Watching Shadows

Friday, April 3, 2020

         I couldn’t sleep last night. Well, I fell asleep, but woke up about midnight. I was having the weirdest dreams, and when I woke up, I swear it felt as if someone was watching me. I t was so unnerving that I had to turn all the lights on. No one was in the room except me and my dog. Dixie kept staring at the empty reading chair in the corner. I sat in bed and read and eventually fell asleep somewhere about 3 AM. All the lights were still on when I woke up, except the light next to my bed burned out.

         Otherwise not much happened today. Regular day working from home with all the quarantines going on because of a global virus outbreak. It’s just a really bad cold, so I don’t know why everyone is panicking. I’m not going to complain because I still have a job, and I get to work from home in my PJs!

Saturday, April 4, 2020

         Woke up at midnight again last night. I swear I saw a person or the shadow of a person sitting in the chair in the corner of my bedroom. I flipped the lights on, and again the chair was empty. Maybe I’m watching too many horror films before bed. Dixie wasn’t helping any. She kept growling at random and staring at the chair. So weird. I feel eyes on me. I stayed up and watched some rom-coms on my phone. Woke up with all the lights still on, but the one next to my bed was burned out again! I only replaced it yesterday! Cheap bulbs.

         I’m so tired. Even sleeping in, I’m exhausted. I work out. I eat right, but I can’t sleep. I’m so tired.

         At least I can go for a run outside with Dixie. She’s getting cabin fever as bad as I am, and is super excited to get out. Typical Doberman. I had to give her a bath, and her black coat was so shiny. Sometimes I wish she were a little cuddlier, and a little less athletic. Her fitness puts me to shame.

Sunday, April 5, 2020

         I just want to sleep through the night! Good grief, and I swear I’m being watched! It’s so weird! When I did finally fall asleep, I had the strangest, most vivid dream about a black dog last night. I was walking along a wooded path in the dark, and this pony-sized dog came bounding out of the woods, up the path towards me. It stopped just out of arms reach, and its gold eyes bored through me. It scared me, but didn’t scare me at the same time. So realistic and weird. I also dreamt that the dog led me home. I trusted it, but I was scared.

         My lights were all on again, but the one on my nightstand was out. I’m going to get a new lamp. The one I have seems like it has some electrical issue. I have to vacuum too. My feet are dirty, probably from making a bathroom trip in the middle of the night.

         Otherwise another boring day in quarantine or social-distancing it’s called. Mostly binged on TV and food.

Monday, April 6, 2020

Very little sleep again, and Dixie is refusing to come into the bedroom anymore. I feel so lonely and uneasy without her sleeping next to me. Her sudden change in behavior is so weird, and I’m really worried, so I took her to the vet today.

Everybody is doing curbside service, so I had to wait in the car while the vet saw her. I took a nap. I’m so tired.

The vet didn’t find anything wrong. Dixie is perfectly healthy according to the physical exam and all her bloodwork. The vet suggested that maybe I’m stressed, and my stress is affecting Dixie. I told her that I didn’t think I was stressed, but she couldn’t give any other explanation.

The new lamp I bought isn’t working either. Great, I’ve got some electrical issue with the outlet next to my bed. Why isn’t it affect any of the other lights or lamps?

My throat has been annoyingly itchy all day, so I picked up some throat lozenges. Probably snoring when I do finally sleep.

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

         Up at midnight again! Maybe I really am stressed out. Self-isolation is getting to me. This is ridiculous and has been going on since last week. I think I’m starting to hallucinate too. I swear someone is breaking into my apartment every night at midnight and watching me sleep. I swear someone was in here last night. Watching. Just watching. I’ve been leaving every light in the apartment on. I can’t go to sleep anymore.

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

         Someone or something is in my room. He comes every night at midnight and watches me. I saw his eyes in the dresser mirror last night. Red eyes and a shadow body in the reading chair in the corner. The chair is empty when I look directly at it, but I can see him if I look in the mirror.

         I’m not sleeping in my room anymore. Maybe he won’t follow me to the living room. Dixie seems to be avoiding me. I can’t sleep. I feel him behind me, but I can’t see him. My head is throbbing, and I feel sick.

Thursday, April 9, 2020

         He followed me to the living room. I stayed up all night and stared back at him. Tonight I can see him without a mirror. The misty shadow seems to swirl and thicken and take shape. I’m alone in the apartment, but not alone. I feel so terrible. I’m so tired and cold, and my head feels as if it will explode. I have to keep watch. I can’t sleep now. Dixie keeps crying and whimpering and pacing.

         Its daylight, and he’s still staring at me. The red eyes gleam at me in the sunlight streaming through the windows. At least I think it’s bright outside. Everything has a gray overcast. I feel as if I’ve been hit by a bus, and everything hurts.

         It has made me sick. He has made me sick. My fever is 103˚F today, and I have a cough.

The red eyes get closer. I swear he is getting more solid. The minutes tick by with my pounding heart. The pain.

Dixie is barking and whining, I think. She sounds muffled.

I’m scared. Things aren’t right.

I can’t breathe…