Dreams & Death

When I woke up, my body was frozen—I knew this was sleep paralysis, but something felt different this time. A tall, shadowy figure stood at the foot of my bed, its grin stretched too wide, its hollow eyes fixed on me. Its voice echoed through the room. "This house has been cursed. The people here are no longer human. If you want to bring them back, take the head of the accursed monster and place it in that bucket." My breath quickened as I noticed an old bucket in the corner, the sharp scent of iron filling the air. "Don't forget, you need the purification book to cleanse them… and a lighter to ignite the ritual candles. That is your only way out of this nightmare." The figure stepped closer, its cold breath brushing against my skin. I knew I couldn't stay still for too long—if I did, I might never wake up again.