I always thought my family was safe, living in the country on Barton Road, in Windor Maine. I never had to worry about many demons, since the old house burned down.I knew as soon as I saw the flames break through the roof, I would never have to worry about the evil which lurked in the attic, and roamed the hallway at night, again.

One night though, after the old mobile home was brought in for us to live in while the new house was being built, I found out I had become to comfortable with my day to day life, since the old house burned.I no longer worried about who, or what waited around each dark corner to grab me as I walked by.Finally after two years of living each night like it would be my last night alive, due to being sure one night a hand would reach up from under the bed and drag me away into the dark corners of the old house where no one dared to go.

I felt relieved to no longer have to go to bed with the blankets covering all of my body ecept for my eyes and nose.I slept this way when I was scared. I started this when I was about three-year-old and I thought my brothers cat was trying to break in to kill me. I figured the blanket would protect me. My way of thinking was if I covered up this way whatever might come into the bedroom would not be able to tell I was under the covers. I always left my eyes and nose exposed.I left my eyes exposed so I could (hopefully) see what was in the room and my nose so I could breath.

One night while living in the mobile home my mother and stepfather went out with some friends. I was about nine at the time. Mum always left her little sister Pearl with instructions. "Make sure the kids don't go outside. Don't let them play in the house. Don't let them stay up to late. And' don't let them eat all the food in the house."

On this night we ate and ate. We played in the house and we stayed up late. I don't know what time it was when I decided to go outside. Everyone else was sleeping so it had to have been late. I also have no idea why I opened the front door window and climbed out instead of just open the door and walk out. I remember how quiet I tried to be as I wiggled my way out the window, and how the aluminum window casing pinched my inner thigh as I stretched one leg as far as I could until I felt my foot touch the front steps.

It was very dark outside, but I didn't feel afraid. I started walking around the yard. Then I went to the barn to check on the cow. I walked into the barn and fumbled my way around until I found the sting to the light on the ceiling. I pulled the string and the light came on. I thought I saw a shadow sink behind the cow stall. I was afraid now,but I was also curious. I started walking slowly towards the area where I had seen the shadow. I walked in with the cow and ducked down beside her.I petted the cow not only to keep her calm but to also keep me calm.

Anytime I was afraid of anything the first thing I noticed was how heavy and raspy my breathing would become.I would try with all my might to bring my breathing under control,but it seemed by doing this I only made the breathing heavier and more raspy. My heartbeat was the second thing I would notice.My heart would beat to loud, hard and fast. At times like this I could actually hear my heart beating. I could also feel the my blood running through my veins. My head felt like it would explode as the blood would flow like pulsating rivers of liquid lava. It always seemed my veins in my head were to small to contain the blood, and at times I thought the only way for the pressure to be released would be if my nose started bleeding.

When I was almost to the cows head I heard a noise behind the stall wall. I stopped in my tracts. I thought I saw something moving just a little bit. I couldn't help myself, as I inched myself closer to the wall. I hoped whatever it was would not hear my heart beating or how hard I was breathing.I was still crouched low when I reached the wall. I put my hand on the wall and slowly started to stand up. When my eyes were level with the top of the wall I stopped and scan the darken area. I could not see anything so I stood up and leaned over the wall to look more at the floor. I thought maybe I would see a rat.

Just as I was leaning over the wall enough so my back was almost level, I saw something curled up on the floor. I couldn't make out what I was seeing so I reached down and poked at it with my right hand. In a flash something grabbed my hand. I screamed and tried to pull away. Whatever it was had a tight grip on me and was trying to pull me over the wall. I fought as hard as I could. I started banging on it with my free hand. The whole time I was screaming for help, but even I knew no one would hear me.

Even though I was just a little kid I was strong. I fought with whatever it was until I was able to free myself. Once I was free from the grip I turned and ran out the dorr. I heard what ever it was running after me. I looked over my shoulder just in time to see the shape of a large man. It looked like he was wearing a black Dick Tracy type of hat and a long black cape.

I don't know why I did not run for the house, instead I ran across the road into our neighbors pasture. I ran to their three horses.I was probably hoping the man would not dare come after me if I were in among the horses so I place my body so I had the horses arond me. Since I was short I had to duck down to look under one of the horses to see if the man were anywhere around. I could not see him so I decided to make a run for the house.

I ran into the man as soon as I left the safty of the horses.I felt the mans tight grip around both of my arms. I kicked at the man and screamed as loud as I could. I saw my neighbors porch light come on. I screamed again for help. Somehow I broke free of the mans grip. I ran as fast as I could.

I could hear the man running right behind me. He never said a word. The only verbal sound I could hear coming from the man was a sort of grunting sound and an evil laugh every few steps. I don't think I ever ran so fast in all my life.

Again, instead of running for the house I ran through the woods. There was a path in the woods, which led to my step grandparents housse who lived just a few hundred feet from us.

I remember how the tree branches stung my face and scratched my arms as I ran through the woods. I tried to hold my arms up towards my face for protection but I also had to swing them from side to side like a blind person uses a cane to help guide them.

I was exhausted when I reached my grandparents house. All I could do was bang on their door. I was to out of breath to call to them. I saw a light go on, and then I heard the man right behind me. I knew my grandmother was right at the door ready to open it, but I knew if she did not only would the man have me trapped but he would also have my grandparents trapped. I decided to just run away from my grandparents house and hoped the man in the cape would still follow me and leave my grandparents alone.

When I got to the road I stopped and listen for footsteps. I couldn't hear anything other than my own heart beat and breathing. I heard the cow in the barn mooing, so I thought the man had gone back there. My sides hurt from running. I put my hands on my hips and bent over. Just as I was ready to stand straight again I saw something in the ferns on the side of the road. I was only inches from these ferns. Although my reaction was quick the mans was quicker.

