Caught In Time

Chapter 4: The Dream

James woke up in a cold sweat. He could feel the droplets falling down his back as he sat straight up staring at Nole's bedroom ceiling.

Nole was fast asleep, completely unaware of what had just happened. Of James's premonition. If you could call it that.

James gripped the sleeping bag's edges and tried to calm himself down. The soft fabric was almost soothing as he reached for them tighter. 

His heart was racing as he tried to remain calm and collect his thoughts. What had he just seen? Death was everywhere and nobody knew. Nobody knew of their demise that lay await for them.

And that hideous monster like thing. That creature was going to take all of them soon--the creature already knew who they were and what they were after. Specifically, what Nole knew.

How could they possibly stop this? How could four immature obnoxious teens stop a monster so powerful it sucked all those people up? Never to be seen from again.

He couldn't let Nole know what he saw. He couldn't let that happen. If Nole found out what James knew, it would be over. Then Nole would be right...and everyone in the town would think he was crazy.

He would have to wait until they found out more; until Nole was proven right.

James wiped the sweat away from his forehead as he reached for the water bottle that lay resting on the floor next to him.

This sleeping bag was too hot. This room was too hot.

He took a swig from the bottle as the quiet snores coming from the bed next to him echoed faintly in Nole's room.

It was pitch black except for a small crack of light coming from under the door. James stared at for a moment, it seemed brighter then normal...

Then...

His eyes were dry and mouth almost saturated with anticipation--he could sense something was approaching the room but he wasn't sure what that was. Whatever it was.

Something was blocking the light from coming through. Nole's parents? But no sound came from it.

James's heart began to accelerate again, this time his forehead creased as he tried to prevent himself from panicking even more.

The door handle suddenly turned and the door opened just a crack--the squeak making James wince, hoping it wouldn't wake Nole up.

A small shadow slithered from the hallway and made its way into the room.

He couldn't make out the facial features, but he could tell the figure was a woman.

The figure was a black mass that slithered against the darkness of the room

James watched in horror, his eyes getting wider as the shadow formed into a human shape.

Darker and darker, it was darker then the darkness around all of them.

It made no noise.

James dived under the blankets and into the sleeping bag, only peeking out just a little to get  a glimpse of what this thing was exactly.

The shadow thing became lighter and lighter as it started to take on a human form.

James could make out bits of gold and what looked like high heels. A woman?

Sandy brown hair began to form at the top of its head as shoulders took shape too.

The features became visible also.

There was a faint glow about this thing, James realized in that moment that he may in fact be staring at a ghost...

A ghost.