The Darkness Of Dreams

I don't remember falling asleep.
But I am back in the place I thought I'd escaped from.
My dream,
The darkest of dreams.

Everything is black. I know I'm inside, there is no moon or stars to comfort me.
But where am I?

All I can hear is my breath and the pumping of my heart.

Let's hope it stays that way.

I start to try to explore my surroundings. Trying to find a light or a wall. Both should lead me to a door.

And then I heard it.
Or did I?

Is it my imagination playing tricks? My memory of this place setting expectations of danger?

There it is again.
It's THEM.

The distant voices are unmistakable now. They are hunting. I am their target.

My senses are alive with the fear and the deprivation of sight. But now the darkness is my friend, and my enemy.

I start to move away from the voices, as I have done on many occasions.
The rustle of a gravelled footstep alerts the to my presence.
The hunt is on.

My pace quickens along with my pulse.
The end is inevitable.

A second set of voices emerge ahead of me. I change direction, looking for somewhere to hide. I have never found anything but terror here.

I start to run....
The voices converge behind me.
They are quick.
Adrenalin is keeping me quicker but for how long.

The unmistakable snarls of large dogs rings out behind me.
I am doomed.

Delay the inevitable, I may find something this time.

My feet move faster
The breath gets quicker
The dogs get closer
The terror increases
I can feel the dogs excitement and hunger
They are ready for the kill
I lose my footing
I start to fall
It takes an eternity to reach the ground. A final slow motion scene in a sick movie before my demise.
Why do they chase me?
Where am I?
What have I done?
Am I the sport in this sick world?
I hit the ground.

I sit up in bed.

I have escaped in the knowledge that I will be back there tonight.