Dream or Nightmare

I don't remember climbing into bed. I don't remember falling asleep. But I must have. Because where I was only cloud be described as a dream.

 was was surrounded by darkness. And not just the kind of darkness of when the lights where turned off. It was the kind of darkness where you couldn't see anything. It was like being in a cave, and waving a hand in front of your face and not being able to see it. It was like being complete blind. (Although I had heard that being blind wasn't like seeing black exactly. It was like what you could see out of one eye when it was closed. Not exactly black, but not exactly nothing either.) Either way, it was extremely unsettling.

And the air around me was cold. Maybe I was in a cave? But the ground didn't feel like hard rock. Not it almost felt soft. Not like grass, but maybe like walking on some kind of gel. And when I called out for help I didn't even hear my own voice. It was as if I was depth. Or mute.

Feeling my heart start to race I began to run. But it didn't feel like I was moving anywhere. I could feel my heart racing, feel breath entering leaving my mouth rapidly, and feel my arms and legs moving, but I still felt like I was in the same place.

I was about to give up when I saw two soft blue glowing rectangles form. My eyes had to adjust to finally seeing something, and I blinked several times. Once my vision was clear it was obvious it was two doors.

Not know how they got there, or where they lead I stepped toward them. Pausing for just a second I reached for a door.

Then suddenly a soft low sing songy voice echoed all around me, "I wouldn't just open any door, if I were you."

I froze feeling ice go down my spine. I heard my voice again. It was barly a rasp, "Who are you? Where am I?"

It didn't answer the question. Just continued talking, "One door is good, one door is bad. Chose one to get home wisely."

Feeling unsure I asked again, "Where is this place. Where do these doors lead?"

It half answered the question still in it's voice, "One door is but a dream. One door is a nightmare. Both will take you home, but there is a price to pay."

still unsettled I asked, "Dream? Nightmare? What do you mean?"

Finally answering a question the voiced sound amused. "One door has every dream you ever wished. The other has a nightmare. Your biggest fear. Survive making it through one, and you make it home."

Not sure I could believe the voice I asked carefully, "Which one is the dream?"

The voice almost smirked, "The door to the right."

I stepped close to the door on the right, but paused. I didn';t trust this voice.

As if to read my mind it added, "I can not tell a lie. For I am of the Fey. We may only speak in truths."

Fey? Like Fiery? I didn't believe in fairies. There was no way this was true. But this was a dream after all. So I started to reach for the door handle on the right. It's knob was oddly warm. Almost like it was alive.

The voice actually sounding concerned said, "I wouldn't chose that door if I was you."

I paused, feeling my stomach in my throat. "Why not?"

"It has the biggest price to pay."

I raised an eyebrow, "How is the dream worse than the nightmare?"

The the voice animated as it told it's tale. "This is the relm of the fey. Time works differently here. Go through the dream portal, you come out old and crippled. Go through the nightmare portal, you come out young and fair."

That didn't make sense, "What do you mean? How would it be different?"

The voice answered quickly, "Time in the fey relm is different from the mortal world. You come in your age now and leave differently. The magic in the dream land is strong and feeds off your soul and happiness. It would age your body fast. You were surly leave old and wrinkled. The magic in the nightmare just feeds off your fear and hormones from your mind. Not as much magic needed. You will leave the age you are today."

I thought for a moment. I was only 25 now...I couldn't enter a dream and leave in my 80's. And if time was just measured by magic feeding off of me than I could literally just have 7 mins in heaven with the dream and come out old. Why risk that? When I may just have 2 minutes in hell and come out young. I asked my last question, "How long does each room last?"

But then the voice was gone....

Feeling the fear build up in my I grabbed the door to the left. The nightmare.

****

I was in a old abandoned hunting cabin in the woods. The inside of the cabin was stripped and I remembered it clearly. I felt a ball of lead form in my gut and felt myself shrink into myself at the memory of the place. It was like I was a child again.

In the center of the room stood a tall lanky man. He hunched over slightly looking at me with a sneer, and he slowly rocked back and forth as he watched me. His voice was full of venom, "Thought you could get rid of me that easy?"

I backed up into the corner of the cabin, as I felt red hot tear fall down my face. My voice was barely a whisper, "I'm sorry Dad...I didn't mean to."

My small apology did not lighten his reaction. Instead his thick eyebrow lowered and he stepped closer to me. The smell of booze was strong on him. "SORRY! SORRY!? THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT BURNING YOUR FATHER ALIVE!"

I fell to the ground, and curled up into a ball in the corner. I hadn't felt this scared, trapped, and lost since I was a child. I kept talking through tears as I saw a broken bottle appear in his hand. "I forgot to blow the candle out. I didn't mean for it to start a fire. i tried to save you"

The memory of the cabin being on fire played in my mind like a moving. It had been just me and dad in the cabin. I had left the cabin to collect fire wood after dad had gotten into one of his drunken rampages and started hitting me. I thought he might forgive me for upsetting him if I got firewood for that night. So when he feel asleep on the couch I left. When I came back my candle had started a large fire. The structure of the cabin was old. When I went inside to save him a beam fell on his sleeping body. Unable to save him I ran out and called 911. It had been too late by the time they arrived.

Dad's face scrunched up in fury, "Save me! Don't lie! You planned it! You and your mother must had come up with the plan before you left with me. You too were always too weak, bould never handle a good beating. I was just trying to make you both stronger. But I failed." Then he smiled, "But don't worry I will make you strong now." And he lunged for me.

By some miracle I was able to dodge him, and as I did I noticed a door behind him. It wasn't there before. I ran for it,

As I ran i felt him grab my leg, and scratch at it. it was like red hot fire. I screamed but kept pushing forward.

Finally grabbing the door I fell through.

****

I bolted upright in bed screaming. I had a cold sweat all over me, and was panting.

I sat there for a minute and got my bearings. I was in my room! It was a dream!

I got out of bed and turned on the light, and looked at myself in the mirror. Relived I smiled to see the same youthful face smiling back at me. I laughed at my fear. It was all a dream. All of it. I still didn't remember going to bed. But I didn't care. it was all fake.

Then I felt something stinging on my leg and felt wetness. I looked down at my pajama leg and found it saturated in blood. I felt my blood drain as I carefully pulled up the pants leg. There on my calf was four large and deep cuts. It was as if an animal scratched me in an attack.

I dropped the leg and backed up. It wasn't a dream