Edge of Reality - Chapter 2

CHAPTER II

“Ahh” frantically yelled sitting up on the couch
My clothes and hair were soaked from breaking a cold sweat. 
“God!  That was so real!  So much reality it was frightening!”
Probably unconscious mind was deep in thought.  I did not know it, or as the old people say, perhaps ate something that did not agree with me and it caused me to have a nightmare.
         All I eaten was a liver sandwich with onions, hot sauce, and miracle whip and drank gingerbread-flavored coffee. That is not a recipe for a weird dream.            I did a deep body stretch  “Ouch” there was a stinging sensation at my shoulder.
Looking over my shoulder saw little deep cuts bleeding not too heavy but enough.
Stood up looked at the couch and saw no visible wires.  Leaned over rubbed along the seat of the couch.
“Ouch!”  Jerked my hand back
Looked more closely saw two wires barely visible sticking up.  I pushed the wires back into the couch before sitting down.
“Ok, it was only a dream, no need to be spooked”
Today’s plan was not to do a thing!  Just relax, and relax.
         The reason for the dream maybe was a need to rest, I have been too much on the move…. am all-tensed up.
         A lot has happen the past several days, weird things that cannot be explained.
“Ok, let me try this again” sighing
         All that was needed for to not get up was on the coffee table.  There was the remote, snack food, drinks in a cooler, Captains seafood platter combo, and all the sweets to eat. 
“Hmm”
One thing was missing, and I looked around the room. 
It is way across the room, the blanket.
I went over got the blanket placed it on the arm of the couch.  The blanket was for just incase it became chilly.
Settled down on the couch once more to relax.
Looked at the clock seeing two hours had passed since the family left and I had went back to sleep only to have a nightmare, now awake.  May as well look for something to look at on TV.  But, what is there on a Friday morning to look at? Talk shows? And then there is Reality Court?
Lying back down on my side as I channel search a couple of times, before finding a daytime show that caught my interest.
Now settled in comfortably and really enjoying the TV show not really noticing that slowly a wave of exhaustion filled me.  Tried to stay awake was so hard as I slowly gave in drifted off to sleep.
         I heard whispers repeating the same phrase “erm lker irit aken lood fener , aken, ee  f the cents lans sum u or the x as um,”( translation: “ Dream Walker spirit awake, blood defender awake. We of the ancient clans summoned you for time has come”)
         I could not understand a word that was being said as the whispers grew louder and louder.
         Unable to move a muscle, the cool breeze rushed over me causing me to shiver.  Whispers sounded as though it was being said faster and faster till all heard was just a mumbled sound.
Still, I was unable to move.
         The voices stopped gradually and I opened my eyes just enough to see am still alone in the house. 
“The noise probably kids outside or neighbors, may even be the TV once again on its own became loud,” I said still with my eyes closed
Reached for the cover it was not there, instead I grabbed one of the couch pillows and placed it over my shoulders as I usually do.
Never had it occurred to me something was wrong…
“Ah, that’s better” I whispered, feeling much warmer
         Just as I was about to fall back to sleep, a fierce headache jolted me.  It felt as if someone struck me.
“Ah!”  Screamed in pain
Turned on my back, folding my arms over my head tightly to apply pressure as a way to stop the pain.  I had headaches before but this one brought tears to my eyes.
My first thought was “Did I take my medication today?”
Tried to open my eyes even made the pain worst, and moving my arms to my side even caused more pain.  Massaged my temple , pain disappeared, I opened my eyes. “
“Huh” I said seeing unfamiliar things
“Okay,” said slowly as I sat up looking around the room
“Was I asleep that long and hard?”  Looked for something of familiarity “No!”
         My heart pounded so fast, it felt as if it was about to jump out of my chest.  I was confused and scared, for this cannot be happening to me!
Looked at my clothes saw no change in what I have on.  My same old oversized T-shirt and beat up old sweats pants, my socks, and right down to my underwear, all there.
“Okay,” my mind hadn’t clicked yet that I was dreaming until I looked down on the floor.
“Slippers are different, no, no, no, nothing like this is supposed to be.”
Nervously I looked around and nothing was like it ought to be.  The room was very spacious, enough for two living room suites without being crowded. 
There was a brown plush velvety king-size couch with cherry oak gold trim.  Coffee table was placed a few feet away in front of it, and matching end tables place at end of the couch.
On the coffee table an elegant fruit bowl arrangement with an apple-shaped gold ashtrays on each side of the arrangement. 
The floor covered with thick beige shag wall-to-wall carpet and the windows are small.
There is not a television or stereo set in this living room.  This must be a sitting room only.  Even thou the living room looked so good, it still could stand a little bit more décor.
I saw the kitchen, just as I was about to go look around in it, fog appeared like a cloud had fallen from the sky filling the room.
Everything disappeared slowly until there was nothing, not even the feeling of a floor under my feet . . . not even a black dot was seen.
