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Nightmare Mist

Sleep Paralysis and a Mist

By Tracy LawsonPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
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It's a dark night and you're safe in bed. You think nothing can harm you in your own bed. You're drifting asleep, thinking about a creak. The house always creaks sometimes. It's normal as it's settling around you as if the house is breathing and alive. Your room is illuminated by a trusty nightlight. You also believe that the nightlight is your safety along with your trusty 'Dream Catcher', where good dreams pass through, but bad dreams get stuck in the web to be 'dissolved' by the morning sun.

But then, while you're drifting asleep, you hear a noise. You don't know what it is. But you're aware of where you are at. You're feeling nervous because you also hear another noise- of breathing- a rattling breathing, loud and clear. It paralyzes you as it comes near and what looks like your bedroom, where it had been once light, airy, and safe, is nothing more than a terrifying place. The only difference in this place is that there's no nightlight on, and the only sound that you can hear is a 'rattling' breath. You can't move your arms or legs. You can breathe in and out, you can flail your hands because it hasn't reached your upper extremities yet. It hasn't even attempted to sit on your chest yet. Your first thought is to 'fight' against it and although your eyes are open, you can see 'it'. It hovers over you and you can see 'it' clearly. So clearly, it looks like a 'wispy' mist. You're surprised at first. Then you start to think about how to 'make it go away'. You still can breathe as it still hovers over you. It doesn't move anymore closer to you. You find yourself looking directly at it, with angry eyes instead of 'fearful' eyes. Then you smack the 'wisp' away.

The nightlight turns on and it releases you from the paralysis and then you truly wake up. Everything is much clearer and seems there's familiar noises. You get up to check on everything, making sure that you don't go right back to bed because you believe you'll fall asleep again, to dream that same nightmare again.

-0-

When I was a little girl, I used to suffer from horrible, screaming, running, night terrors. They frightened me so much, that I would run into my Mom and Dad's bedroom at night and sleep on the floor. I would hope to God it wouldn't find me. Well, it did every time. It didn't matter where I went, it would follow me. Let's just say that I was terrified to go to bed. I would dread going to sleep because of those night terrors. I began to 'develop' names for them too. One was called, "The Witch", "Max The Monster" (Which by the way, is the name of my Grandfather.)

"The Witch" was a gruesome night terror or nightmare that haunted by dreams. I remember her very vividly like it was yesterday. My Mom, Dad, Brother and I used to live in a Duplex in Cape Coral Florida.

"The Witch" was a woman with black hair, green ugly warty skin, a black dress, a black pointy hat, and was generally very ugly, and her cackle was horrid.

When she visited, I was asleep and I woke up in a room much like my brother and I would share, was unable to move, and could hardly speak out, "Mom..." It was a 'very low voice' and when I tried to cry out or call out, she cackled. The thing is? She kept me paralyzed until I finally had no choice but to fall asleep. The concept of my brain doing it, escaped my young mind. I didn't know why at the time. When I finally did wake up, everything was fine.

This witch only appeared once to me. I was always praying she didn't ever come back.

The second one that would arrive was a white figure in a 'robe'. This second one would lay outside on the front yard and it terrified me so much that when I saw my Mom leave for work, she would pass right by it. It never stirred. It never even pursued her. I don't know much about this one except I called it "Max". I do believe that this figure would be a protector against the witch? I don't know.

I also would sleep with my sheets and blankets over my ear because I would believe someone or something was breathing in my ear when it was actually me.

I was always afraid of the dark and to this day, I still have to sleep with two nightlights. One at the stairs and one in my room. I still startle easily with all noises. I even jump before I fall asleep and wake up immediately in surprise, wondering what happened. I would eventually go back to sleep. Most often than not, I would drift right back into the dream.

Overcoming Nightmares and Night Terrors

There were many nights where I used to think that I would never overcome a nightmare or a night terror. What I learned through various means was that when these nightmares and night terrors started, I didn't feel in control. I didn't feel like I can control the outcomes or the 'actions' in the dream. It was always running away from some monster. It was always coming close to the edge and then waking up with a gasp of air. Even after reading numerous articles online, they would say don't go back to sleep so quickly after a nightmare or you'll lapse right back into it. I always did fall asleep quickly. Sometimes, I'd worry about going right back into the nightmare. It's a 50-50 chance of falling right back into the nightmare. When this happens, I know what the last outcome turned out and managed to control the outcome. It's hard. But when you 'see' what's chasing you, you laugh at it. Laughter seems to weaken it because it's like a negative force. The only way negativity is beat is through laughter.

Running away from the negativity only causes it to chase you and then it has the power to control your dream and outcome. It doesn't like being faced or challenged. I faced many negative monsters in my nightmares. When you take control, it leaves, and then you find yourself in another dream that's much better.

Some people overcome night terrors. I have heard that everyone with a history of night terrors will have them. Fighting nightmares and night terrors show these negative forces you aren't afraid of them anymore. Which is a good sign.

psychological
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About the Creator

Tracy Lawson

Hello everyone. I'm a science fiction, fantasy, horror, real life author. I enjoy writing poetry as well in my spare time. I'm happy to share my stories on here with the hopes of getting out there.

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