H A U N T E D

t h i r t y - f o u r

t h i r t y — f o u r

In his worn clothes, the man enters my room, with a whistling sound that echoes with each step he takes. His pale skin looks gray in the dim night light, and his eyes are bloodshot, with enlarged pupils that sees beyond this realm. His gaze finally lands my sleeping figure in the bed, and his slow steps grow rushed, as he staggers his way over to me.

In my sleep, I am clearly disturbed from whatever I am dreaming. My hair sticks to my skin in slick tendrils, and my nostrils flare as danger approaches. My hands are next my head clenched together in fists, that never relax.

The man leans forward, and grabs my shoulders, as if to shake me awake. His skin nearly peels off of his body, and saliva drools down to my face. The odor of decomposition fills my lungs, and I gag.

The man's mouth opens wider, screaming as he repeats one phrase.

"You left me! You saw me, and you left me! You saw me, and you left me!"

His hands fold around my neck, as if to replicate his own death, and he starts to restrict my airway, slowly strangling me in my sleep.

"They took from me. They took everything from me. Now, I want what's mine."

Gasping for air, I bolt upwards in my bed, grabbing my neck as I try not to suffocate from my nightmare. On my nightstand, the digital clock shows it's around 04:38 in the morning. I haven't been asleep for three hours, and I'm already having nightmares.

Sweat causes my pajama shirt to cling to my body, and I sluggishly pull the item off from me, cringing at the smell of sleep and body odour. I need to wash that as soon as the sun rises. The wooden floors are cold to the touch, and goosebumps spread across my skin as I move towards my bathroom. In the dark, without switching the lights on, I turn on the warm water in the shower, making sure it doesn't burn me, before standing under the spraying water.

Washing off the nightmare, my skin soon starts to smell like chocolate bodywash and strawberry conditioner. Any remnants of sleep goes down the drain, and I know I won't be able to return to bed for the rest of the day.

In the dark, I stare at the tiles that reflect the moon light that streams through the window. It acts as a mirror, and I am able to see my reflection.

"You saw me, and you left me!"

The man's hanging body had been removed from its position in the tree, but his spirit is restless. He seeks revenge, and he wants me to do it. That is the thing about human souls, we are entitled and expect that the world owes us every inconvenience. This trait makes us selfish, too. We will harm anyone who comes in our way.

"I can't help you", I speak into the darkness. It is eerily silent. The only sound that comforts me, is the sound of the shower. I clear my throat, and shut off the water. Grabbing the towel that hangs from a hook, I cover myself. Moving towards the sink, I blindly search for my matches and candle. Once I find it, I light the candle with the simple flick of a match. The aroma of cinnamon and vanilla fills the bathroom. I use the corner of my towel to wipe off the steam of my hot shower, off of the mirror. The condensation is wiped off, and I am able to see myself.

The moment I make eye contact with myself, a tall figure of a man behind me, can be seen in the reflection of the mirror. I gasp and turn around to face him, but he is faster. He grabs my arm and pulls it back, to push me down with impeccable strength - the type that holds anger in its grasp. My face is pressed against the cold counter, and a makeup brush pressed into my skin, hurting me.

The man leans forward, his lips moving against the shell of my ear.

"Help me", he hisses desperately in my ear. My bottom lip trembles as I whisper back, my voice wavering in fear.