Nightmares

Chapter Six

I walked into the lounge and plopped down on our sofa miserably. I knew I couldn't eat even if I was hungry, so I just sat with my elbows on my knees and my face in my hands. I sat and I stared until my eyes were straining to stay open. I turned toward the clock. I was so tired I could barely make out the hands on the face. After studying and squinting for a few seconds, my vision finally cleared. It was 4:42am.

I wanted to stand up, to get to bed, but my legs wouldn't move. I was literally so completely drained that I just slowly lay back against the couch and closed my eyes, feeling the sweet relief of sleep wash over me like a tidal wave. My mind went blank and my thoughts were filled with nothing as I drifted into unconsciousness.

>•< >•< >•<

The silence. It surrounded me like a blanket, deafening me as I desperately searched for sound. I could hear nothing. It was all black, dark as coal, and I couldn't see anything either. I stumbled blindly. I wandered for so long and I had no idea where I was.

My heart almost burst from my chest as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned instantly, fearing what I would see. The instant my eyes fell upon the creature, I screamed. Or at least I thought I did, but I could not hear a sound. The thing standing in front of me was definitely a figure of nightmares.

It was gray; the color of death. It stood taller than me by at least a meter. The monster was slightly hunched over, looking down at me. The fingers grasping my shoulder were long and bony with sharp claw-like fingernails. However, its face was the worst sight. It was terribly disfigured: long cuts oozing blood streaked the whole facial shape, it's mouth was stitched over, and worst of all, it had no eyes, just black sockets that stared through me.

As soon as I saw the thing, panic surged through me. I could feel my heartbeat to the ends of my fingertips and I was crying in fear as I turned to run. But as I tried to get away, the creature's grip tightened and it held me with ease. It dragged me, kicking and screaming and silently pleading, slowly through the darkness until through my tears I saw a flat stone structure.

He lay me down and instantly slippery black snake-like animals wrapped themselves around my hands and feet, binding me to the table. I struggled against them, but they only pinched tighter, cutting off circulation almost completely. I screamed again, and again I couldn't hear myself. I closed my eyes tightly, not wishing to see that horrid thing anymore.

I felt a sharp sting in my stomach and pried my eyes open. I almost threw up. The monster had used its claws to slice open my stomach and was pulling out my organs slowly and painfully. I screamed and cursed until I didn't have the strength to try anymore. The silence was so violent it hurt me more than the incision. I felt faint, my strength ebbing slowly, and the last thing I remember was the creature's stitched and mutilated face staring down at me.

>•< >•< >•<

I awoke on the couch and screamed.