Demons in my Dreams

Prologue

It's 4:30 a.m on a Sunday morning in Chicago and Emily has once more violently shot up out of bed breathless, panicking. Emily's heart races as she tries to steady her shaking legs enough to stand. "Who are you and what do you want from me?" she shouts into the darkness. Her body soaked with sweat, she stumbles out of her room to flicker on every light that isn't already glowing. Emily travels through the house peeking inside every room, finding no one other than her rustling children sleeping in their beds. "I feel the burn of your touch crawling inside of my skin." I feel your breath brush up against my neck." Emily whispers out softly. " I'm going to find you shadow!"
     For now Emily settles on a cup of tea to calm her restless nerves. She turns on the tea pot getting comfortable on the couch, in only a few short hours her day will be set to start as her children will be up with a thud. Damian, Lucas, and Dakota will be in her face reeking havoc on her already spent nerves. Dakota, the oldest Emily's only daughter is fifteen years old and probably the most responsible of the three although she loves competing with Damian the youngest boy just barely twelve. Lucas, fourteen usually spends his time drawing. He never really bothers with Dakota much less wants anything to do with Damian. Emily lost in thought hears the whistle of the tea pot starling her all over again. This time Dakota wakes to her shreek.
     "What's wrong mama?", Dakota pops her head into the living room. "Nothing baby, the tea pot startled me", Emily replies to her anxious teen. "Did you have another nightmare?" Dakota demands. "I'm fine sweetheart, just go back to bed" Emily sneers in that general direction. Dakota stomps off towards her room confused mumbling to herself. Emily continues making her cup of tea while her mind drifts into another time. Why can't I see this man that is apparently made up in my mind? Who is he to me and why is he haunting me she interrogates herself. She sits down forgetting to add sugar to her tea caught up in trying to force a memory of anyone in her past that may have done her some type of harm. It never seems to matter how hard she tries in Emily's mind she didn't even exist before her eleventh birthday. She has no memory of being a child only stories she has been told by siblings and her mother. Unfortunately there are very few photos of her growing up as well.
     Since her mother's passing going on five years ago she's learned the majority of her life that has been told to her was mostly made up stories by her mother carried on by her siblings. "What are they all hiding from me?" She accidentally says aloud. Emily cannot comprehend why her own childhood memories should be hidden away from her or why she's been told untrue verions of a wondrous life. Emily don't even know who she is! How is she suppose to find out who the man in the shadows is that's chasing her? Emily's nightmares increased the months preceeding her mother's death. She decides she has to start with her mother and follow her life backwards.