whether it was merely a dream. Thirsty and in need of water, I made my way to the kitchen. Aware that the Fajr prayer was approaching, I decided to forego a full glass and quickly quenched my thirst.

As I turned to leave, my eyes caught sight of a figure standing in the darkened room. The shape was that of a young woman, her features obscured by the veil of darkness. Though half-awake, I realized I was face-to-face with a stranger. Reacting on instinct, I took two steps back and armed myself with a knife, demanding to know who she was and how she had gained entry into the house.

Assuming her to be a trespasser or thief, I warned her not to make any sudden movements, threatening to call the police. Despite my verbal admonishments and raised voice, she seemed indifferent to my warnings, remaining still. Her motionless presence unsettled me, causing my heart to race.

Suddenly, she began to advance towards me. Fear coursing through my veins, I warned her to stop, brandishing the knife as a deterrent. Yet, she continued to approach, disregarding my threats. With each step she took, my trepidation heightened.

However, as a flicker of light from the window fell upon her chest and hands while she stood near the dining table, a ghastly sight unfolded before me. Her hands bore the scars of severe burns, and her blood-soaked white gown revealed a gruesome wound on her chest. The sight shook me to the core, but before I could comprehend the situation fully, she drew nearer.

My heart pounded furiously as she stood merely two or three feet away, her eerie voice resonating through the room as she sang an unsettling wedding song in an unfamiliar accent. In a desperate bid for protection, I began reciting a Surah aloud. In an instant, she lunged towards me, and I screamed for help.

Suddenly, my eyes opened, and I found myself drenched in sweat, the remnants of the nightmare clinging to my consciousness. Gradually, I realized that I was safely in my bed, the events of the night merely a haunting dream. Gathering my composure, I rose from the bed, noting that it was almost time for the Fajr prayer.

After completing my ablutions and performing the prayer, I ventured to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. While cutting a carrot for the noodles, my thoughts lingered on the disturbing events of the previous night. It had felt so vivid, so real. I tried to dismiss it as nothing more than a terrifying dream.

Satiating my hunger with breakfast, I left the house, aware that time was running short for my class. Though shaken by the lingering echoes of the haunting dream, I resolved to focus on the present, hoping that the day ahead would offer respite from the realm of nightmares.