PROLOGUE

I stood at the end of a long row of beds, moonlight flickering in through the open window, as a friendly breeze played about the room. For the moment, all I could do was stare. I had never imagined a more perfect sight, a more beautiful girl.

She rested easily with one arm tucked beneath her head, her hair spilling out in long gentle waves. The soft turn of her eyelashes floated above a gentle white cheek that was slightly dusted with freckles. Her nose, small and round was in perfect proportion to the full pink lips, now slightly parted. The thin white night gown rose and fell with the slow rhythm of her breath, clinging to the flowing curve of her breast disappearing beneath the heavy comforter.

On the other side of the room, a black shadow also watched the girl sleep. It was heavily cloaked and cowlled in such a way that it kept its face completely hidden in utter blackness. As I stared at the cloaked figure, it swept closer to the sleeping girl until it stood directly opposite me. Its head came up slowly so that I perceived it was now looking at me. A sweat came over me, cold and clammy against my skin. There, where the face should have been, was only a black void, and a maliciousness that left no question to its evil. Though there was no sound, I was sure it was laughing at me.

Once again, it returned its gaze back to the sleeping girl. As I watched, it stretched out, raising it's arms so that it took on the image of an incredibly large bat. Then like a slow fog, it settled itself on top of the girl, covering her completely; a liquid ink that settled into every corner, every crevice, so that even the strands of her translucent hair, now seemed black as death.

The girl stirred a bit, twitching from side-to-side, as though caught in a bad dream. But soon the nightmare became a frantic struggle, until finally she sat bolt upright with a silent scream, her mouth stretched wide, filled with blackness, her hands clawing at her face in desperation.

I tried to reach out-tried to call for help, but could not force my body to move, my mouth to open. Useless as a statue, I watched the girls strength fade and her struggles come to an end. She fell back on the bed, quiet and still, with only the oily black mark of her tears as testimony to her silent end.

Like stretched plastic, the black shadow peeled itself from the girl to form again at the side of her bed. Once again it raised its head and stared at me. There was no room for compassion or remorse in that black void, only empty humor. And then it was there, a hollow laughter that resonated deep in me, like an echo down a long empty hall. I wanted to fold in upon myself, to turn away; to close my eyes to this black specter, but I could not.

My terror mounted to an insurmountable climax as the black shadow began to dissolve, revealing a face that was immediately recognizable, because it was my face.

Astonishment and fear rocked me as I took in the reflection of myself. The reflection yielded itself to the windowpane, bearing back to me my own terror. I shriveled in upon myself, mouthing words of denial, but as before, I had no voice.

And the laughter grew... It grew till the world shook... Growing till nothing existed but hollow thunder.

I awoke to the peel of thunder fading into the distance. The night was cold, yet I was covered in sweat, my blankets kicked to the foot of the bed. Again thunder shook the house with a clap that echoed off into the night. I forced myself to calm down, to breath slow and deep, as the nightmare surrendered to reality.

The glowing red digits of my bedside clock, showed it to be almost 5 in the morning. Throwing my feet over the side of the bed, I stood up and headed for the bathroom: there was no point in trying to sleep again tonight.