Horror

SHADOW CREATURES

We all know the "corner of the eye" feeling right?
Everyone says it's caused by your lack of sleep or
losing your mind or whatever, although I disagree
with both of those. Who knows maybe they are right
and this is all some messed up dream-no its a
nightmare, no I'd say its more like your own personal
Hell coming to life. Somewhere along those lines
anyway, but surely just because we all have
experienced it doesn't mean we all necessary have an
idea about what it is? I for one know exactly what it
is. Then again you'd have to think like me to
understand.
Since I was little I've been told I have a vivid
imagination. Almost everyone around me knew it too,
they thought it was a good thing and at first I thought
it was too. As I got older my friends "grew up" I guess
you could say, their imagination grew thinner and
thinner while mine only expanded significantly. By
the age of thirteen, all of my friends grew out of the
"monster in the closet" act. Yet I never really got past
that stage, maybe it was just because I was a wimp,
who knows? All I know is that ever since I was able
to see the outside world, there would always be that
one shadow lurking right out of my vision, but close
enough that I could see its uncharacteristically huge
grin that exposed almost shark-like teeth.
That was the figure I'd always see in my closet, and
that my friends, is why I am an insomniac. That figure
is the very bane of my existence, it mocks me
whenever I so much as blink anymore. Of course
nobody ever believed a five-year-old, but as I grew
my parents suggested therapy for it, but I'd turn the
recommendation down-knowing they would only fill
my soul with empty lies about the figure.
At age thirteen, was when the shadow creature really
started to get involved, and not just with my sleeping
habits anymore. I would hear my name outside; inside
my room, in the bathroom, just anywhere I was alone.
Having enough common sense and knowledge about
horror movies, I ignored it and moved on in my life. It
work well for a long period of time...it worked almost
too well, In fact, I didn't see it as much as I use to at
night. I started to feel hopeful, I even stopped
checking my closet every night.
As time went on my imagination was still as big as
ever. I was in high school, senior year my life wasn't
too bad. I could get enough sleep without worrying
and come to class ready to take the day, head on.
Turns out, I am pretty good at math when I'm not
asleep in class! It was a huge relief to finally let go of
the whole "monster in the closet" stage. I felt like a
normal student for once, and I thought it would never
come back.
I couldn't have been more wrong about my situation. I
was studying for my upcoming science exam in my
room upstairs. I was too busy furiously writing my
notes, that I barely gave a second thought to the
burning sensation that washed over me just then. I
was in the middle of writing a paragraph when I got
this overheating wave of who knows what, at the time
I thought it was stress from all the homework I had to
finish up after this science essay.
After finishing the essay I realized that I was sweating
like it was the middle Summer, almost like it was one
of those days where its one hundred degrees but it
feels like you're a baked potato in the shade. That
kind of heat, it was the middle of Winter and I was
sweating so much I felt like I could fill a swimming
pool with all this sweat. I eagerly made my way to the
window and didn't give a second thought of the
outside world as I did. It was about sunset so it
didn't seem like a bad idea, I only thought well,
worse case a bunch of bugs fly in. Although it wasn't
just bugs that happened to find a way in.
Wrong again. See, my desk was at the wall near my
door, it was positioned so that my back was to the
open window. I was so oblivious that I didn't mind at
all what happened behind me. I continued to do my
work in silence, but I ended up falling asleep when I
was reading my assigned chapters for my book club
discussion.
While I was snoring away the sun went down and a
shadow made its way through my window, like ink
soaking into the empty parchment papers, the shadow
spread across my walls and they covered my carpeted
floor. The only thing keeping the tainted shadows
from my desk was the faint glow of my yellow feather
lamp, it sat faithfully to the right side of my head,
guarding me from the shadow's torment.
I awoke with the sound of my phone ringing. The
familiar tone seemed to be my wake up call from my
dreamless sleep. I answered trying not to sound like I
just awoke.
"Hello?" I managed to croak aloud.
There was only silence, no heavy breathing or any
background noises. After a few awkward seconds I
hung up confused at why there was a breeze in my
room, then my memory returned soon after about me
sweating and opening the window for some fresh air.
