Chapter 1: The Text

Into the light chapter 1

It's dark.
The darkest dark I've ever felt.
I can feel eyes piercing through it staring at me. I feel so punny. Like I'm being judged by something powerful and I feel worthless. I run as fast as I can. Stumbling occasionally but my heart races like it's life or death. I race down a familiar trail. What's out there?What's after me? What has me so scared? This all seems vaguely familiar. Is this a dream or is this a reality I once experienced? It feels like everything is closing in on me. Suffocating me. I can't see any stars. The trees feel like they're taunting me and getting closer and closer. Then as all hope feels lost I stumble out of the woods and into a clearing with a railroad track. Just like that suddenly it's peaceful out. The moon is shining and the stars look beautiful. It looks like you can see millions of them. The distraction only last a few seconds till I spot someone on the tracks. I walk over and it looks like my dad. As I walk closer the moonlight reflects back a look of terror on his face. He looks taller but then I realize he is floating above the tracks. Suspended and frozen in a state of terror. I feel eyes on me again piercing into my soul and I turn around. I see several skinny humanoid figures with big black eyes staring at me. My heart starts to race and my body freezes...

My eyes open into darkness. My heart pounds as I gasp for air. Hands clenched on my blanket. I feel a cold sweat drip over me. Another panic attack from nightmares. They seem so vivid and real. I remember all the details. I've been having them for years. Thank goodness it was all a dream. I take a minute and regain my composure. I look over at my clock. It's 3:00 AM. I roll off the couch quietly carefully to not wake up my fiancée in the next room. I walk over and check on her. She looks beautiful asleep as the Egyptian cotton sheets show off her beautiful voluptuous body. A box fan blowing on her and keeping her cool. Her favorite wig is tossed on the ground. I grab a bottle of water and pop a Xanax and head to our balcony. It feels nice outside. A warm slight breeze. The lights from the Las Vegas strip shining in the distance. We both don't do well with the cold anymore. Especially after how we met on one of my mountain climbing trips up in the Hindu Kush. I knew she was the one and willing to do anything for her after that.

I stare out at the lights. They calm me down after these nightmares. I think about my childhood and how I haven't seen my younger brother in awhile. Especially after our dad committed suicide. It seemed so random to do, but he was never the same after our mom disappeared on my birthday camping trip. The night before she vanished she told us she was pregnant with my sister and that's the last thing any of us remember. That excited look on her face. Then we all woke up in the field and she had vanished. Search and rescue searched for days. The police suspected foul play and had him as their prime suspect. They closed the case years later finally after he died. What a messed up childhood. The first chance I could get, I left Colorado to travel till I met my fiancee.

I hear my phone buzz inside. I take a big slow breath and close my eyes. Then I get up and check it. It was from my brother. I hope he didn't think I abandoned him out there. I had to get out the first chance I could. I check the text.

"Hey bro, it's Zach. Yeah, I know it's late and its been a long time. Life has been crazy. Ups and downs but I'm doing better and umm you should come back home for a lil. I have something to show you and you won't believe it any other way."

I smirk. What are the odds. It's good to hear from him. Maybe I should go back for a little. Could be a little vacation from all the nightmares. I could bring Maggie too. I text him back

"Yeah, no worries I've been struggling to sleep. Been having old nightmares. It would be nice to catch up."

A second later he replies. I pause as I read it. I get goosebumps as the hair on my arms raise into the night.

"I have been too. That's what I need to show you. I don't think they are just nightmares"