The man jumped up and grabbed me. He pulled me down into the ferns. I reached for a rock to hit him with but my arms were to short. We must have been making a lot of noise because I remember my neighbors horses running along the fence line neighing. The horses half ran and bucked as they got closer. They also threw their heads from side to side. I thought maybe the horses were coming to save me. When the horses got to the point where they were directly across from me and my attacker the started neighing very loud. They jumped up and down in place.

I could fell the man had cut my face. I felt blood running down my chin. I felt his hands go around my neck. I tried to fight him but I felt to weak to fight him anymore. I could feel myself drifting away.

Just when I though my time on earth was at an end I heard my mothers voice. "YOU GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY SON!" my mother screamed. My eyes were barely open, but I could still se enough so I could see my mother grab the man by the cape and pull him up off me. It was like my mother had super natural powers.

I watched as my mother threw the man to the ground. She then picked him back up and threw him to the ground again. I saw blood fly from the mans face as my mother hit him again and again.

I wanted to get up and help my mother but I was to tired to move. All I could do was lie there and watch as my mother brought the man to his knees. It was light enough out now so I could see the mans face very clearly. I had never seen such an evil looking person in my life. He looked unhuman.

I was shocked when my mother threw the man to the ground and he landed next to me. My mother jumped on him and screamed "YOU WILL NEVER HAUNT MY KIDS AGAIN, AND YOU WILL NEVER HURT ME AGAIN!" I watched as the man closed his eyes and his breathing stopped. I couldn't believe it. My mother knew who this man was and she killed him.

My mother stood up and and walked out to the road. I could see the horses, they were relaxed now. They galloped across the field kicking their hind legs out as they ran.

I heard my mother scream "NO!!!" I felt the man grip me again around the neck. I saw my mother run to the ditch and pick up a huge rock. I did not move my eyes. I thought if the man saw any movement in my eyes he would look towards my mother and see she had a rock. Again, I could feel myself fading away. I felt my eyes were only opened to a slit when I saw my mother slam the rock onto the mans head. I heard him scream an unearthly scream and then roll off me and land on his right side. I again felt blood running down my face, but I knew it was not my blood but it was his.

In a very week voice I cried out to my mother, "Mum, help me please, help me help me, Mum please help me." I was shocked when my mother stood by my side and laughed. I thought maybe she had been taken over by the evil man. Then I heard my mother say. "George get up." I tried to get up but something was holding me down. I cried out again, "Help me, help me."

I was having a hard time opening eyes enough so I could make out everything going on around me. I could see my mother was standing over me telling me to give her a kiss. I lifted my head enough so I could kiss my mother. Then my eyes closed again. I heard my mother saying, "George, wake up and give Mum a kiss." I said, "No I already gave you a kiss." Then I heard everyone standing around me laughing. I opened my eyes wide. I was now in a chair in the livingroom. I had drool running down my chin. Mum asked, "George, what were you dreaming about?"I would have told her but I was just to exhausted after all I had been through. Mum said, "Come on Georgie,time to get up and go to bed." I started to stand up. Mum asked, "Aren't you going to give me a kiss?" I said no, I already did." Mum asked, "When?" I said, "When you killed the man who was trying to kill me." I stood up and went to bed.

The End.

Yes, this was only a dream, but I have remembered every detail about this dream for all these years. I had two dreams before this about this same man coming up out of the ground and grabbing my mother and pulling her in.I remember telling someone about the two dreams and them telling me if I had the same dream three times it would come true. I was scared to death of my mother going near the spot where the man came out of the ground. I can to this day walk to the exact spot in my dreams.

Also, after years I figured out who the man in my dreams was and although he is not physically dead, he is dead in my life.

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), February 25, 2002

Answers

George,

I miss you. I haven't read this sroy yet. I just thought I would sent you XOXO's while I was on line. Going to read the story. I'll call you this weekend.

Love Ya, Bobby

-- Bobby FL (rsm1962@msn.com), February 25, 2002.

Man, you are one good storyteller.

-- Marty (mebtn@hotmail.com), February 27, 2002.

George

You poor kid, thats one nasty nightmare. I love your storytelling. Thanks for sending them in. kiwikaren

-- kiwikaren (fp116@ihug.co.nz), February 27, 2002.

George, that was scary, I did not read the whole thing, cause I had to find out the out come. I thought that was a true story, I was confused and very scared for you. Love ya Deneen

-- Deneen Fl (Gradydubose@aol.com), February 27, 2002.

LOL Deneen, I lived! You should have known I did, we just talked on the phone the other day.

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), February 27, 2002.

Good story George. I still have tears falling down my cheeks from laughing so hard! I haven't laughed like this in a long time. Thanks.

-- Michael W. Smith in North-West Pennsylvania (kirklbb@penn.com), March 03, 2002.

George, you are one good storyteller. I can just imagine what you were like when you were a little boy with a big imagination, and lots of stories just begging to be told.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), March 03, 2002.

It is a wonder at times my parents didn't call in people to strap me up in one of those straight jackets and cart me away to the funny farm.I think I am the only person who could take a walk in the woods, spot an innocent tree and in no time have myself convinced somewhere in the tree there was a part that looked like a face. Never was the face a nice kind looking face, oh no, not with George; the face always looked evil. I knew if I got to close to the trees with the evil faces the branches would come to life and grab me.I scared myself right out of the woods alot when I was a kid. I think in those days I could have been classified as "basket case" and to think I made myself that way all on my own.

My sisters like to remind me of how I used to lock them in dark closets and the bedroom with the attic door above their heads, and tell them someone was in there with them. I'll admit I was mean to those girls, but to a boy it was fun being mean.

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), March 04, 2002.