The Visitor in the Night

In my early twenties, I woke up suddenly in my dark room. A strange feeling washed over me, as if a piece of me was being pulled away. My eyes opened to see a tall, dark shape hovering near the foot of my bed. It was standing up, facing me.

It had no lower body, just a long, shadowy form. One of its thin arms was stretched out in my direction. Its fingers were long and thin, but did not look like they were made of skin or bone. The thing seemed to be wearing a draped cloak, and where a face should have been, there was only emptiness.

I was filled with a deep fear and tried to sit up, but my body would not obey. I was stuck, unable to move a muscle. For a long moment, the silent figure just stayed there. Then, it began to drift backward, never turning, and passed directly through the closed wall.

The moment it vanished, the hold on me broke. I sat up, my heart pounding. I did not sleep again that night, and nervousness kept me awake for many nights after. I never saw it again.