Literary Yard

Search for meaning

By: Maham Syed

I was lying on my bed when I saw her standing in front of me. Her long jet black hair, dark brown eyes, and pale face with no emotions. She was walking towards me with slow and steady steps. I was trying to wake up my sister who was sleeping next to me, but no words came out of my mouth. I looked around and a bunch of clocks were everywhere, showing 3:00 A.M. in bold red numbers. I was screaming, yet no sound came out. She was standing on my room’s doorstep. Inching closer and closer… 

“Wake up, Stella !” My Mom yelled, “You are getting late for school.” My eyes opened widely and I looked around the bright sunshine room. My mom leaving out my room with her leaving the door open. Thank god it was a nightmare. I thought and sighed. 

I got up to get ready for school. My routine was simple. I brushed my hair, put my clothes on and headed to the dining table. I was living a happy life, but there was something that would terrify me. The  sense of someone watching me and trying to talk to me. I would hear someone call my name but  no one would be around. At night, I could hear whispers and crying as if someone needs help. I didn’t know if it was because of my daily nightmares or was there someone actually trying to talk? Whenever I would walk to my room, I could feel a presence behind me and when I turned around,  there would be no one. When it was my time to sleep, I would stare out my open room door and could sense someone watching me from the living room. The attic were the creepiest. I always dreamt of evil spirits entering our house through them and because of it, I would barely go up, even if my parents asked me to. I didn’t know what was going on with me. 

Almost every day I would experience the same nightmare. I was so annoyed by this creepy lady in my dreams and the stupid 3:00 A.M. time. I never wake up at that time either. I wanted to find out who she was. 

One night all my cousins gathered up at my house and planned to play truth or dare. They made a rule of only choosing truth or dare 2 times in a row and the third time you have to choose something you haven’t. Of course, I chose truth 2 times in a row and now it was my turn to do a dare. My eldest cousin told me to go to the bathroom and turn off the light and say “Bloody Mary” in front of the mirror. Knowing that it is all just a made up story, I said okay and started walking towards the bathroom. I was a bit scared, it was 3:25 AM and the lights were turned off. Well, I couldn’t chicken out, I had to do my dare. “Bloody Mary.” I rolled my eyes, Why was I getting scared of this, it’s a stupid game..  I sighed and continued, “Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary…” I stopped. Someone was behind me, breathing heavily. I started to shake and my hair raised in terror. I ran to turn on the lights. When I turned it on, I saw that it was my cousin standing in front of me in white sheets and a dark, black wig, but she didn’t laugh at my scared face, which was a bit weird. 

When I went back to the room where all of the cousin’s were gathered, I saw that the cousin that was in the bathroom was with them. How is she back before me? I left her behind in the bathroom. I thought, but I brushed it away easily. 

A week passed, and my nightmares continued.  I was sitting in the living room, thinking about how my cousin got there before me. My parents talking interrupted my thoughts, they were in their room, talking about a huge dark brown cabinet. I was confused, I had never seen a  cabinet like that in my house. I crept closer to their room door and peeked through the crack. I easily eavesdropped on their conversation. 

While listening to their talk, I got goosebumps. My mom was telling my dad, “it all started when we went to our neighbor’s house. I took Stella inside when she was around 2. She had been playing with the cabinet when out of nowhere she started crying. I rushed her out of the house because she wouldn’t stop crying, but something strange happened…” She started whispering a bit lower so I ended up scooting a bit closer to the door. “A couple months later they moved away and I took care of the cabinet for a couple days while they settled into their new house. But having the cabinet, unusual things started happening.”  My dad’s face lit up and shook his head in agreement. He added to what my mom had said, “You know what, you’re right. I feel like there is someone in this house beside us. Someone always watching us…”

I was so shocked and nervous. My nightmares started appearing in my head. Did I see someone at my neighbor’s house? Or did something else happen at our own house and now it’s cursed? Many thoughts scattered  in my brain.  I was nervous for the rest of the day and couldn’t even eat. I couldn’t even sleep. I forced myself to sleep at 11:11 P.M. What a weird coincidence…. I thought. 

I felt my mother shaking me awake, it had felt like I just fell asleep, why did time pass so quickly? I could barely open my eyes. I felt so tired I couldn’t even move my body. I peeked my eyes open and looked around the room. It was pitch black, my night light was turned off and the only light in my room was the dim fade of red from my alarm clock. Don’t panic, Don’t panic.. I told myself and glanced at the clock. It was 3:00 A.M. What? How is it so early in the morning? Why was mom trying to wake me up?? I tried to move my arms yet I couldn’t. My feet and head wouldn’t move around either, only my eyes could look around. My heart started racing and I could hear the thump of my heart in the silent room. I frantically looked around the dark room yet saw nothing. I felt weight on my head, like I had a wig on. I looked up at the ceiling and my heart stopped. The last thing I remember was the lady’s hands wrap around my throat and her dark hair suffocate my face.

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Maham Syed loves to write short stories and poems. She is currently working on her book. She finds writing an amazing gift because it helps her grow as a person and helps her think and view things differently. In her free time she plays her guitar. 

3 COMMENTS

  1. Very welll writen. It felt like i was in that situation. Its so amazing. Seems like a true story. Hope to see more of these.

  2. Needs a little improvement with selection of words. Otherwise acceptable.
    Waiting for more stories.

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