I could not tell if I was deep in a dream or if something real was happening. Three evenings past, I woke from sleep to find a heavy weight pushing down on my chest. It felt like someone had placed a warm, flat stone there and was holding it steady. It did not cause pain, only a deep and unusual feeling of pressure.
I jerked upright, sure my wife or one of my daughters had come into the room needing me. The room was empty and silent. My wife slept peacefully beside me. I felt unsettled but not truly afraid. I lay back down and pulled the blanket up to my chin.
The next morning, I shared the odd event over breakfast. Everyone thought it was funny, except for my little girl, who is seven. She looked worried. That night, she asked to sleep in my room. Sometime after midnight, I woke again. This time, a distinct pressure was on my arm, as if a hand was resting there. I thought it was my daughter, shifting in her sleep.