Sleep Is Death

Entry 5

September 19, 2010

Sunday

3:56 PM

I saw it again-that thing with the false shape of a man, withered like a rose as if it had been dead for centuries. I went for a jog to prepare myself for my night shift at the hospital, and as I stood on my stoop, fumbling with my jumbled earbuds, I saw something or someone in my peripheral standing at a distance. I looked toward the silhouette just as the city bus zoomed by, and I was met with a model's face on the side of the bus, advertising cologne or something. When the bus was out of my line of sight, at the curb where the man or thing stood, there was nothing.

I brushed it off, plugged my earbuds into my iPod, then continued down the block.

I think what bothers me the most is that, for once, I felt normal. The air was clean, the birds were active, and I saw other people out for a stroll, and even they seemed happy, more or less. Seeing the world in the daytime-actually taking in my neighborhood and all I wasn't allowed to really see since my first month here-gave me a feeling like when my Zoloft meds worked; it was like, if I didn't see that thing in my bathroom and around my apartment, I'd think that all of this was in my head.

Then the rug was yanked from under me.

First, despite it being a cold spring, I felt warm air against the back of my neck. I didn't acknowledge it as anything more than my body trying to keep me warm.

Then, when I passed vacant commercial buildings, I could see a dark figure trailing behind me, but when I looked back, I didn't see anyone.

Next, while standing at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change, I noticed someone standing alone opposite me. His head was lowered, and his suede hat covered the rest of his face. He was leaning against a large stick like it was a cane, and despite his trenchcoat keeping him hidden, I could see his black and ashy, bony fingers peeking out of the sleeves, wrapped around the stick.

I glanced at the light as it turned red and ours signaled for us to walk, but I didn't move, and neither did he. I had men bump against my sides as they passed me to get to the entity's side of the street.

Even when they'd gone past him in different directions, we remained where we were. The light flicked back to green, and cars sped past us. Then he lifted his head, and instead of eyes, I saw two black holes. He stepped closer, ignoring ongoing traffic, and I could've died right then and there with how fast my heart palpitated and raced.

I walked backward into a tall man's body, and I was so jittery that I stuttered through my profuse apologies before I could finish flinching from the impact.

I looked where the entity was as I staggered over my feet and the uneven pavement, but he wasn't there. I gave myself a headache, whipping around in search of him, and all it did was make me look crazy. People walked past me, some cutting their eyes at me.

I could hardly breathe when I waited at the light, so that encounter felt like someone wrapped my lungs in barbed wire and played tug-of-war with the excess wire. My mind was foggy, but when I couldn't find the entity, I found my sense enough to run in the opposite direction back home.

⌦ .｡.:*♡

A.N. I think the paranormal chapters are what's confusing me about this story. It's been so long since I've written anything horror related, so I feel like now it's not as scary or realistic. Let me know your thoughts!