The Hooded Figure

My eyes were open but I couldn’t move my body. It was dark in my room except a little light was streaming through the blinds from the street light. I tried to lift my head but it was stuck, like a weight was pushing down on my body. All I could do was move my eyes, as I looked around I heard a faint noise. I wasn’t sure where it was coming from, although it sounded like it was in the room. I tried to listen a little harder and what I heard sounded like a scratching noise. I thought, maybe it’s my cat playing with something. Then I remembered I had let him outside for the night. A minute later I heard whispering.

Fear gripped my insides as I heard the whisper say my name, “Emmiillyyyy.” “No, no this isn’t real.” I uttered while slamming my eyes shut. My heart was pounding in my ears and I began to sweat from the terror I felt. “Emmmiiilllyyyyy.” It whispered again. “No, please no.” I sobbed. I was crying and the tears were streaming down the sides of my face. I tried to control my breathing but it was difficult, my breaths were jagged. It had been about 20 minutes and everything seemed to have stopped.

Just as I was staring to relax something cold grabbed my arm like a vice. I felt the pain immediately, “Aaaarrrggghhh!!” I cried out. I still didn’t know what it was that was tormenting me. I had to know, I gathered all my courage and forced my eyes open. As my eyes adjusted to the extremely dim lighting, I didn’t see anything. I continue to survey as much of the surrounding as I could. I felt utterly confused because I still didn’t see anything. The grasp was still on my wrist and I was still pinned to my bed. Closing my eyes again I thought, “Am I imagining this? Is this a dream?”

I opened my eyes again and then I saw it. I was looking up toward the ceiling and there was a dark figure in black hovering over me. Tears once more slid down my face. I wanted to run but I couldn’t. I had to force myself to blink. I was completely defenseless and I tried to swallow but my mouth was dry. “Emmiillyy.” The creature whispered again. “Please, leave me alone.” I begged as my voice came out raspy. It came closer to me, it’s garments seemed to flow in an unknown breeze. “I can smell your fear.” It said to me. “It’s refreshing and delicious.” It added. The creature reached toward me with a pale claw like hand. It stroked my face and it burned at the touch. It was like dry ice made contact with my skin. It drew closer again. Black eyes staring into my soul, chilling me from the inside out. It’s mouth opened and what looked like blood flowed out and dripped all around me. It closed more space between us, only inches from me. The smell of death emanated from it.

This is it, this is where I die. I tried to turn my head away but to no avail. Squeezing my eyes shut I could hear it’s raspy breaths. I felt a searing pain on my face, “AHHHHHH!!!!” I shouted and cried even harder. I saw as the creature pulled it’s claw from my face and sucked the blood dripping off it’s finger. “Mmmmm.” It hummed reveling the taste of my blood. It scratched again, this time on my leg. I gritted my teeth trying to hold in my cries. A whimper escaped from my mouth as the torture continued. I felt so helpless, laying there letting this thing feed off of me. Pure terror surrounded me as it began to close the space between us.

I shot up in my bed, tears on my cheeks as I looked around and saw the sun streaming through the blinds. “Oh my god!” I sobbed. It was all just a dream? I ran to my bathroom and looked in the mirror, there wasn’t a scratch on my face. I looked at my legs and there weren’t any scratches there either. I cried tears of joy! All of it wasn’t real! It was just a nightmare! I went to wipe my tears away and that’s when I realized, I had a hand like bruise on my wrist where the creature had grabbed me.