I walked around seen nothing, only whiteness.  No walls, no floors, no windows, no doors, not one thing was here, wherever here is.
“Okay, I believe I’m in another . . .” said slowly
My thought was interrupted, by seeing a black wall suddenly appear with something forming on it.  It was I, sleeping on the couch.  The appearance of everything just as it was before I went to sleep.  Only in this scene, I had the cover over myself.
“Nah, that can’t be me, or could it be I . . . having one of those out-of-the-body experience? But doesn’t a person have to be dead for that?”  Thinking to myself.
         There was something or someone else there in the room with me.  I walked a little closer to the wall for a better view. 
I gasped at the sight of the wing creatures as I covered my mouth and screamed.  The winged creatures talking to one another, in a whispering voice in the unknown language I’ve been hearing all this time.  One of the creatures held up an old discolored doll that resembled me.  I cringed at the sight.
“Who are these creatures? Aliens from outer space, wait a minute aliens don’t pick up black folks, demons oh hell!  No, that’s just stupid talk! Too much TV ” I thought out loud  “ . . . h-h-how” the words seemed to choke me as my mind was going over a lot of probability.
          I think one of them heard me. One of them looked around as it approached the wall and examines it.
“Thoug eard ting, ahh tis ld ouse n ts  ghts ” it said (translation: Thought  heard something, ahh this old house and its ghosts”
         For an instant the creature’s eyes seemed to meet mine.
The creature had human-like features and their complexions were many just like humans, the hair was stringy and the eyes were deep color of blackness.  Looked into the eyes of the one before me, seeing nothing but coldness of black evil.  Looked at them all saw their wings maybe five feet in width, six to ten feet in height and an inch thick.
         There was some kind of clothing on the men and women, that barely covered their private parts showing both sexes are very well . . .
What I was thinking caused me to be afraid, very afraid, I gasped as I came to my senses.
The creature rubbed the wall and knocked on it hard, then waved its hand at the wall.
“ust a all!!” he yelled (translation: Just a wall)
Suddenly I was standing by the creatures.  Looked around saw some of them staring down on the woman that looked like me. The others were searching through everything in the house.  It was obvious they were hunting for something.  They had not notice me, or, I am invisible to them, which is a good thing I hope.
Slowly walked over toward myself, her . . . the image of me and saw she was asleep.
“I wonder is this one of my wild dreams? Why am I having this nightmare, I know this type of thing runs in the family, but why? Why couldn’t I have inherited something simple like money, car or even a dog?”

I stopped a few inches from me, no her, whoever the person is and reached out to her.
“Ark er! ow”  One of the creatures yelled (translation: Mark her now)
I spun around screamed as I looked at the creatures approached me waiting for the insanity to break loose. 
The creature walked right through me, “That answered my question”
“Dang that felt so nasty!” It felt like something cold, and like walking into a spider web, or a swarm of flies; then stickiness felt all over my body . . .
“I do not want that to happen again!” I thought to myself
         The creature turned looking my way, but it seemed he didn’t see me at all, but felt me.  The creature turned facing the woman and walked away.
         I walked closer to me, I mean myself, the person sleeping.
         Suddenly a throbbing painful headache caused me to scream out as I fell to my hands and knees.  Tears filled my eyes, as all I could do was look at the floor.  Struggling to look up took all my strength.
         The person who was me, I . . . is supposed to be me moaned and tossed in her sleep as thou she was in a lot of pain.
“urry, shh eels us”(translate :  Hurry, she feels us!) Commanded one of them as he walked toward her and reaching for her
         “Ahh, dang! Man!” crawled away from her and stood up very slowly
She calmed down to a peaceful state and my pain subsided along with my restored senses.
The surroundings faded away until there was nothing but white space surrounding me.
I stood still looked at my surroundings.
A bit of time past by and I yelled loudly “What!”
I yelled again this time uncontrollably “WHAT?”
“What, where and when? Am I in the middle of?”
I didn’t know at this point what to think, felt like a dot in a can of white paint.  Sat down thinking over my dilemma and to calm my nerves.
         I started to hum no special song, just hummed anything to kill the deathly silence.
         “What was that?” I heard something
There it was, that sound again.  The sound was faint like it was far away.  I stood up to decide which direction the sound was coming from.  Turned toward the way I thought the sound was coming from far behind me.
         “It sound like it was coming from that way”, I walked toward the sound then stood still.
Seeing nothing, I just stared into the distant then something started forming.  Couldn’t quite make out what was coming toward me in a swirl motion.
I heard noise that grown louder and louder like a rushing train.  Whatever it was became more visible as it draws closer and closer.
Whatever was rushing toward me, it has such a strong and loud force.  It looked as if someone was mixing up paint colors.
“Oh, my I need to move,” there is nowhere to go nothing but clear space of whiteness.
Turned to run out of its path, but my feet would not move.  Looked down saw hands gripped my ankles
“Let go!” I screamed beating on the hands with my fist. 
The hands are part of the floor! 
