Senses Capture

    Shadows in my room, staring at me. Half open eyes, not daring to see. My mouth  is sealed, not able to speak. The sound of voices, humming in my ear.  It was midnight, but alas, I had failed to doze. An insomniac. That’s what I was. And still am. For after that fateful night, I never slept again, well, soundly at least. The cold winter air slowly seeped through my window, sending a chill down my spine. I drew in a deep breath, and got up from my warm pile of blankets on the floor. Snatching a particularly fluffy one, I wrapped it around myself and began to slink down the hallway. My eyes panned to to the side. “Wha-” I turned around, quickly, swearing I saw some figure next to me. At least, that’s what the shadows showed me. A soft purring sound stole my attention. “Sandy?” I whispered. “You’re supposed to be in the basement...” The small tan cat wound herself around my legs. Her small frame made its way to the door and began to descend into the large, dark room. I followed her down , dazed. I hadn’t been into the basement in a long, long time. The light was already on, hurting my eyes. “Hello? Dad? Mom? Jack? You guys down here?” I squinted.  A creaking sound came from the far closet. “Who’s there?” I called. I shuffled towards the half-open closet, the concrete floor scratching the soles of my feet. Nothing. The closet was completely empty. Not a thing dwelled within. I began to move towards the staircase, but a wave of drowsiness came over me, and I found myself collapsed on the small rug in the center of the cellar. I took in another deep breath, and was somehow calm. I dozed off peacefully, for possibly the first time.

   When I woke, I found that I was in my pile of blankets, in my room. It was still dark out, and as I checked the clock to my side and realized I’d only been asleep for a few minutes, as it was twelve-thirteen. But then it hit me. Was what happened just a dream? No. The scrapes on my feet told me otherwise. But how? How was I back? I decided to dwell on this later, as I tried to achieve that peaceful slumber once more. But, the shadows still haunted me. My eye opened slightly and caught yet another shadow and I bolted it up once more.  Turning around, I saw my room was completely empty. I sighed, and blamed my tedious imagination. I turned back to my original position, and put my arm out, to  grasp my phone, but found that it was not there. “Weird...” The shadow stole my attention once more. My eyes slowly shut, to block out the strange projections on the walls. A strange creaking noise came from the door and my eyes shot open. My breathing began to grow heavy, and my eyes went to the clock. Twelve-Twenty. My mind raced through the possibilities of what horrendous beast could be lurking in my room. I pulled the blanket over my head and squeezed my eyes shut, never wanting to look up. There was no doubt that someone in the room with me. But, there comes a comes a time in every kids’ life when he or she has to be brave and face his or her fears. I ripped the blanket away from my head to see a dark figure, a three dimensional shadow, if you will, but it was then gone. I couldn’t see. Nothing. Not a single ray of light shown. All was dark. The figure took me a moment to process. Now, in the darkness, I began to lose my mind. My senses sharpened. My ears picked up every sound. My nose could smell everything. Every little speck of dust that touched me sent a shock through my body. I could almost taste the madness.

  My heart was still pounding, pulse still racing, Breath ever deepening. I wondered where the shadow monster was. I held my breath, as I heard the creeks from the other side of the room. My pupils dilated, but were still useless. “You- you can’t do this...” The voice that came out of my lips was not mine, but a cracked, dry, horrible sound.
 It was dark. So, so, dark. Quiet, too. So very quiet. But that was soon intruded by a dull creaking sound from far away. It began to grow louder, as if a beast was coming closer and closer to me, ready to tear me to shreds. Louder, louder, louder, ever so loud. It was close. My eyes squeezed shut. “Go... A-away.” I felt tears welling up in my eyes. “Stop tormenting me!” I heard a deep laugh.
 “If you say so.”  It chuckled. Then, a piercing howl filled the air, and like that, I could hear no more.

  It was useless. Useless to do anything but wait. Wait to go mad, wait to die, wait to lose it.  The sudden realization of this made me shudder.  I then noticed something. Pain. Pain everywhere. Like nothing I’d ever felt before. It got stronger. Stronger. Stronger still. Like needles being pushed into my skin. Everywhere. I was shaking, I couldn’t stand it. Not one bit of it. Would my pathetic sanity just leave already? I wish. But no, It was still here. Still toying with me. But... was I sane? Was I still all there? Or was I crazy? Insane? There was no way to tell. My whole body felt as if I was being cut open. Then, it stopped. As if by magic, it was just gone. But just when I thought I'd been saved, I felt a slash across my chest and face and a scream resonate in my throat. But after that, I could feel nothing.

  Numb. Numb was all I was. There was nothing I could hear. Nothing I could see. Nothing I could feel. Everything, gone. Just the taste and smell of blood. That vile liquid that runs through my veins. Ever intensifying until those, too, we're gone. But there I was. With just my mind to accompany me. Just my thoughts. Not only had my senses captured me, but my emotions had, too. I was unable to be happy or horrified or sad about this. What had I become? Nothing. I'd become nothing. Nothing whatsoever.
   
         But just when I thought I was doomed to this state for life, it all came back. The pain, the howl, the blood, and the shadows, they all came back, making my ears ring. But the shadows, they didn't belong to the ghostly figures as I thought they had. They belonged to my family. I'd been discovered by my brother. "J-Jack." I muttered. " LEAVE. THEY'LL GET YOU. THE SHADOWS. GO." I screamed. " You have to believe me, Jack. You have to." But the look on his face told me that he could not. That very night, I was taken away. Away to a place for the people who were not sane. Where they treat you with fake smiles and kind voices. But I'm not crazy. I did not go round the bend. And I'll let you in on a  secret. I don't sleep. For then, I'm vulnerable. Vulnerable to the terrible beasts that are my senses.