1 Night Terrors
Sandra woke up to an alarm. Under the sheets next to her, was James. James, her little brother had stayed the night because he was scared of staying in his room. He had just turned 4 and proclaimed he could sleep in his room by himself. That night he ran to Sandra's, his nearly 18 year old sister's, room crying about how he wasn't ready to sleep by himself. To him it was too dark and he felt as though he was being watched by a secret figure in the dark. He felt lost and vulnerable, as if something was going to happen at any second. Sandra knew that it was probably because he was still young and it was just his imagination playing tricks on him so she let him stay for the night. She knows what it was like to still be young and unbelieved.
That morning they ate breakfast and discussed the secret figure from James' room to make James feel better, then they went to school. At school though, James decided to tell all his friends of how he stayed by himself for the first night ever. He told them of the secret figure in the dark and then when it became nap time they all cried to the teachers about their new fear of the lights being out. James got sent home for telling scary stories of the sort and scaring all the kids and keeping them from their sleep.
After Sandra got home and found out about what James' had done she told him that she would sleep in the room with him for one night to show him that there was nothing to be afraid of and no stories to be telling to the other little kids. Once she discussed that with James', they stayed up doing homework, eating dinner, then playing board and video games. Once it hit 10 o'clock though, they decided to go to bed for the next morning. As they lay in the bed James shivers from fear and stares at the corner where he feels the secret figure is standing. Sandra looks up and feels the same way James felt the night before. She now understands what he means. Though, she isn't sure if it's what her brother felt before, but she definitely knows this is not a good feeling she's having. She feels as though she's being watched. As though her and James' are being watched and that her and James are piercing their watcher's eyes back.
Sandra could not see anyone there but still she felt an ominous presence in the shadowed corner.
"Sandra?"James grabbed her hand and stared hard as if his eyes could penetrate the darkness gathered there.
She sat up. She realized she was shivering uncontrollably -- the hair prickling on her neck as it felt as though the nothingness was drawing nearer.
"It's nothing, James." She made soothing noises but felt how dishonest they were. She fumbled on the nightstand for her phone. "Look, I'll use my phone light. You'll see. Nothing is there." Her words sounded hollow.
With a few swipes, she turned on her phone light and aimed it at the corner. "See nothing." Sandra looked at James but saw the shivers run through him. She turns and looks with the light to see only a tall black shadow, but no human to give off the shadow.