I glanced behind me, the coast was clear of any
strange appearances so I walked over casually and
closed the window. As I made my way back to the
desk I could have sworn I saw a cat with radiating
crimson eyes and a shark-tooth grin. I jerked my head
to where I saw it, seeing if it would still be there but
it vanished...almost like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in
Wonder-Land. I gave out a chuckle at the thought of
the Cheshire Cat stilling on my dresser staring at me.
It seemed ridiculous, it seemed like something a child
would dream of.
I stepped over to my desk, closing the book and shut
off the light. I still regret turning it off to this day, I
keep thinking: what if I kept it on? What if I never
opened the window? What if I never answered the
phone call? What if...? I got into bed, not bothering to
worry about it anymore. I wait patiently for any sign
of a tired feeling in my eyelids but nothing came. I
was wide awake, and my eyelids felt weightless. I
stared straight forward not daring to look at the
window or at the dresser. Even though I was
determined to just relax and sleep I found myself
catching movement up on the ceiling.
I slowly looked up to my ceiling, I was greeted rudely
with those red eyes. I swear they were looking past
my pupils and was staring straight down into my
soul. I was lost for words, I couldn't make myself say
anything. My incapability only seemed to please it.
Its grin seemed to grow wider, I'm sure it's not even
possible for a shadow to smile. I lost it at that point,
the second I got my legs to move I jumped out of bed
and sprinted-like I was racing the world's fastest
fan-girl to get the last limited edition t-shirt on sale
for half-off. For those of you who don't know how
fast that is...well let's just say I was basically running
for my life.
I swung my parent's doors open and hid under the
covers, like I was five years old again. My dad woke
and in a sleepy rage he started to whisper yell at me
to go back to my room but I refused and clung onto
mom's pillow. Luckily mom explained to my dad that
if I was spooked this bad, then something was up.
After all since I was what back then? 15, 16 maybe?
That if I got scared that bad then it was serious, after
that he rolled over onto his spot and started to snore.
That following morning my parents asked me non-
stop about last night. I just shook my head and
refused to say anything about that night. That's when
mom forced me to go to therapy. So she dragged me
to a therapist that would, "Understand what I'm going
through." Even after I clearly stated no one will
understand this, this is my nightmare born into
reality.
So there I sat, in one of those recliner chairs staring
into the eyes of the therapist. She tried asking me
simple questions about school and my friends but I
only stared at her, trying not to pay attention to her
shadow behind her toss and turn around like a worm
in the dirt.
After a few minutes I got up and explained that I need
to use the restroom, and without waiting for a
response I walked out the door only to wander the
halls until I saw the sign for the bathroom. I dragged
my fingers on the wall, as if to navigate where this
labyrinth of a place would lead me. I entered the
bathroom and finished doing my business quickly as I
could.
I was drying my hands when my cell phone rang. Now
who could that be? I thought to myself confused. No
one really calls me, mainly because I never tell
anyone my number but I answered anyway. It was the
same silence just like the night before. I dropped my
phone as soon as I heard the screams. Screams of an
older lady....my therapist. I rushed through the halls
to the room I had been in.
There was the lady, or at least what was left of her
corpse. On the walls it was written clear and bold.
You have no power here, you are mine. I watched as
the lady's shadow seemed to leak into mine like a
snake slithering through a puddle. The minute they
touched I started to feel warm again, the same
sensation as that night. I passed out on the spot.
Only to find myself wandering through a dark fog,
clueless to where I was. The time seemed different
here, it felt like I've been wandering for years even
though I figured it's only been an hour since I passed
out.
While I was in the foggy haze I felt the warm feeling
fade, it faded until it left me shivering and helpless. I
could almost picture myself walking around in reality
again. In fact I seemed to be looking down at me, or
at least my empty body, laying in a hospital bed
grinning at the doctor. I saw myself watch the doctor
leave the room and then I looked up.
I made eye contact with myself-no I made eye
contact with it. It was gloating over its victory. I'd
been furious at first but then I realized what I could
do in here. Did you know how easy it is to travel
through a shadow down to the living? Well let's just
say, I'll be needing a vassal...I'm getting tired up here
and I long to have a life again. Who knows? Maybe
you'll be lucky enough to be my new vassal....