The more I hit the hands the tighter the grip became
“No! No!” screamed as I bent over tried to peel the fingers off me, that did not work.
         Heard the loud noise coming closer by the second.
Looked at the sight with anticipation as a deep sunken scared feeling filled me.
“Ah the noise!” I shouted coving my ears with my hands
Closed my eyes as I plop myself down on the ground, balled up and  just screamed.  The hands gripped my ankles tighter.
         Jolts of electricity rushed over me, felt as something was trying to pull me right along with it. Luckily the strange hands from the floor kept me grounded.  I tried to open my eyes, but what ever it was I couldn’t.  When I realized it had passed I stopped screaming.
There was silence.
Slowly standing up and opening one eye, peeping around, seeing I was no longer in Newport News.
         Opened my other eye seeing that I was standing in the middle of a room, it appeared to be the living room.
Still it wasn’t the same room, even though it had the same décor as before.  The room looked so familiar to me, then it come to mind why, I’ve seen this room before.
         Unbelievably, this room was only seen to me in my dreams more than one time.
“Okay, get a grip this is only a dream,” I kept repeating over and over to myself.
         I faced a huge window, which took up one wall and looked to be about six feet tall.  The walls were natural white, and the ceiling was tan, it all matched the lace curtains that were being blown about freely as a cool breeze filled the room.  On each end of the window stood five feet green ginger jar lamps with black lace lampshades. An animal sat right in front of the window staring at me.
         I started to run, but where? It was a panther one of the fastest animals on the earth. 
“N-n-ice panther,” I barely whispered
My heart began to race with fear.
All I did was look into its eyes as I took a few steps back.
I was scared to move as it just sat there not snarling at me or doing anything.
“Something is not right with this picture,” I thought to myself as I walked a little closer to the panther.  It still didn’t move.
“Well dang, it’s a statue!” I said out loud, relieved that’s all it was.          
         The statue looked so real, too real.  I squatted down taking a closer look, rubbing its body, feeling the fur and something that felt like bones.  The statue caught every detail of the panther.  It was solid black and the eyes were yellow gold with red pupil.
“Oh . . . my!” I stood up saying
The panther was a stuffed dead animal
“That’s nasty, but tight,” I said walking away from it looking over the rest of the room.
Everything was almost the same only differences were a few added items.  A chair with an ottoman and everything was placed nicely around a glass square coffee table.  There was an entertainment center that included a giant 36-inch screen TV with duel VCR and double-deck DVD/CD disk player system, wow!
“Not bad,” saying out loud as I walked toward the kitchen.
On the wall to the entrance of the kitchen was an oriental print screen and bookcases filled with what-knots and pictures
         As I approached the bookcases, I saw a lot of photos that had me in just about all of them with people I had no clue who they were.
“I’m hungry,” I said aloud in amazement
It’s not natural to be hungry in a dream, oh well.
A few feet away there was a small table by the print screen with a small basket full of fruit on top of it.
         I picked up one of the fruit and smelt it, smelled like apple, felt like an apple I thought to myself, as I was about to bite it, then suddenly it change to wax.
“Dang!” said as I threw it back in the basket.
“What was that?” I heard something and spun around
Looked at the living room and down the hallway not seeing anything too different.  The lights in the rooms down the hall flicked on and off.
I ran out of the apartment, not even bothering to close the door.
         Leaned against the wall closed my eyes for only a second, wishing I would wake up to say it all was just a bad, very bad nightmare. 
Opened my eyes seeing I was still here.
I have to say “Well damn!”
I did leave the apartment, I thought.
I’m standing in the apartment right back at the hallway.  I tried two more attempts to get out of the apartment, only to be jolted right back at the hallway, once more.
“Well damn, damn!”
Looked down the hall seeing the lights in the rooms were still flickering on off.
“Come on! Now!” I yelled
I was alone (hopefully), inhaling deeply then exhaling slowly and sighed.
“I am not about to be a fool and yell, who is it? Or is anyone there, or even hello,” I pace back and forth at the hallway.
“I don’t think so, now am talking to m . . .”
Something touched my back and stroked my neck
“Ahh” I yelled
Spun around to see what it was that touched me.  There was nothing there. I heard whispers, and the sound seemed to come from the rooms.  The lights remained on as shadows moved back and forth between the rooms.
The shadows looked just like silhouette of men and women
“Ghosts” I thought to myself
Shadows with no faces, defined features nothing just black mass floating about.
Glanced around the living room for something to use as a weapon.  Went over to the fireplace taking the heavy poker from the stand and walked to the hallway.
“What the?” I said as I stood still
It just dawned on me, a fireplace where there was not one at first.  I look back and shook my head.
“I am not even going there”
Looking at the hallway as I gripped the poker tightly in my hands, saying a prayer to get the courage to do what must be done.
“Who am I kidding this has to be a stupid idea” I whispered out loud
It has to be stupid a poker for to kill shadows.  What I need is a flashlight!
I laughed to myself and shook my head.