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A Sleepless Night
Something has disturbed my sleep again and I cannot pinpoint what. There are no ‘out of place’ sounds, it is more an instinctive awareness of suddenly realising that I am no longer alone. As I strain my eyesight into the darkness I glimpse two small orange glows and my subconscious screams at me that I have seen these before. Memories come flooding back of that moment, a whole lifetime ago.
I was so tired in those days that sometimes I could not string together a coherent sentence. The tiredness was also affecting my concentration and balance but I could not understand why as I regularly went to bed early. Then one night I awoke to the realisation that there was a presence in the room; other than my wife and myself.
I struggled upright and glanced around the room but could see nothing untoward. However, my heart was beating rapidly as adrenaline flooded my system and my instincts told me to run. Run where and from what I did not know but it took several moments before I could control the urge to flee. I watched my wife for a few minutes, she was undisturbed and sleeping peacefully, whatever had awoken me had not affected her.
I struggled to control my breathing and calm my irratic heartbeat. I convinced myself that I’d had a nightmare and was just about to lie back down when I saw them. Tiny slits of green and orange light, two of each, enveloped in a darkness so black it was visible in the gloom of the room. As I concentrated on the blackness the slits opened to reveal what I can only describe as eyes. Feral, hungry, two bright orange ones like warming firelight and two cheap emerald green eyes. Whatever was hovering in the corner of the room, there were definitely two of them.
Orange eyed blackness flowed towards me and I was seized by a paralysing fear never before experienced. I sat immobile and silent, incapable of warning my wife of the horror that was approaching us, when the apparition passed through her to lay its hands on me. The second apparition quickly followed and duplicated the movement of the first. It must have been then that my heart stopped.
The next thing I remember is being aware of a third presence but this presence radiated a serenity that no language has yet found a word to describe. This presence stood by my side as I looked down at my old body and my sleeping wife. I expected my expression to be one of abject horror but, surprisingly, I had died with a slight smile on my face. The black shapes became shadowy figures that hunched away and fled from my new companion.
In reply to my enquiringly look the serene presence told me that she was my escort and was there to guide me once again to rejoin the circle of life. The shadows were manifestations of mans evil works, the ones that refuse to let go of their existence. The darker the world, the stronger and more populous they become. They feed off the souls of the living and the brightest souls are the easiest to find. Occasionally they approach the serene presence and are taken to rejoin the circle of life but this happens rarely.
So back again to the present day where my earlier recollections forewarn of what is going to happen and I am no longer afraid. I turned the light on to write these memories down and, of course, the darkness seems to have been driven from the room but I know they are still there, I can still sense them. When I turn off the light they will return again to feast off my soul but I find comfort in knowing that it still shines brightly.
I look forward to rejoining the circle of life as there is no one here now who would miss me. I revel in knowing that I will taste new delights and new experiences once I have been reborn. They will always be new to me as memories of any past life have never, before tonight, been recollected. I leave these writings in the hope that they will give comfort to the reader and wish you well on your journey, as I hope you have wished me well on mine, as my life once again goes full circle.
Goodbye.
Something has disturbed my sleep again and I cannot pinpoint what. There are no ‘out of place’ sounds, it is more an instinctive awareness of suddenly realising that I am no longer alone. As I strain my eyesight into the darkness I glimpse two small orange glows and my subconscious screams at me that I have seen these before. Memories come flooding back of that moment, a whole lifetime ago.
I was so tired in those days that sometimes I could not string together a coherent sentence. The tiredness was also affecting my concentration and balance but I could not understand why as I regularly went to bed early. Then one night I awoke to the realisation that there was a presence in the room; other than my wife and myself.
I struggled upright and glanced around the room but could see nothing untoward. However, my heart was beating rapidly as adrenaline flooded my system and my instincts told me to run. Run where and from what I did not know but it took several moments before I could control the urge to flee. I watched my wife for a few minutes, she was undisturbed and sleeping peacefully, whatever had awoken me had not affected her.
