LAY AWAKE

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Jeff awoke with a start. He looked about the room in a panic for a moment and then let out a sigh of relief while rubbing his face. Cold sweat drenched his shirt. He had realized he was in his warm bed and room. No where else. He took a glance at his clock, reading the red numbers that dimly illuminated the dark. He groaned at the time. It was 2:39 and it had been only an hour since he had last woken up. He sat there a moment trying to remember what he had dreamt of. Nothing came to mind but whatever it was, it was horrifying to the point of wakefulness.
Jeff threw the covers off of him and trudged to the bathroom. He didn't dare click on the light. He wasn't that stupid when half asleep. He turned onto the faucet and splashed the cold water on his face. He looked up into the mirror and stumbled back, falling to the floor. He hit his head on the back wall and let out a yelp accompanied with a very loud thud. Jeff held his head out of pain before looking back to the mirror. The thing in the mirror was gone and light blinded Jeff's eyes. He blinked, making his eyes adjust to the brightness and looked to the doorway.
"Liu was the heck bro?" Jeff asked sitting up, rubbing the back of his head. His brother helped him up.
"I heard you get up and yell," Liu explained, checking his younger brothers head for any blood. Jeff shooed Liu's hands away.
"Quit it, I'm fine. Besides it was nothing."
"But I heard you yell."
"It was nothing. I tripped."
"Backwards?" Jeff eyed Liu and replied with a yeah. His sibling snickered and turned off the light. Their parents bedroom door opened a bit and their fathers head popped out.
"Why aren't you boys in bed?" Their father, Peter, asked.
"I tripped in the dark and woke Liu . We're going back to bed now," Jeff informed yawning a bit.
"Then get there. You have school in the morning," Peter muttered before closing the door, disappearing behind it. Liu and Jeff swapped goodnight sleep and went into their separate rooms. Jeff flopped, face first, onto the mattress and sighed. The image of the thing in the mirror flashed behind his eyelids and he shoved it from his train of thought. It was the moons light or the shadows, he repeated in his mind. Still the face lingered. It's pale skin and reddened smile carved into his thoughts

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