All the dark places

Chapter 2: Just a Dream

I am panicking and my blood pressure is high. I think I am gonna pass out. William is sound asleep with no chance of him waking up. His snores echo through the whole house. I start feeling cold all of a sudden. The temperature keeps dropping as my heart beat increases. It is so cold that I can see my breath.

This is obviously sleep paralysis. I have read and have heard about this before. It'll all be over once I wake up. Damn it!

And then, out of the corner of my eye I see something move.

A black tentacle type thing emerges and starts coiling around me including my neck. The tentacles just keep emerging, there is no end! And then, I start rising in mid air.

What the hell? I have read multiple scenarios of Sleep Paralysis but I have never read something like this! What the frick is happening?

The thing is just standing there, staring at me. His bloody eyes and shiny white teeth acting as a light source for the room. I can't breathe, choking for air as I try to break free. It squeezes harder. I feel like I am going unconscious, black borders start forming around my eye sight. This probably is my last moment. I struggle as hard as possible until my eyes finally close.

I gasp as I wake up.

Was it all just a dream? WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON ?!

Darkness surrounds the area, I can't see anything and I am not even sure where I am. I try moving and I find out that I am suspended in mid air. My legs are all tied up in a knot. I try to wiggle my way out of it but it is of no friggin' use. I think I am going to die of fear. I have no clue what is going on right now.

All of a sudden, there is this white glow in the distance enough to brighten the entire place but not enough to make the whole thing visible. It seems like two people walking towards me. I get a better look as they get closer and I gasp when I see who they are.

I can't believe it! It can't be! Carla and Grace! They are.... They are...

I scream their names on the top of my lung. My voice echoes throughout the room. They don't respond. Tears start trickling down my face and fall whatever the hell is under me. I try to bite my way out of the rope but it is of no use.

"CARLA!!!!!! GRACE!!!!!!!!" I SHOT AS LOUD AS I CAN.
No response.

They just keep walking towards me and finally stop approximately 2-3 meters away from me and stare right into my soul. I try swinging towards them in a to and fro motion so it somehow loosens. I swing as far as possible, I am getting near Carla and Grace. They are still standing over there without moving even a muscle and then all of a sudden their bodies twist, their limbs twisted in weird angles, and their face deformed.

"Oh, my God!  NOOOOOOO!!!!!" I scream.

Blood splatters everywhere, the whole place turns red. I am drenched in it with some of it in my mouth. I spit it out and scream for help.

The sinister smile is back. It is right under me. A HUGE SMILE. It is almost as if it is waiting for me to fall and devour me. The rope from which I am hanging is starting to unravel.

OH GOD NO!!!

I WAKE UP WITH A LOUD SCREAM.

I struggle, waving my hands everywhere. The bed is shaking up and down because of me, he is trying to hold me down.

"CALM DOWN! IT WAS JUST A DREAM!!" William screams.
"IT WASN'T A DREAM! I SAW YOUR MOM AND SISTER! THEY....THEY....THEY...."
"DAD, THEY ARE GONE. YOU WERE JUST HAVING A NIGHTMARE!"

I slowly start to regain my senses back, it was just a dream. That thing isn't real. I turn on my phone to check the time. It reads 7:29, one minute away from the alarm to go off.

Darn it. I have to go to work. "Statistical analysis and data reconfiguration" has to be one of the most boring jobs in the history of jobs but I have to earn something.

I follow the same routine. Bath, dress up, carpool, work, whine about work to co-workers during break time, work again, reach home, read something, and finally sleep. The routine has stayed like this ever since the accident. I am used to it now. You are bound to get used to it, even though you might hate it.

But last night, it was so weird. It felt real.

I can't get the face out of my head. I saw Carla and Grace again.

William is worried about me, I have had nightmare chains before, multiple nights, but I have never seen one like this.

William has already finished high school and he is waiting for the fall semester at his new semester to start. I'll miss him a lot once he is gone. He is my only family member and I can't lose him. I give him a hug for no apparent reason and leave for work.

Another night spent doing overtime. Just great!

I am finally free to leave at around 11 P.M. I greet my co-workers goodbye and leave.

Finally free! Yaaaaas.

As I walk on the footpath, the street lights start flickering. Not only one but all of them. And then all of a sudden, one of them breaks. I start walking fast. Another one! Darkness starts to cover the entire street. All the lights just break and glass shatters everywhere. I stop to turn on the flash light of my phone. I point it everywhere and there is nothing here. It is cold all of a sudden. I turn around and see the thing standing right near me. I scream and fall. I don't have the energy to run. That sinister smile. I try my best to get up and run as fast as possible. I try my best not to look back but I can't resist. I look back and see that it has gone. I let out a sigh of relief. The street lights are back. I AM GOING CRAZY!!!! I keep my phone inside my pocket and continue walking. Then, there is this long horn. I frantically turn to search this sharp sound, I finally locate it.

It is a car and it is coming straight towards me at full speed.