A Belated Halloween

 

I had just woken up from a disturbed sleep. I dreamt of a ghost sitting on my shoulder, just like in the movie 'Shutter', if I remember the name correctly.

It is not that I am haunted by fear of ghosts or anything. I am utmost skeptical when it comes to the supernatural. But waking up from sleep with the visions of a ghost sticking to your shoulder in the silent middle of the night is an entirely different affair.

Out of habit, I headed for the bathroom. As I sat on the toilet seat I started losing memory of the ghastly dream. Most dreams are forgotten within ten minutes of waking up, they say. But my mind had taken up a different job altogether. It had started associating the visions with my present surrounding.

Now let me explain the size of my attached bathroom. It's barely larger than a normal sized wardrobe. The claustrophobia added to the uneasiness. I wondered if 'anything' was sticking to my shoulder in that small space. I could imagine feeling the extra weight.

I started feeling a cold sensation on the back of my neck. Like a cold gust of air, or breath. This often happens when I get frightened by something unnatural.

But then the cold crept towards my shoulder. Like something wet sliding onto them. And then along my front. By this time I could recognize the colour of clotting blood and a pair of deformed feet. And the rotting smell. I was barely conscious when the entire body, bloodied and rotting, fell onto me, cold and heavy.

The last thing that I thought was, why didn't I look up before I sat!