Dreamscape
By: midnitezombie13
Jules lay in her bed, watching the glistening rain fall down in a constant pitter-pat, fog floating around giving an eerie mood. Slowly out of the mist a familiar figure comes to view. Almost materializing outside at the mailbox. This wasn't the first time she'd seen this person, or thing, but it still sent nerves throughout her body. Her heart began beating faster, beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She almost had the urge to scream, even though she knew she couldn't. Because here, nothing was heard by anyone, but herself, and nothing was said.
She tried shrieking, but like every other time, nothing came out. "The Fogman" as Jules called it, came every night. No one else but her could see him, or hear him, for that matter. She didn't know why he came. She didn't know what he'd do to her because she always woke up.
Yes, Jules goes through this ordeal every night. But, as she feels while dreaming, her heart is pounding hard in her chest, and sweat trickles down her face. Rain smacks against the window pane. Because of this, Jules never knows if this is a dream, or reality, until tonight.
As she attempts to fall back asleep, and eventually fall back into this constant nightmare, she saw it.
The Fogman emerges from the gray shadows. She shoots up out of bed and takes a closer look at the marvel. She lightly slaps herself, a common technique she uses to painfully, but successfully wake herself up. Not this time. She slaps herself harder until her face is tingling. Her eyes, wide with fear. She gulps.
This can't be happening, she thought to herself. He moves slowly, almost purposefully trying to keep her anticipated longer for what is about to happen.
Jules knows she needs help. Her father and brother are both, just across the hall. Her mother died when she was ten and the two of them have always had rocky relationship. Jules wondered if the reason behind these nightmares was from her mother's abusive behavior towards her. But she doesn't have time to think about it now.
It seems as if she's in a vice, she can't tear her eyes away for one second. Like her feet are sewed to the carpet. She considers screaming, but imagines no sound would come out.
The Fogman was clearly moving, but it's taking him so long. What is going on? She doesn't know what will happen, which was the worst fear of all. She whimpers, and realizes. Sound. She heard herself, so her father would have to hear her scream. She inhales deeply, still watching the Fogman, and screams.
Within seconds, her father is standing in the doorway. Jules watches as The Fogman disappears. He gradually floats away with the wind and as quickly as he came, he left.
"Jules, what's wrong." Jules is still staring out the window, confused, and then realizes her father repeating himself. She whips around to him.
"I-um… must have had a bad dream," she did her best to make up this fib, but he wasn't buying it.
"Sweetie," he says sitting down on her bed. He pats the mattress next to him. Jules takes a seat. An imprint of where she was standing was left on the carpet before the window. "I know you're lying. For one thing, you were out of bed, and you don't have a history of sleepwalking. Another, you wouldn't scream that loud in a dream," he explains. She knows he's right. But what was she supposed to tell him? Her nightmares are coming true and some thing is out to get her? She looked down at her bare feet and scrunches her toes.
"I'm sorry," is all she says. It was all she could say. He leans over and gives her a hug. She gives him a squeeze and lets go. He smiles at her.
"Now go to sleep, and if I hear you again, I taping your mouth shut," he jokes. Jules manages to get out a weak giggle as she watches her only defense against her nightmare get up and go back to sleep, himself. He turns off the light and shuts the door. The room is pitch black, not even the light from the moon could be seen through the thick, black rain clouds.
Jules lays down on the bed. She hears the haunting wind blow. Goose bumps emerge on her arms as she buries her face into the pillow and pulls the sheets over her head. If I can't see him, he's not there she thinks, attempting, and failing to ease her mind.
After a minute of silence she hears something. It sounds like her doorknob turning. Her heart skips a beat and her breath quickens. Not knowing what to do, she closes her eyes and pretends to be asleep. The door slowly creeks open then shuts again. Silence.
The next sound Jules hears is the click of the lock on her doorknob. What's happening? She wonders. A cold, dead finger traces down her spine. Jules yelps and springs up. Before her is standing a dark shadow-like figure. When Jules realizes her room is filled with glowing, white fog, it's clear to her the only thing that could produce a ghostly fog was him, The Fogman.
Without a second thought, she screams. Her whole body vibrates and the room looks as if it's shuttering. Ten seconds later her father was on the other side of the door. The doorknob jiggled and then Jules hears a click. He's in the room, standing inside The Fogman.
"Jules! Are you okay?" he asks, concerned and out of breath. Jules's jaw hangs open and her eyes are wide with fear. The Fogman is still standing there and her father is there too, not even realizing he just walked through the paranormal. "What's wrong?" he asks. With no reply, he walks over and sits down on the bed, putting his arm around Jules. He looks in the same direction Jules is, trying to figure out what she's staring at. He saw nothing. She saw her nightmare come to life. He turns her head to look at him. She finally comes back down to earth and looks at him, tears stinging her eyes.
"I'm worried, Jules. This isn't normal. I need to know what's going on or I can't help you." Jules didn't know whether or not she should tell her clueless father there's a ghost in her room, or if he'd think she'd gone insane and lock her up in an asylum.
"Um… I think it's… stress." She lied. "Yeah, I have a lot of things going on at school so I guess I'm so overwhelmed I'm having nightmares?" she tried it, maybe he'd buy it, maybe not.
"Nice try. You don't have anything to hide from me. I want to help you, but you need to tell what's wrong." He takes her hands in his.
"Thanks, but I think it would be best if I just went back to bed." she lied, again. He kisses her on the forehead.
"Alright, I love you, good night," he gets up and leaves, taking one last look at Jules, still not seeing The Fogman. The light turns off and the door comes to a gentle close. The room continues glowing and Jules is staring at him awaiting her fate.