I struggled to control my breathing and calm my irratic heartbeat. I convinced myself that I’d had a nightmare and was just about to lie back down when I saw them. Tiny slits of green and orange light, two of each, enveloped in a darkness so black it was visible in the gloom of the room. As I concentrated on the blackness the slits opened to reveal what I can only describe as eyes. Feral, hungry, two bright orange ones like warming firelight and two cheap emerald green eyes. Whatever was hovering in the corner of the room, there were definitely two of them.
Orange eyed blackness flowed towards me and I was seized by a paralysing fear never before experienced. I sat immobile and silent, incapable of warning my wife of the horror that was approaching us, when the apparition passed through her to lay its hands on me. The second apparition quickly followed and duplicated the movement of the first. It must have been then that my heart stopped.
The next thing I remember is being aware of a third presence but this presence radiated a serenity that no language has yet found a word to describe. This presence stood by my side as I looked down at my old body and my sleeping wife. I expected my expression to be one of abject horror but, surprisingly, I had died with a slight smile on my face. The black shapes became shadowy figures that hunched away and fled from my new companion.
In reply to my enquiringly look the serene presence told me that she was my escort and was there to guide me once again to rejoin the circle of life. The shadows were manifestations of mans evil works, the ones that refuse to let go of their existence. The darker the world, the stronger and more populous they become. They feed off the souls of the living and the brightest souls are the easiest to find. Occasionally they approach the serene presence and are taken to rejoin the circle of life but this happens rarely.
So back again to the present day where my earlier recollections forewarn of what is going to happen and I am no longer afraid. I turned the light on to write these memories down and, of course, the darkness seems to have been driven from the room but I know they are still there, I can still sense them. When I turn off the light they will return again to feast off my soul but I find comfort in knowing that it still shines brightly.
I look forward to rejoining the circle of life as there is no one here now who would miss me. I revel in knowing that I will taste new delights and new experiences once I have been reborn. They will always be new to me as memories of any past life have never, before tonight, been recollected. I leave these writings in the hope that they will give comfort to the reader and wish you well on your journey, as I hope you have wished me well on mine, as my life once again goes full circle.
Goodbye.
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See, this is a great use of the 'Full Circle' theme. Lion King with quasi-religious overtones? No, much better... very readable and some great descriptive wording.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. Appreciated.
And Catadox: - what had you been drinking?
:)
And Catadox: - what had you been drinking?
:)
Well written, though a bit too well for my simple mind. If you get what I mean, sounds like it's trying a bit too hard. Though, good yes.
Interesting stuff. I enjoyed that. The eyes are captured well, I could almost see them.
Very good - I like the sense of detachment at the end, always love it.
I would say that the transition from fright to understanding was perhaps a little hasty - but besides that, all is well.
I would say that the transition from fright to understanding was perhaps a little hasty - but besides that, all is well.
I remember this. Aha, the god ole daze.
Ashman wrote:
> Even her last entry I wasn't entirely sure about.
She used lube this time, eh?
> Even her last entry I wasn't entirely sure about.
She used lube this time, eh?
Way to ruin the surprise!
In seriousness, though, I have been critical of some of her work in the past. Even her last entry I wasn't entirely sure about.
This, however, was superb.
In seriousness, though, I have been critical of some of her work in the past. Even her last entry I wasn't entirely sure about.
This, however, was superb.
Ashman, you gunna get down on one knee and ask her to marry you soon?
I'm so glad you liked it :)
I'll come clean and admit the reason it went up so fast is a tiny cheat. I wrote and posted it originally about 15 months ago but don't think that many people saw it. Also there seems to be a fair few new writers / readers around and it fit the subject matter so perfectly.
I'll come clean and admit the reason it went up so fast is a tiny cheat. I wrote and posted it originally about 15 months ago but don't think that many people saw it. Also there seems to be a fair few new writers / readers around and it fit the subject matter so perfectly.
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