Bad Dream - Demon or Sleep Paralysis

This dream was probably one of the scariest I have ever had. I suffer from sleep paralysis, so when I am having a nightmare, that makes it so much worse. I know what sleep paralysis is. I did a whole module on sleeping disorders at university. In simple terms, sleep paralysis is when your body falls asleep before your mind, giving you the feeling of being paralysed. I prefer this explanation a lot more in comparison to what my dad and grandma believe: it's a demon holding you down. They have never actually said it in those words, but that is definitely what they mean.

Anyway, on to the dream. I had fallen asleep around 1:30 AM after a long tiring day. My body was exhausted, so I'm not surprised it fell asleep first. I don't remember all of what happened, but I remember seeing my workplace. I was in the office, which looked completely different. It was like a mix between my two old offices and my new office (we have relocated a few times).

I was sitting at someone else's desk, covering a break. I couldn't really make out who was around me by face, but their voices were somewhat clear. I carried on "working" for a while. It was a dream, so I don't really know what I was doing. While I was typing, the person whose desk it was got back. We'll call him Bob. Bob thanked me for covering his break and then came to sit down, but instead of waiting for me to get up, he sort of tried to sit behind me on the same chair, which was very odd. I then tried to get up, but he wouldn't let me. When I looked back, it wasn't Bob anymore, and I wasn't in the office anymore either. I was back in my bed.

I asked, "What are you doing? Let me go!" but nothing. I couldn't move. It was like I was frozen. The only parts of my body I could move were my eyes, and even then, I was terrified of what I might see. I could feel a hand brushing through my hair and someone whispering. I instantly started praying, which is something I was taught as a child when this happens. What made this whole situation worse is that whatever this thing was, it was laughing at me. It was telling me that I can't escape it, that I'm saying the prayer wrong, that I'm a failure. It just wouldn't stop.

It went on for what felt like forever. I kept my eyes shut tight this whole time because I didn't know if I would be able to handle what I saw. I was desperately trying to reach the switch to my lamp, but I just couldn't move, and I was scared. I had all these thoughts going through my head, like what if I reach my hand off the bed and something grabs it (a universal childhood fear)?

While this was happening, I heard my bedroom door open and saw the light coming in. This was definitely not real, because we don't have the hallway light on at night. I opened my eyes for a second, just hoping it was over, but I was so wrong. I saw a shadowy figure standing by the door. That was the last straw. I was not going to let something scare me in my own house. I got angry and just screamed "GET OFF ME!" and that was it. It stopped. I was in shock. I didn't think that would work.

I woke up and looked around. I was in my pitch-black room. I turned the lamp on just to make sure everything was okay. It was, obviously. I looked at the time and it was 3:06 AM. I always seem to wake up around this time after a bad dream. That is all it was, just a bad dream. I said my prayers and then went back to sleep. I slept absolutely fine after that. I think it was just because I was so tired and a little stressed. I really hope it doesn't happen again, but I am fairly certain it will.