Chapter 04 Ball of Light

 She leaned her back against the door, trying to calm down, but her tears flowed down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Suddenly, the door began to crack and splinter, and with a loud noise, it exploded into splinters. Sarah was thrown across the hallway, her body hitting the wall with a sickening thud. When the dust settled, she saw the man with red glowing eyes.

He stepped into her apartment, his laughter echoing in the silent space. Sarah's sanctuary was breached, and she had nowhere left to go. She was trapped, and the thought of never escaping made her feel even more powerless.

The man walked slowly, relishing his victory as he taunted Sarah with his glowing eyes. She was paralyzed by fear, and her body wouldn't obey her commands. The man walked up to her and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up into the air as if she weighed nothing.

He threw her, and she slammed into the doors leading to her bedroom. As she slowly opened her eyes, she saw herself still sleeping on the bed. It was as if she was watching herself from the outside, and the terror was unbearable.

Sarah tried to scream, but no sound came out. She was stuck in this terrifying dream, unable to wake up or escape. She felt helpless as if there was no hope for her to ever leave this nightmare.

As she lay there, trembling with fear, she prayed for this nightmare to end. She longed for the comfort of her own bed, the safety of her apartment, and the warmth of her cat, Luna. But as she closed her eyes, she knew that the man with the red glowing eyes would be waiting for her.

 Suddenly, a bright light flashed in front of her, blinding her momentarily. She stumbled backward, shielding her eyes with her arms. When she opened them again, she saw a ball of light hovering in front of her. 

 "Take me if you want to survive," the ball of light whispered, its voice soft and gentle.

 Sarah hesitated for a moment, but the fear in her heart pushed her to act. She reached out and took the ball of light in her hand, feeling a surge of power and energy rush through her.

 "Hit the man with me, it will fend him off," the ball of light said. 

 Sarah didn't know what to make of it, but she trusted the ball of light. 

The man with red eyes walked towards her with a sinister grin on his face. Sarah ran at him and hit him in the chest with the ball of light without hesitation. It exploded on impact, blowing a hole in his chest and dropping him to the ground.

 For a moment, it looked like he was dead, but then his arm extended and grabbed her by the neck, pulling her towards him. His neck extended too, bringing his head close to Sarah. She could see the glowing red eyes staring at her, filled with malice and hatred.

 "This is not over," he said, his voice cold and menacing. "I will come for your soul. All you did was prolong your suffering." The man slowly perished while laughing and when he disappeared completely, she fainted.

Sarah jolted awake, her heart racing and her body drenched in sweat. She sat up in bed, gasping for breath as she tried to shake off the remnants of the nightmare. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for any signs of the man with the red glowing eyes, but there was nothing there. The room was quiet and still, the only sound was the steady hum of the air conditioning.

Sarah got out of bed and stumbled towards the door, her legs feeling weak and unsteady. She leaned her back against the door, just like in her nightmare, and let out a sob. She couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that had settled over her, like a heavy blanket suffocating her.

Suddenly, Sarah heard a loud noise coming from the hallway, just like in her nightmare. She froze, her heart racing again, as she listened carefully for any other sounds. But there was nothing else, just the eerie silence of her apartment.

Sarah took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. She knew that it was just her imagination, that the man with the red glowing eyes wasn't real. But the fear was still there, pulsing through her veins and making her feel like she was going to collapse.

After a few minutes, Sarah mustered up the courage to stand up and face her fears. She slowly walked towards the hallway, her eyes scanning the shadows for any signs of danger. But as she got closer, she saw her cat Luna, sitting at the end of it, looking up at her with wide, curious eyes.

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to Luna, picking her up and hugging her close. She knew that Luna was just a cat, but her presence gave her a sense of comfort and security.