Stories to Keep You Awake at Night

The Cold Man

I had a strange dream last night. It was the kind of dream that seems all too real, right up until the point where you wake up in a cold sweat. Last night, when I was lying in bed, drifting off to sleep, an uneasy feeling came over me. It was almost as if I was being watched, but more than that, I felt like there was someone in the room with me. As disturbing as the feeling was, I still couldn’t keep myself from falling asleep.

I don’t recall how the dream began exactly, but the first thing I remember was walking out of my house. All of my neighbors’ houses were gone and I found myself on a long, empty road. It was cold and dark and there was nobody else around. I felt like I was completely lost and alone, but I wasn’t afraid.

I don’t know how long I was on that road. It felt like I was walking endlessly. Eventually, I reached a fork in the road and when I stopped, I realized I wasn’t alone anymore. A voice called out to me from the side of the road.

“I’m sorry to see you here,” the voice whispered, “but it’s good to see you.”

I recognized the voice. It was an old friend from my childhood. Someone I hadn’t seen in years. He looked a little different from how I remembered him. Even though we were both the same age, he seemed much younger than me somehow. He was also very pale and had dark circles around his eyes. His lips were blue.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I’m here to warn you,” he replied. “There’s a man in your house…”

“What do you mean?” I said, puzzled. “I was just there…”

“You don’t understand,” replied my friend with apparent urgency. “He’s in your house right now.”

I had no idea what he was talking about, but I was curious.

“Who?” I asked.

“The Cold Man,” he replied. “He comes to people at night when they’re afraid. He waits to be noticed, then he makes his move. You know that chill you feel on your back when something really scares you? That’s him standing behind you.”

“What does he do once you notice him?” I asked.

My friend looked down. “Just don’t let him in,” he cautioned.

“What do you mean?”

“He can be close forever,” my friend explained. “He’ll walk around your house at night and even stand in your room while you’re asleep…like he is in yours right now. He can know where you are. He can even be looking right at you, but he won’t find you unless you let him.”

“How does he find you? I mean, how do you ‘let him?’”

My friend glanced over his shoulder furtively, as if he was worried someone might overhear. Leaning in close, he whispered in my ear, ”If you see him, if you hear him, or if you suddenly start to feel suddenly very cold…don’t move. Don’t talk to him. Don’t acknowledge him. Don’t ever let him in.”

“I don’t understand,” I pleaded. “How do I get rid of him?”

“You can’t,” my friend replied sadly. “Look, I’m already out of time…”

“Out of time?” I repeated, not sure what he meant exactly.

My friend just shook his head. His eyes were wide and he was shivering. Just then, I noticed a dark figure creeping from the shadows.

“My time is up,” said my friend. “Whatever you do, just don’t let him in. Don’t answer it.”

Before I could ask anything more, my friend was enveloped by the shadows and something seemed to pull him into the darkness. I couldn’t see him anymore. I was about to run after him when I was awakened by a loud noise.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself sitting upright in my bedroom, fully dressed. I could have sworn I wasn’t dressed when I went to bed. My shoes were covered in a thin film of dust and my feet were sore. I felt so cold.

I heard a ringing noise and when I looked down, I saw that I was holding my phone. I was about to answer it when I remembered my friend’s words in the dream.

I didn’t answer it. Eventually, it stopped ringing.

I rubbed my hands together. The room was as cold as ice. The feeling that I was being watched was as strong as it had ever been. I could hear something moving inside my closet, but I didn’t dare to move. I just closed my eyes and waited.

Eventually, I heard footsteps inside my closet. They grew more and more faint, as if walking away down some unseen hallway. When the footsteps finally stopped, the coldness dissipated and the room returned to normal.

He didn’t get in this time. If my friend in the dream was telling the truth… if the thing in my closet was who I think it was… I must never let him in. I know he’ll be back.

I don’t know what happened to my friend, but I just hope people will remember his warning. If you start to feel cold while reading this, don’t be alarmed. If you hear something in your house, just ignore it. You can’t afford to let him find you. Don’t let the Cold Man in.