Sleepless nights

Chapter 1 – Sleepless nights

He was feeling strange. Like his place in the world was uncertain. Unable to relate to his peers, although he tried. What once appealed to him had become somewhat lacklustre. He began to contemplate on life and the phenomenon of existence, what did it all mean? Time and space and the unfathomable reality of it all.

It had been five days since he slept. The lack of slumber had made him very agitated and sensitive, which he felt should have been the opposite, considering his lack of adequate rest. Tried as he may, he couldn't muster a lick of sleep.

In his agony and desperation, he carried himself to a nightly walk around the fields by his house. It was nearing the end of an Auckland winter, but the breeze was quite warm. The street was his, no sign of life was around him. He settled himself by a nearby primary school, and lit a cigarette, as he puffed, he told himself he should quit this unhealthy habit, but the process of inhaling and exhaling tobacco calmed him down a bit.

Looking over the field he began to question his life choices and were it had taken him, contrasting who he currently was, to who he wanted to become. He had just recently turned 22 and felt like he hadn't yet got a grip on his destiny. He thought about university and how it wasn't working for him, he had already taken the semester off and had no plans in returning any time soon, at least until he had found inner peace within himself. His main priority was to focus on getting himself mentally right. He knew his parents would be looking down on his choice but based on his performance he thought it best. He couldn't focus on the lectures and everything was beginning to seem pointless, he felt his time would be better spent elsewhere, at least for now, while he battled with all the philosophical thoughts in his head. He took the last drag, and flicked the butt into the air, where the amber incandescent light did a series of flips before landing in the dew-covered grass.

The next day the same, on the 6th day without sleep, he thought to himself he better seek medical attention, as this was extremely unusual. He turned the TV on, and a show he had never seen was on. He tuned in to a scene where two man where having a conversation. They were in a large beautiful room, what appeared to be the inside of an elaborately constructed cathedral. The appearance of one of them was different than he had ever observed. His skin had a glow to it, and his eyes had the most vivid light blue he had ever seen. Then he spoke to the other man, and the words spoken stuck to him for some reason. He said “He works in mysterious ways.” to which the other man just smiled and nodded.

Moments later his mum walked in and gave him a big hug as he made his way down the corridor.

“You look like you needed a mothers hug,” she said with a radiant smile.

He could feel the warmth and love sipping out of her person, he welcomed the gesture and felt it was time to tell someone about his ordeal.

“It's been a week since I’ve been able to sleep.”

“Have you seen a doctor?” she asked, concern emanating from every word.

“Not yet, but if am unable to sleep tonight, I’ll go the next day.”

“Could be a serotonin unbalance,” she said almost certain, she being a registered nurse, she had experience with this sort of thing. She paused in thought and said “you know yourself better than anyone, but please be careful, and stay away from anything that might aggravate the situation.” With that she made her way to her room, leaving Fern thinking about what could have caused such a situation.

His body was screaming for rest, but his brain kept firing on. He felt like his body might collapse, but yet his mind was active and alert. On-top of his unnatural lack of sleep his appetite had been curbed. He went for a run around the block in hopes of exhausting himself, finally he could feel his eye lids giving in. That night he laid himself in bed and eventually felt sleep carrying him away. After 6 days of ongoing mental torture he knew he would be able to feel the sweet relaxation of a good night's shut eye.

In the dark his eyes suddenly opened, and at the foot of his bed stood the silhouette of a person. His body was paralysed, frozen still, and his vocal cord unable to emit a sound. He watched as the figure began to crawl up his bed.

He tried to move, but it was as if the message from his brain couldn't move down his nervous system to his legs and arms. The figure continued its movement up his body as Fern tried to call for help, but again he wasn't even able to move his lips. The mysterious person or spirit made its way all the way up till it was face to face with him. From there he could see it clearly, covered in a dark cloak with long black hair. The figure hovered above him and smiled a most creepy smile.

Scared he began to in his mind call out the name Jesus, asking him to deliver him from this startling visitor, moments later the shape retreated to the foot of the bed and disappeared. In the same moment he regained mobility, and sprung out of bed to check the foot, but yet nothing was there.