Soulless

I awoke in a panic, sweat pouring off me like water off a rock. My breath, short and rapid, was hot against my hands.
I tried to stifle my scream, tried to convince myself it wasn't real. I don't know how well I did; my next recollection was a dark shadow hovering over me.

Admittedly, I was petrified. I had seen this- thing- before, many years ago in a different plane. Back then I was stronger, able to rise against my fears. That encounter lasted only a few seconds, but the coldness I felt still lingers. Back then I fought those seconds with my own darkness. I proved too much for it, but somehow I knew this day would come.

Looking up into it's.. his?.. soulless eye holes I felt the darkness inside me again. This time, however, it was not my darkness.

"Your time is now"

The thundering whisper came out of nowhere, all around me.

"Now"

I closed my eyes to scream but only tears came out. The dark shadow crept closer to my head. Sure that I was about to be taken away, I lashed upwards with my foot. Shockingly, I hit something solid. I recoiled and struck again. I heard a thud as the shadow fell to the floor beside me. Triumphantly, I rose and leaped to the floor, smothering the shadow.

"N-" I smashed its face area with my open hand, still surprised that it was solid.

I continued smashing and thrashing until my hands and feet started getting wet. Unable to find the physical strength to continue my hand combat, I reached out and grabbed my bedside lamp. As I smashed the lamp down into the shadow's head area, the bulb illuminated. The last thing I heard was a pathetic wailing.

The last thing I saw was my son's face as I struck him with the lamp one last time.