Bad Dreams

I lie in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I trace the cracks with my eyes and find different shapes and formations. Even this is better than sleeping. I was too afraid to sleep since I'd started having those dreams. No matter how hard I tried to stay awake, my eyes kept fluttering shut and I had to rouse myself. At one point in the night, it might have been 1:00 AM, I tiptoed down the hallway, gazing at my feet and dodging all the loud, creaky boards. I'd memorized where those ones were. I crept into the kitchen and started quickly and quietly making myself some coffee. Once it was made, I curled up in my dad's big blue chair to enjoy my coffee. This was where I sat every night. When I finished my coffee, I went to rinse my cup and heard a faint "scratch scratch" behind me. I whirled around, almost dropping my mug, my long auburn hair whipping me in the face. I stood still, then placed the mug lightly in the sink. I heard another "scratch scratch" and a thud, then something beside me breathing…
I gasped and sprinted back down the hallway. I heard a crazed thumping scratching creaking behind me, and fled down into my bedroom, slamming the door behind me and locking it. I was breathing heavily. Now I was awake.
I slowly unlocked the door and peeked through the crack, but saw nothing. While I peered through the darkness, I heard something behind me. It sounded like a faint "scratch scratch". I froze. I heard the "scratch scratch" again and then I thump and then more breathing. It seemed to be right next to me. I trembled with fear as my eyes filled with tears. Were they coming to life? Were the figures of my imagination coming to haunt me?
I dove into my bed and pulled the blanket up over my head and heard the same scratching and thumping frenzy I had before. I squealed in terror and curled up into a ball beneath my covers. I was surrounded by scratching and thumping and laughing and mocking noises. I sobbed and screamed as a loud beeping deafened me. I couldn't breathe.
I pulled my blanket away from my face to see sunlight streaming through my window, my small stuffed dog lying on the floor. I snatched him up and shoved him under my pillow. I had let myself fall asleep again. I wondered why no one else was up, then realized it was a Saturday. Normal people would lay down and go back to sleep, but I got up and went to make myself a cup of coffee.