The Haunting of Keith Kogane

Chapter 5: The Case of Keith Kogane

It was a morning like any other: Keith's eyes were open at the crack of dawn. Although, like the majority of his nights, that was mostly due because he could barely sleep at all. The day before, the day of his encounter with Shiro, he had gone to bed restless despite being so bone tired. The thought of what manner of terrors would await him in his sleep kept him awake. It was an awful thing to feel like he wasn't safe in his own room, in his own space. Where walls were pitch black and imposing, like his very fears just hounded him in the dark. Lurking and waiting to strike the moment Keith let himself show weakness and succumb to his exhaustion.

It seemed that after seeing Shiro those feelings were doubled. Keith wouldn't allow the torment . Ergo, lay awake was what he did. While doing so, he unintentionally entertained the thought of how everyone else was cosily tucked into their beds, probably off dreaming of nice things or of bizarre situations that would make for an interesting story. It was an envious thought to have. Oh, how he wished he could be like everyone else, even if it was to have one night with good dreams or none at all ...

Yet for all of that, he would never wish for anyone to be in his place. Keith was confident that he wasn't lying when he said that he'd absolutely hate to see anyone in his position. Sleep paralysis was one of the worst things he's had to endure, he'd rather have night terrors or withstand the exhaustion of a sleepless night. At least in either occasion he could move or do something.

But well, at least last night he hadn't had to worry about that. He stole a look at the digital clock on his night table: Six o'clock in the morning.

He sighed and told himself, Just a little more Keith. You'll make it.

Keith wasn't so sure of his own encouragement but he tried anyways. Though not sure exactly why, he thought that maybe changing his current position would help. Therefore he shifted from his back onto his left side which put his back to the entirety of his room. Not a second later, he felt desperation creeping up his back and for a moment he resisted the urge to look over his shoulder. It was like when he knew there was someone standing behind him, a set of eyes staring down at his vulnerable position even though he was alone. The hairs on his neck stood to end and the sensation made him shift onto his right side immediately.

He needed to make sure it was only him in his room. When relief settled in, Keith's eyes landed on his left wrist. The bruise he got just about a day ago in his last sleep paralysis and consequential panic attack, still marred his skin. If anything, it has only become darker and taken an uncanny shape; it surrounded almost all of his wrist, almost like a hand gripped him. And that was exactly what he had felt that night, when the terrible wheezes of 'The Burned Lady' made him breathe nothing but fear and the appearance of 'The Burned Man' shook him to his core.

But they weren't real ... They can't be ...

Doubt followed that statement as it reminded Keith of his meeting with Shiro the day prior, and how real the feelings during the sleep paralysis felt. And then there was that other thing ...

Keith brought his right hand into view and examined the lines of his palm, how his slender fingers lightly twitched. He wondered if the things he felt when he touched others were all in his head as well ... It happened when he touched certain objects too, he could see and feel things ...

I wonder if ...

Keith wasn't sure if he wanted to know what he would see if he touched the bruise, it was already on his skin so he must've seen something by now. He could only find out if he touched it ... he let his fingertips gently ghost over the black shape.