Danplan Shorts

Demons staring

Warning for everyone, this chapter has some very disturbing descriptions and imagery. Please if these trigger you in any way don't read, it gave me the creeps just writing it. Stay safe :)
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Sleep demons were never good things.

They went from demonic, to your worst fear, to just plain disturbing. A man in a black cloak would stand by your door staring. A smiling clown would stand over your head unmoving. A ten foot spider would suffocate you like an ant. Nothing was impossible for the mind.

And unfortunately for Stephen, he didn't have the seemingly super human power to control those dreaded thoughts. In fact, he'd lay awake on the bad nights, trying to tell himself what he was seeing wasn't real. No matter if he couldn't move a limb- couldn't scream.

It was becoming a problem, especially for his roommate; Jay.

He was a nice enough guy. Eloquent, a little introverted, but kept a level head and clear mind in most situations. He would be the perfect guy to go to for unbiased and helpful advise, especially on illogical worries.

Except, for Jay personally, he wasn't. Annoyance was a common feeling as he listened to the problems of others, not interested in the slightest in their nonsensical natter. No, in the current scheme of things, there were very little people the man would willingly put his time into helping.

One of those being Stephen, his friend of many years and mirror in many ways. But as he watched them thrash under their covers, whimpering and gasping at something others couldn't see, he realised for the one person he wished to help, he didn't know how to.

And one night, he had had enough. It didn't matter how little he didn't know, he thought to himself, he will help no matter what.

It was the next night, that he got his chance. Ready or not.

It was late, way past midnight and into the early hours of the next morning, when Jay was startled awake by a scream.

It was loud and abrasive, shooting him up out of his bed and snapping his head across the room to his roommate. To the sight of one of his best friends tossing and shouting and sobbing. He stumbled towards Stephen without thinking, reaching out to shake their shoulder, to find their eyes wide open in terror.

The man screamed again, his breath hitching and his limbs thrashing. Jay, in a desperate attempt of comfort, reached out to shush him.
"Hey, hey Stephen it's me- it's Jay. You're fine see?" He whispered.
"N-no! Stop! Get away from me!!" They cried in a terrible voice full of anguish.
"Stephen you're fine! Snap out of it!"

In a moment of desperation, the older lifted his hand and slapped the other in the face hard enough to whip their head to the side. They inhaled a sharp breath, before holding it as they turned their head back.
"Jay?"

"Oh thank god." The man gasped, letting his body collapse against the side of the bed and taking a couple of his own deep breaths.
"What-"
"You scared the shit out of me you know that?!" He whispered, his voice too airy and wobbly to scream in anger.

Stephen stared at him, keeping his own tone light,
"Sorry." He said.
"Don't apologise you idiot." Jay replied, bringing his head up to lock their gazes,
"What did you see?"

They sucked in a sharp breath before answering,
"This, black thing."
"Black thing?"
"Yeah like, like with long arms and glowing eyes and," he paused, " and face that doesn't stop smiling."

Jay looked back at his friend for a time, bringing himself up to sit on the edge of the bed next to them.
"Dude that sounds terrifying."
"Yeah."
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I had absolutely no idea how to end this, but for all those as freaked out as I am, I promise you the next chapter will be fluffy xx