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Holly woke from her sleep to find the bedroom still dark. In the black, she could make out a faint red glow shining on her nightstand. The glow revealed the time to be two in the morning.
Readjusting herself against the pillow, she closed her eyes and tried to fall back asleep. Sleep wouldn't come.
Shivers shook her body, the cool air prickling her skin. She pulled the covers closer against her. It felt like the middle of winter, but it was only July.
Uneasiness settled in her bones. She felt like she was being watched. A weight settled onto her chest as a nervous gulp stuck in her throat.
Her eyes, now adjusted to the dark, glanced around the side of the room she was facing. Nothing seemed out of place
I'm just imagining things. She thought with a shake of her head. I left the air conditioner on. That's why it's so cold.
Something touched her hair. A stinging sensation pained her scalp as the strands of hair were pulled from her head. The feeling repeated. Someone was stroking her hair with an icy cold hand.
Her eyes widened in absolute terror.
A foul smelling breeze blew from behind. The wind blowing repetitively. Realization hit her that it wasn't a breeze- it was someone breathing.
The sound, along with the strokes, continued for a few minutes. Holly didn't dare move. Fear paralyzed her.
Then, it went silent. The icy breaths stopped. The rough strokes of her hair were felt no more.
Her heart thundered in her ears, sounding like a jackhammer on a city street. Breaths quickening in anticipation.
A tug from the bottom of the blanket pulled the blanket off her shoulders. Icy air enveloped her feet as pressure moved underneath the covers.
Her breath caught in her throat as the chill climbed her legs. Goosebumps followed the upward path.
The chill settled on her on chest as a heavy weight pressed down on her skin. The breathing resumed, only this time it came from her chest.
With trembling hands, she lifted the covers up slightly to peek inside.
Just a bad dream. Just a bad dream. Just a bad dream.
Sitting on her chest was a pale white face. Black hollow eyes stared up at her. Chapped, peeling were drawn back in a sickening yellow smile. It was a woman's face.
Holly couldn't even bring herself to scream as the woman's head began laughing. The laugh was scratchy and deep.
"Holly," the voice whispered hoarsely. With the mention of her name, the woman lunged her talons for Holly's face.
