You woke in the middle of the night. Not knowing what woke you up, but you knew that something did. You sit up on your bed, all you can find was your alarm clock that shined bright, into the dark room. 3:14.

'Two hours till I have to get up' you huffed, lately you always seem to wake up in the middle of the night but never figured out why. Was it a dream? Was it your loud neighbors across the hall? Or a cat in the alley? You figured it was no use to try and solve this mystery tonight and decided to get some more rest, since there was a test you needed to take in the morning. No matter if you tried to fall back asleep, you couldn't shake this strange feeling. Something isn't right. But what?

A cackle. It was quiet but ever present getting louder. You knew it wasn't you or anybody else, for you lived alone in your small comfortable apartment in the city. Someone is here and is getting closer. 

Looking out at your bedroom door the light in the hall turned on, a shadow, footsteps coming down, your way. Quickly, not wanting to find out who it is, you went out of your window and down the fire escape, to get away. You ran, not truly looking where but you know it wasn't good to stay. Just wanting to leave that uneasy feeling behind. All of a sudden looking around you it was Déjà vu. You stopped to gather yourself. There was no forests by your apartment, but you have been here before.

Your surrounded by ominous trees, standing tall and imposing. No stars or moon gave light to where you stood. A breeze blowing by, chilling your bones from the inside out. 

The cackle, but something new, chattering. It came from all around; yet right in front of you. Your breath quickened getting a sense you have done this before, looking around. Not far from you was one twisted tree, oozing out some unthinkable black tar, making a tree that bleeds, its ever-twisted branches like claws reaching for the hidden sky.

It was inside the lightning cut, in the old tree. Chattering, cackling, chattering. Cackling, chattering, the only thing that could be heard in this dense forest. The emaciated man had dirt and grit all over his clothes and grimy body. His dark black suit was tattered and shredded mainly where his heart should be. You should have taken pity on the unfortunate wretch but instead you felt an unexplained loathing at first sight. Even from the end of a street, you could see his cruel, detestable, disturbing smile in a permanent sinister snarl made of bones. Sunken, milky white eyes stared with mindless menace into your bright blue ones.

'I need to get away' the only thought that played in your head. Though you couldn't move, transfixed on the skinless, decomposing, man who now held a small rusted blade in your sight. The knife was little more than a rusted and jagged blade set in aging wood. The handle was warped and held together by a brass-looking screw. You eyed it like it was solid gold, not wanting it near you.

Suddenly, the skeletal creature started shuffling towards you like a decrepit, decaying old man he was. As he got closer, you could see that he had a dislocated jaw showing his torn tongue and blood-stained, razor sharp, savage teeth. That chattered in an endless, cackle. He watched with amusement because all he did was cackle. Stuttering as you try to get away, tripping over an unseen force you fell down to the ground. The cackling seemed to grow; it wouldn't stop.

In the darkness of you mind, trying to hide with your closed eyes, knowing this happened before. You could still feel the presence of the chilling knife around your throat. Its sharp edges running around your smooth skin ready to pierce. You could feel the soft breath, the ever chattering of the bones and the cackle. 'It was only a nightmare' you repeated like a mantra.

You woke in the middle of the night, the nightmare was playing in your head, you remembered this time. Beads of cold sweet ran down your head. Gradually, you sat up in your bed to see your room. Posters that were from different bands, a calendar by your desk with your last book you read opened, waiting for you. This was real, you just knew. Your head spanning over your room taking it all in till you froze. A freezing chill ran through your bones. Your alarm clock shined bright in the dark room. 3:13. With dread the minute past. 3:14. A cackle, could be heard out your door. But you knew it won't be the same this time around.