Good Night

  I stayed again at the coffee shop till late ,I’m finishing my coffee wich almost got cold and I head home.It’s freezing and I’m closing my coat all the way up.There’s nobody on the street ,it’s only me and the moon wich is illuminating my way brightly.Somewhere in the far ,the dogs are growling ,others are howling ,I look back and I investigate ,had the feeling that something just went behind me.There’s nothing ,nobody ,the same emptiness on the street just like before and I keep on going.Close to my home there is no lightpost on ,and the moon slowly gets covered by clouds ,going to hide.If it wasn’t to know the street well would be impossible to make one more step without getting my foot in a hole or an uncovered sewer pit.

  The cold is bitting now and makes me increase the pace ,I just can’t wait to get into my warm and cosy bed.At the corner of the street I suddenly have to stop ,something it’s watching me ,it’s crouched and I can hear it’s ice cold breath.I get closer ,slowly and silent ,if it’s an animal I don’t want to startle it and get myself attacked.But it’s not.It’s a poor woman with long gray hair ,the moon gets out of hiding and let’s me see more.Her eyes are small ,tucked in as if they were also hiding of the freezing cold ,ash grey color dress ,ripped here and there.Shortly ,the air gets a weird smell ,wich resembles old ,forgotten ,mold.

  Asking her what is she doing outside at this time of the night ,I’m stretching out my hand to help her get up ,she looks at me with a lost sight ,as if she was seeing through me and the next second she grabs my arm unveiling her bone skinny fingers with long messy nails.She gets me scared and as I want to step back she holds a grip ,I’m speechless ,so is she ,as not saying anything and starts to pull me towards her wich gets me panicking.I see her getting her face close to my ear and she whispers with a faded voice:

-The night is for us!

  I pull myself loose ,falling on my back ,then I get straight up and run away ,looking back terrified after a few steps but she ..,she isn’t there anymore.This thought makes me even more frightened and now I see myself watched from everywhere ,she could be anywhere ,I just keep running towards my house and as I get in I shut the door locked.

  For a few seconds I keep my back glued to the door ,then slowly sliding down I try to snap out of it and calm my breath ,my heart was jumping out still.I tell myself it’s nothing and I get up after a short while ,as I hang my coat I glance at the window ,I can see her ,she’s behind me.With eyes shut I turn around slowly ,then I open them.It’s nothing and I look back at the window ,nobody.Makes me think I’m loosing my mind.Hot shower and straight to bed ,tuck myself in and for a second I check the time ,it’s 2:58.My eyes feel heavy and start to shut ,I really need to sleep and as I almost do some noises from outside get to me but after listening carefully for a bit I decide to ignore them.

 Unwillingly I glance at the time again ,it’s 2:59 and I try to get to sleep again ,changing sides and positions then taking a deep breath I feel very sleepy.Something interrupts me of having a good nice sleep ,I can feel it on my hand ,maybe it’s a insect ,but it’s winter ,from where?Maybe it’s a spider ,these things for sure they hide in every corner and crack ,I shake my hand to get it off but it doesn’t ,I shake my whole arm now.No effect ,it’s still there ,I scratch my hand and feel something wet ,as I sniff it it smells familiar.Opening my eyes and trying to see anything it’s useless in the dark ,but something on the ceiling gets my attention.I freeze in fear ,my eyes are dropping tears as I look up while the moon lights up the room.Should’ve stayed dark ,should’ve not see it.On the blue ceiling ,a big shape is getting a contour ,human like ,then a head twist out ,turning towards me ,grins and drops blood.That’s what I had on my hand ,blood.I jump out of the bed and without hesitating I run to the door as I wanted to escape the house as fast as possible ,but the door is stuck ,doesn’t open.I keep trying ,nothing.

  I panick as I hear it dropping on the floor ,the sound of it’s steps get closer and I try the window ,that’s stuck aswell.I decide to get into another room and hide behind the armchair ,but not before trying the window again in that room aswell.It’s not opening ,all of them are stuck.The digital clock on the side cabinet shows the time as 3:00 and the seconds stop ,they freeze as 3:00.I crouch with my head between my knees and try to think of something good ,nice ,but I can’t ,as I peek out from behind the armchair I end up looking straight to it’s face ,almost touching noses.It stares at me ,hot burning red eyes ,my breath cuts short ,I’m loosing it ,it grabs my throat and tells me with changing voices ,wich is horrifying:

-Wasn’t you supposed to sleep at this time?The night is for us ,the sleep is for you!

  It was gripping stronger and stronger while lifting me until I can’t touch the floor anymore ,almost choking I am looking for something to hold on to.My eyes were searching in all directions while the thing was silent ,dead silent.Struggling to escape ,it goes away but I am still in the air ,as if it was still holding me up.It’s suffocating me.The pitch black gets shapes ,straps of it surround me and cover me until I can’t see or hear a thing.I pass out.

  A sharp strong sound wakes me up ,as I open my eyes I find myself staring at the window.I was cold.I must have  lied on the freezing floor an eternity.While getting up a flash lights the room ,it’s raining ,thunderstorm ,the lightnings woke ,me up.

  Every single bone in my body hurts me ,they feel crushed ,the window are wide opened and big drops are leeking on the wall ,I still feel that hand gripping on my throat ,but it was gone ,there was nothing there anymore and as I hold my throat I drag my feet to the windows to shut them,feeling very dizzy.In the glass reflection I get to see the woman’s face ,I get a glimpse of her evil look ,I step back and switch the lights on.She’s gone and the room looks torn apart ,looked like after a war.The clock shows 3:01 and it gets me confused.When getting back in my room having fear before entering it ,I have my sight locked on the ceiling.On the same spot where it appeared the first time it’s engraved:

-Good night!

  The ceiling was bleeding ,and I crash into the bed being in great pain ,falling asleep while looking at the writing.