Whisper

9

"Are you lonely?"

.

There was still silence.

.

I took another deep breath.

"I don't know if you sleep or not, but if you want," I patted the side of the bed next to me, " there is plenty of room here."

.

I stared out at the hallway and for a brief, very brief, second, I though i saw something. Not so much a figure, as a shifting of light.

.

I reached across and turned off the light again and faced toward the wall, pulling the comforter up to my shoulder.

"Goodnight."

~~~~~

She stood at the foot of the bed and watched him settle in the bed.

Slowly she crawled up on the bed and moved about halfway up the bed. She did not need to sleep, although there were dark times, but ...

it did feel good to have someone near.

.

She lay on the bed, a slight smile on her face.

"I still have my knife."

.

"I know," he said softly.

"Just be careful with it."

.

She smiled.

"Goodnight."

.

"Goodnight," he whispered.

~~~~~

He stood at the edge of the cliff.

He could see something on the horizon.

It had been a beautiful sunset, but suddenly the sun had been covered with a darkness that spread across the horizon and seemed to be moving toward him.

.

"What is that?" he wondered aloud.

.

He heard a voice. Very faint, but he picked out the words ...

"I come for her."

.

He wondered who the voice was referring to.

He wanted to leave the edge of the cliff, but he suddenly felt like stone. He could not move his legs, or his arms or any part of his body.

He could just stand, frozen, and watch, as the darkness continued to come closer to him.

.

"Who are you?" he yelled.

.

"I come for her," the voice yelled back.

"Give her to me."

.

'Give who?' he wondered.

.

"Do to be a fool. GIVE ME THE GIRL."

.

He watched as the darkness seemed to break apart. Hundreds of winged creatures broke form the darkness and began heading toward him. Their screeching echoed loudly across the ocean.

.

He tried to run, but he could not.

.

Something was rising from the ocean, in front of him.

He could feel his heart pounding, as it continued to rise above him.

.

"Who are you?" he cried.

.

"He comes for me."

.

He could not turn, but a figure appeared to his left.

"You look like an angel."

.

She turned to him, smiling. She was a young girl, completely illuminated in white. her wings seemed to be thousands of individual stands that moved independently, yet together.

.

"Who are you?" he asked.

.

She walked to him and kissed his cheek.

"I love you, Daddy."

.

Suddenly there was a roar that shook the very ground that he stood on.

He watched as the angelic figure, jerked toward the darkness that was rising, hundreds of feet above him.

.

"COME TO ME," the dark figure yelled.

.

The angelic figure fought back, but to no avail. She turned and looked at him, a terrified look on her face.

"Help me Daddy."

.

He broke free of the frozen state and ran to the angelic figure, but he was too late.

She was pulled, screaming, into a huge mouth that suddenly appeared.

.

"DADDDDDDYYYYYYYY."

.

"NOOOOOOOOOO," he yelled.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO."

~~~~~

I awoke suddenly.

"No. No."

I quickly turned on the light on my night table.

I was sweating and my eyes were filled with tears.

.

"Shit."

I sat up, wiping my eyes as I did.

"What the f...?"

My heart was pounding and my breaths were but gasps.

.

I had never had a dream like that. Never.

I was never one for nightmares of any kind.

I grabbed the sweatpants that were on the night table and pulled them on. Quickly I exited my bedroom, up the hallway and into the living room.

I went to the large bay window and stared out across the ocean.

.

The sun was just rising.

.

I watched, expecting a darkness.

But there was none. Just the morning sun, peeking into a new day.

.

I shook my head and headed to the kitchen.

I made a pot of coffee and while I waited for it to brew, I poured a drink of scotch and lit a cigarette.

.

I felt her in the room with me. I turned to the hallway.

"Who are you?"

.

There was no answer.