The cold air from the open window kissed her sweat-beaded skin, the night eerily silent except for the fluttering sound of the curtains.
Her blue cotton blanket wrapped around her like it was a cocoon that protected her from whatever it was that woke her up half past twelve o'clock.
Her heart was thundering beneath her ribs, beating harder and faster as each second passed.
Her breaths turned ragged. She opened her mouth to cry out for help, but only silence came out.
She fought against the unknown force that kept her from moving, screaming.
She tried closing her eyes and just let sleep go clawing at her again, drag her down to a dark abyss, yet it was an effort to keep away the feeling of being watched.
She opened her eyes and dared to look around the moonlit room.
There. By her door. A man—a shadow of a man— slender, tall, unmoving. Darkness pooled at his feet, spreading and swallowing the entirety of the wooden floor.
The shadow started moving—gliding— towards her bed. To her.
She immediately shut her eyelids and tried to shake off the invisible chains once more.
Tried, and failed.
Her eyes remained closed.
She could feel the darkness emanating from the man reaching out for her. She fought it with her mind.
She thrashed against her blanket, sweat soaking her shirt, the effort tiring her.
She went limp against her sheets, taking quick breaths.
Finally, she opened her eyes and the silvery light of the moon greeted her from the closed windows.
She was alone in the room. No open windows. No cold air. No shadow-man.
She sat up her bed, and that's when the tears started coming.