By Aina C.

I scampered through the dark, empty forest.

Every one of my steps was as loud as a busted old train. I could also hear loud breathing, but I knew it was not my own. The breathing was deep, rhythmic, and ominous – sending tingles down the back of my spine. Mine was fast, ragged, out of breath as I tried to find my way out of this forest.

The sound came from behind me, the rustling of cracked leaves, the methodically in’s and outs as the creature breathed was petrifying; it never pants, never wheezes, never stops to gasp for air. The temptation of turning backward was so strong, the curiosity of what was lurking behind me forced me to turn around to take a peek. I could make out a blurry shape of a considerably broad-shouldered creature.

I continued forward, stumbling over a root.

I have to keep going; I have to, I have to.

I glanced backward again, this time the distinct figure of a man with red reptile-like slits for eyes.

Red Reptile eyes. Wow.

I stumbled forwards, almost fell onto the ground, but caught myself last second and kept on going. Suddenly the monstrosity of a being behind me let out a sharp snorting like noise.

I jumped in fright as my whole body shivered. I put myself to go faster, but my throat was burning, and my legs were begging me to stop.

I looked behind me again, this time even closer. Close enough to realize that its eyes had a translucent look to it and that its flawless skin was nothing compared to its 3-fingered arms reaching toward me. I paused for a second as if my whole body had stopped functioning.

A million things could happen in a second, a trillion maybe.

I fell to the ground, face down.

I felt the dark aura that lingers around him, and I knew my end was near. 

His whole body was looming over me; I could feel his cold bony finger grabbing onto my neck.

Any second now.

It happened faster than my brain could process it; the monster bit me, my neck to be exact. Then he started drinking.

It was like your soul was getting sucked out of you, and the pain, it was worse than falling from a ten-story building. It was like your inner organs were getting burned.

I glanced up, only to see he was smirking, with a satisfied grin on his face. That made me realize. He was playing. He was playing a game with me; my ____(not going to work) escape entertained him.

I squeezed my eyes shut. His two red eyes filled my mind.

When I opened them again, I was in a room.

The white light blinded me as I opened my eyes, and I lay on the bed, dazed.

“Sweetie? Are you ok? You were thrashing around and whimpering,” An old lady wearing a bright red blouse asked.

“What happened? Where is the vampire?”

“Sweetie? a Vampire? I think you just had a nightmare.”

“No, I was in the woods, and it was following me, I know this sounds out-fetched, but I swear it’s true. I have to go outside!”.

She shook her head, “No, you’re not going outside; you just need some extra sleep. There was never a monster. You just had a nightmare” With that said. She left the room. 

I sat there.

Reaching behind my neck, I felt a lump. Two. Two lumps about the place where it bit me. Stumbling past the door, I called for the grandmother’s help. But the mirror next to the door made me stop.

There was somebody behind me. 

But there was only me in the reflection.

And behind me, two red reptile-like slits staring right back at me.

THE END