Nightmare Chronicles

I arrive at my grandmother’s house, to say my goodbyes. She had been sick for some time now. My aunt was preparing dinner for her family and myself. My phone buzzes in my pocket. The caller ID is unknown, but I had been responding to band inquiries for a while now. I alert my aunt that I would be taking this call out on the back deck of my grandmother’s cottage. I pass through the sliding glass door and step out into the evening. Stars shine above an almost black lake. Some parts of the lake are glowing. They are golden from an eel like creatue with the head of a Chinese dragon. The eel moves majestically, being careful about where they tread. Water in certain areas of the lake parts to reveal beautifully golden and sparkling sand. The fisherman flock to these areas in search of sustenance. They coexist with this mythical eel and it makes me ponder my own existance.

There is someone talking in my ear, as I forgot that I was on the phone. The person on the other end is telling me about the rehearsal schedule and the demands that follow. It is a woman at first, then a man. The man becomes irate when I am interested in the lion and leopard that are taking refuge in my grandmother’s garden. I go back inside the cottage to inform my aunt and she tells me not to scare them away. They appear to be eating cat food that my aunt had set out for them. Next thing I know, the man on the phone does not think I am a good fit for their band. Click.

My aunt tells me there is food for me at her house. So I venture out into the evening and walk the short distance to her home. I let myself in because nobody locks their doors in this neighborhood. I search and search for the food that she had prepared for me, but I am unsuccessful. My phone buzzes again. This time, it’s an alert: NH residents stay in your homes. In all red, this flashes across my screen. I can feel my heart racing, then I notice that the sliding glass doors to her home are unlocked. So I go over to them and lock them both. Then I make my way upstairs to check on my cousins.

There is a figure standing in my cousins room, looming over her bed. They are alerted of my presence when I gasp. They turns to look at me but I can’t quite make out their face. I bolt. Down the stairs and across the street to my home. There is no one there and I am completely alone. I grab a knife from the kitchen to protect myself. The figure has followed me. I climb out of my window onto my roof. The evening breeze feels as though it will blow me off and into the abyss below. The figure is on the roof, staring at me. Still, no face. I turn away and jump.