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Description
Two past midnight strikes the bell. My eyes sting, closed and shut. The air was hot and sticky; I couldn’t breathe. The heaps of winter blankets were twisted around me and I struggled to kick them off, they were so heavy. Panic made my arms and legs jerk frantically. I started shoving, kicking, pushing, throwing, anything to get this weight off of me. The last comforter was wrapped around my waist and legs, forcing them still, but they need to move. I can’t breathe! Hysteria rose up my throat and tears of frustration misted my eyes. In a last attempt, I grabbed the edge of the mattress and pulled myself to the floor, which freed my legs. I quickly stood up and hurried out of the room.
The combination of the dark and my dizziness made me clumsy. Blind, I groped at the walls and doors, relying on my clouded memory fresh from sleep to lead me to the back door. My hips slammed into wooden furniture. My head nicked the edges of picture frames. My hand shot up to my face and there was something thick and wet. Blood.
I needed to get out. Now. The shadows were consuming and the hallway never felt so narrow. It was surrounding me, keeping me in my prison. My feet made no noise. I couldn’t tell if I was at the stairs yet. Suddenly I stumbled on the first step and I flailed my arms to find the banister. My hand slapped on the wood and for a second I regained balance, but there was no time for that. I needed to get out. I could feel the shadows play with my head; their spiny fingers reached out from the walls and the stairs to tug at a strand of hair, to gently stroke my legs. I tried to climb down faster, but I stubbed my toe and tumbled down the rest of the way. My arms caught me on the last step, but gave away from the strain and my lip smashed into the edge. Oh God, the blood; It's everywhere!
The salty tang flowed into my mouth and I chocked and gagged and spat on the floor. I glanced up at the leery paintings on the walls, their eyes always watching. Always watching. I dragged myself once again to the floor and my legs scrapped along the edges of the stairs bruising the exposed bone. My head felt stuffy and a headache began to rise from overheating, but I was so close.
My eyes darted this way and that for danger, for the shadows, but they seemed to have gone. My heart beat quickened as I crawled the rest of the way to the door. I could have laughed with relief when my hand knocked into it. I put my face to the floor for a second and I could feel the cool breeze that leaked from a crack. It’s cool and promising. My heartbeat slowed a little. I shot my hand up to the doorknob and made direct contact, but a shadow grabbed my arm for a second and I screamed for it go to away. It hissed at me and went back to hiding. I could still see it’s eyes, blue and narrowed.
Then suddenly my doctor came running down the stairs and grabbed me. He put his hand over my mouth as a scream rose from my lungs. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! This isn’t happening! I struggled and screamed again for someone to help me. He dragged me from the door and another doctor came in to help. Get away from me, you don’t understand! The other grabbed my legs and they began heaving me up the narrow staircase. I couldn’t breathe. It’s too hot!
His sweaty hand prevented me from gasping for any air at all. I need air! The paintings’ eyes watched me, laughing. The shadows danced along the walls, chanting. I need air, please help me! The doctors were at my door and I twisted to grab the frame. They ripped me from my only hope, leaving my hands bleeding. No no no, please god, no! They threw me onto the bed and one threw a comforter over my head. I screamed at being enclosed and frantically tore it from over me.
The doctors had left quickly and locked my door behind them. I fell to the floor with a hollow thump and pounded my bloody fists on the wood, screaming. Screaming. Sweat dripped from my brow and down my neck. It encased my entire body in a thin glaze of boiling fluid and I can’t breathe! The shadows peeked from under the bed, grinning. I shoved myself in a corner, and despite the heat, drew my legs to my chest, dipped my head and clung to my knees and wept over my injuries. Why can’t these demons go away?

Description
Two past midnight strikes the bell. My eyes sting, closed and shut. The air was hot and sticky; I couldn’t breathe. The heaps of winter blankets were twisted around me and I struggled to kick them off, they were so heavy. Panic made my arms and legs jerk frantically. I started shoving, kicking, pushing, throwing, anything to get this weight off of me. The last comforter was wrapped around my waist and legs, forcing them still, but they need to move. I can’t breathe! Hysteria rose up my throat and tears of frustration misted my eyes. In a last attempt, I grabbed the edge of the mattress and pulled myself to the floor, which freed my legs. I quickly stood up and hurried out of the room.
The combination of the dark and my dizziness made me clumsy. Blind, I groped at the walls and doors, relying on my clouded memory fresh from sleep to lead me to the back door. My hips slammed into wooden furniture. My head nicked the edges of picture frames. My hand shot up to my face and there was something thick and wet. Blood.
I needed to get out. Now. The shadows were consuming and the hallway never felt so narrow. It was surrounding me, keeping me in my prison. My feet made no noise. I couldn’t tell if I was at the stairs yet. Suddenly I stumbled on the first step and I flailed my arms to find the banister. My hand slapped on the wood and for a second I regained balance, but there was no time for that. I needed to get out. I could feel the shadows play with my head; their spiny fingers reached out from the walls and the stairs to tug at a strand of hair, to gently stroke my legs. I tried to climb down faster, but I stubbed my toe and tumbled down the rest of the way. My arms caught me on the last step, but gave away from the strain and my lip smashed into the edge. Oh God, the blood; It's everywhere!
The salty tang flowed into my mouth and I chocked and gagged and spat on the floor. I glanced up at the leery paintings on the walls, their eyes always watching. Always watching. I dragged myself once again to the floor and my legs scrapped along the edges of the stairs bruising the exposed bone. My head felt stuffy and a headache began to rise from overheating, but I was so close.
My eyes darted this way and that for danger, for the shadows, but they seemed to have gone. My heart beat quickened as I crawled the rest of the way to the door. I could have laughed with relief when my hand knocked into it. I put my face to the floor for a second and I could feel the cool breeze that leaked from a crack. It’s cool and promising. My heartbeat slowed a little. I shot my hand up to the doorknob and made direct contact, but a shadow grabbed my arm for a second and I screamed for it go to away. It hissed at me and went back to hiding. I could still see it’s eyes, blue and narrowed.
Then suddenly my doctor came running down the stairs and grabbed me. He put his hand over my mouth as a scream rose from my lungs. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! This isn’t happening! I struggled and screamed again for someone to help me. He dragged me from the door and another doctor came in to help. Get away from me, you don’t understand! The other grabbed my legs and they began heaving me up the narrow staircase. I couldn’t breathe. It’s too hot!
His sweaty hand prevented me from gasping for any air at all. I need air! The paintings’ eyes watched me, laughing. The shadows danced along the walls, chanting. I need air, please help me! The doctors were at my door and I twisted to grab the frame. They ripped me from my only hope, leaving my hands bleeding. No no no, please god, no! They threw me onto the bed and one threw a comforter over my head. I screamed at being enclosed and frantically tore it from over me.
The doctors had left quickly and locked my door behind them. I fell to the floor with a hollow thump and pounded my bloody fists on the wood, screaming. Screaming. Sweat dripped from my brow and down my neck. It encased my entire body in a thin glaze of boiling fluid and I can’t breathe! The shadows peeked from under the bed, grinning. I shoved myself in a corner, and despite the heat, drew my legs to my chest, dipped my head and clung to my knees and wept over my injuries. Why can’t these demons go away?