I wake abruptly. Consciousness stabs me like the sting of ice.

I bury my body deep in the quilt, horrified by the painful memory of last night’s dream. Slowly I leave the comfort of my bed, a busy day ahead of me. I am alone; the raw memory of last night fills me with dread. As I close the bathroom door a chilling breeze bites at my ankles. Strange, the window is closed, the door shut.

As I turn, fear grips the very core of my being. In front of the door stands a girl, she is a warped replica of myself. The demon of last night poised before me. Her eyes solid black, crawling like a swarm of tiny bugs. Her evil stare holds me frozen, unable to scream, unable to fight. Slowly I became weightless, the air around me steeling me from the ground. Her stare a merciless snake crushing the oxygen from my lungs. A menacing smile creeps across her face as she savours my last breaths. My eyes watch as I bleed my own body dry of life.

I wake abruptly. Consciousness stabs me like the sting of ice.