"It's okay, love. I'm right here."
I take deep breaths, trying to bring the level of air in my lungs to its normal state.
"It was only a nightmare. Just a nightmare." He puts his arms around me and kisses my head gently, as I gradually feel better. "What did you see this time?"
"The same as the previous five times..."
"The demon?"
I nod. The creature of my nightmare is hard to describe, but "demon" is the only appropriate word. Since I found out about my pregnancy, it has been haunting my dreams, shredding them to pieces with its clawed limbs and its sharp teeth.831Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLWRGZ5fVp
"You know what?" I say and shove his arms away calmly. "I'll go wash my face. Some cool water will make me feel better."
"Yes, you should. Do you want me to come with you?"
"No, no. The bathroom is just across the hallway. I think I can manage."
I stand on my feet with a groan. My knees feel like jello and my legs are shaking uncontrollably, but I am fully awake now. Being brought back in reality after such an experience is so relieving. 831Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2LfiobAFL
The bathroom door opens with a creaking noise. My skin welcomes the sensation of the cold water as it trickles down my cheeks and my jaw. I let the drops reach my collarbones while I stare at my reflection in the mirror.
Fully calmed down and collected now, I am able to remember more things about my nightmare. That tiny stuff that make so much sense in a dream, but seem absurd when you wake up. "This time I saw multiple people running from it, honey. They didn't make it," I comment.
"What?" I hear the bed creaking as he stands up. "Wait, I'm coming over there."831Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3VTyU2Xut
"I said, I saw people running from it", I repeat as he enters the bathroom.
He hugs me from behind, planting little kisses on my shoulders. "Nothing bad is going to happen. I promise."
I look at our perfect reflection and dwell in a thought. "You know, it's funny, all these people I saw, running from it. I have seen every single one of them, somewhere, at some point in my life. Because the brain cannot invent a face, it just uses real faces of real people one has seen but does not remember."
There is a brief pause before he speaks. "What about the demon?" he asks calmly. "What about its face?"
"Wha-" As I realize what he's implying, I feel the hairs at the back of my neck stand up. "I... I don't think that the same applies for the demon-"
He interrupts me with a question. "Are you certain?"831Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGIElKvZex
Tears of terror fill my eyes as I look at the mirror and see that my husband's face has given its place to another, an ominous and, unfortunately, very familiar one.
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