Nothing is better than the familiar comfort of your own bed after a long day's work.
I park my truck in the driveway, relieved to finally be home. As I enter the door, I hear its familiar, welcoming creak, giving me a sense of relaxation. I walk into my bedroom and let out an involuntary yawn. I haven't been getting much sleep lately, which is why I am so relieved that the weekend has finally arrived. I undo my tie and throw off my work clothes, eager to feel the softness of my blankets and the comfort of my pillows. I put on my pajamas, turn off my light, and jump into bed, allowing my body to sink into the cozy mattress. I check the digital clock sitting on top of my nightstand: 11:42 P.M. Lately my job has been extremely stressful, which is why I've been working such late hours. Honestly, if it didn't mean losing my main source of income, I would've quit a long time ago.
For the past week or so, I've been randomly waking up in the middle of the night. I don't really know the exact cause of it, but I just assume it's because of all the stress I've been under. Please just let me get a good night's sleep, I think to myself. Every day I wake up sluggish and drained from my lack of sleep, so I hope and pray that tonight will be different.
I close my eyes and allow the sounds of the night to invade my ears. I hear the soft roar of thunder, indicating an upcoming storm. I listen to the crickets chirping and the trees swaying in the wind, and slowly I begin to fall asleep. Everything around me is calm, peaceful, tranquil...
My eyes slowly open revealing the darkness of my bedroom. I can hear the sound of heavy rain outside my window with the occasional rumble of thunder. I glance at my clock: 3:00 A.M. I silently curse at my inability to achieve uninterrupted slumber, and I rub my eyes to get them to focus in the dark.
Something isn't right.
My closet door is wide open, revealing the deep shadows inside. I never leave my closet open. My mind starts to spin and retrace my steps. Did I forget to close it?
No. I definitely closed it before bed.
My eyes move about the room, paranoia slowly taking over my brain. What could've possibly opened my closet door?
Suddenly, the lightning flashes through my window, illuminating my room for only a split second. In that split second my eyes catch sight of a silhouette standing menacingly at the foot of my bed. My heart starts to pound rapidly, and I can feel small beads of sweat forming on my forehead. I pull my blanket up to my face, hoping and praying that it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. The lightning flashes once more, and the silhouette is now standing right next to me, revealing its terrifying features. Its eyes are completely white, and it feels as if they are staring directly into my soul. The creature is thin and lanky, and almost seven feet tall. It has long, black hair, and skin so pale it looks dead. But the most noticeable and horrifying feature is its mouth. It's in a huge, permanent smile, revealing its sharp, inhuman teeth.
I freeze in place, too scared to scream. I'm paralyzed. My eyes finally adjust to the dark, and I can now see the creature clearly. It's just standing there, looking at me with its sinister eyes and a huge, ominous grin.
My eyes glance at my bedroom door. I'm going to have to bolt for it. Gathering up all of the courage I can muster, I fling off my blankets and bed sheets and dash toward the door. The second I move the demon figure lashes out at where I had been, missing me only by an inch or two. I get to the door, and I pull on the handle, but it won't budge. I turn around, and panic strikes me as I see the creature crawling on the floor towards me. I bolt to the window and desperately try to pry it open, but it stays completely shut.
The demonic figure is now on the ceiling, crawling above me. When I look up at it, it spins its head around its neck and jumps at me. I quickly dodge the creature and run to the opposite corner of the room. I attempt to find something, anything, to defend myself with, but there is no such luck. With the blink of an eye the demon is standing right in front of me, smiling at my terror. It slowly lifts up its claws and drags them across my face, causing me to bleed. The blood feels warm on my face, but it slowly gets colder as it drips down my cheeks. I wince at the pain and try to get away, but the creature grabs me and holds me in place.
Without warning, the creature lets out a deafening shriek, making me cringe in fear. I then feel the most pain I have ever felt in my entire life. The demon was going on a rampage, slashing its claws into my torso. I scream in agony with each slice, death approaching me with each drop of blood. It is cutting so deep I can see my organs getting pulverized and my flesh hanging off of me. I don't want to die.
I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!
Suddenly, like a light switch, everything goes black. Am I dead? I open my eyes and sit completely upright, and I see nothing but my dark, empty bedroom. I am back in my warm bed, as if nothing ever happened. It was all a dream. I feel my heart thumping rapidly in my chest, and my forehead is covered in cold sweat. I breath a huge sigh of relief as I slump back into my cozy sheets. The sounds of the storm comforting me with every drop of rain and roar of thunder.
I turn to face my nightstand and look at the clock. My heart nearly stops, and panic overtakes my body. There, displayed in glowing, red numbers, was 2:59 A.M., and I could hear the sound of my closet door slowly creaking open...
