Midnight Snack

I awoke to silence, sweat pouring off my face and breathing ragged. I sat up, blankets falling off and a sideways pillow. Running a hand through the hair I had attempted to dye red, I tried to catch my breath.

Settle down Ren, it was just a nightmare. Nothing new.

I had this recurring nightmare that I could always barely remember, except for him.

I remembered seeing his face, covered in blood as I mercilessly stabbed a sword into his heart. Everywhere I looked I saw red and white. Red like the color of his blood painted across the mocking white snow. Red like his eyes and white like my hair.

Who exactly was he?

I had no idea.

I hadn't realized I had been gripping my hair that hard, and when I brought my hand down to eye level, I saw them.

White hairs.

Shaking my head in disbelief, I shook it off as sleep deprivation and the lack of light. I then made my way into the kitchen for a glass of water and a midnight snack.

My throat was hoarse, so I assumed I had been yelling again. Thank god I had no roommates. I had no family, and wasn't too big in the whole socializing thing.

Did I have friends? Yes.

But its not as though I could tell them about any of this without getting the 'Holy Hell, you're crazy,' look of apprehension.

I walked barefoot over to the sink, and started to realize how cold it was. I supposed it didn't help that I was only wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts.

Filling my glass with water, I looked absentmindedly out the window. There were several trees in front of the house that my nonexistent family left for me, as a lame sort of parting gift.

"Oh, Serenity, sorry Ren, we, that's your mother, father, and sister are leaving you forever. But don't take it too hard. Here, have our vacation house."

That was the note they left in a nutshell.

I sighed, sipping my water and rummaging through cabinets to find a suitable midnight snack.

The more I was aware of the cold, the colder it got. I breathed out, and saw my own breath, as I would in the winter. I set the glass down and rubbed my arms, looking for the source of the icy chill. I stopped.

Are those footsteps?

No, they couldn't be. But still, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone, or something was watching me. I checked all the doors. Locked. I checked all the windows. Closed and locked.

Something moved behind me. I turned, ready to run like hell if need be, and saw a window wide open, curtains billowing in the wind.

How the hell did I miss that?

I closed, and locked, the window. I felt a sudden gush of air behind me. I turned and screamed, holding a hand over my heart.

Realizing the thing that had scared me was only a simple house plant, I laughed.

Okay Ren, you're really starting to lose it. Who gets scared of a plant?

I walked back into the kitchen, noticing my glass of water was gone. I also saw that the refrigerator door was wide open. I know for a fact that I didn't do that.

I felt a gush of wind again, but this time it was hotter. I felt hot breath on the back of my neck, and still my body refused to move.

Whatever it was, was so close to me now. It could kill me right now if it really wanted to. And I bet it could, because I sensed that something animalistic was behind me, ready to pounce, for it was the predator and I was the prey.