My Shadow Man
Anonymous, CA, USA
May 2015
Ever since I was a child I was prone to night terrors. They were so real I would wake up to bruises and scrapes on my body where I was hurt in my dreams the night before.
The thing that I began to notice the most was this hooded figure somewhere in each of my dreams. He never move or addressed me in any way. He would always just be in the background of what was going on. As I got older I began to be able to somewhat tell between my dreams and reality due to that hooded figure in the corners. as scary as this figure was I felt like he was helping me to know when I should wake myself up.
As my night terrors became less and less scary he would not be there as much and needless to say I was very intrigued by him. So once I would see him I would completely focus on him, try to talk to him, ask him what he wants with me and why he was with me. I never got an answer. As uneventful years Passed I was able to awake with him at the end of my bed he scared me at first and I would usually hide under my covers until morning but then I thought to myself if he wouldn't hurt me in my dreams what would make this any different.
I began to investigate him in every possible way. During this time my night terrors faded but I would see him at the edge of my bed and in my dreams not only the bad ones but also the good. He still stands at the end of my bed occasionally, I assume so I remember he is still with me. This manifestation of something has followed me my whole life and at 21 years of age everyone still thinks I am crazy and no one will sleep in my room with me. I like having him with me I feel he keeps me safe from what is inside my head. I just wish I knew what he was? I have gone through multiple things in my head from Guardian Angel to Reaper. He wont talk to me, will not go away even if I get close enough to touch him (unless I turn on a light). Maybe he knows I would never dare run my fingers through him even though his coat looks like a black cloud. He is always touching the ground but I have never seen him move he just stays there patiently and then he disappears as if in thin air.