Alistair rose from his Slumber.
Half awake and half asleep
He just had a very odd dream.
Very odd indeed.
It was a dream in which he was in another world.
A world of fantasy and magical creatures.
Though it wasn't the kind that you'd see in a children's book.
It was a beautiful world with an ugly problem.
It was soon to be destroyed.
The inhabitants of this world begged Alistair to save them.
Though he had no idea how he could.
Soon Alistair was transported back to his own world.
The creature gave him their salutations with respect and hope.
He felt guilty that he couldn't help them.
But what really shook Alistair.
Was the fact that he might never see them again.
It wasn't the first time He had had a dream of this sort.
Alistair has traveled to this Fantasy world over and over again since he was a boy.
He knew these creatures deeply.
They would help him get through the hardships that he had back in his world.
Alistair could even call them his closest friends.
Until a deity revealed itself to him and the creatures in a vision.
The deity warned them that he would bestow destruction upon the inhabitants of the Dream world.
And that there is no way to stop him.
This greatly troubled Alistair.
Even though it was only a dream.
It's still troubled him.
It felt too real.
Because maybe.
Just maybe.
It was.
As Alistair lost himself in thought.
He heard something from under his bed.
A Faint growl.
It certainly couldn't be a monster, he thought.
Monsters only existed in fairytales and dreams.
But he was too curious to ignore it.
Alistair dropped down to the floor.
Grabbing a flashlight from a nearby nightstand.
Before he turned it on.
He felt as though he shouldn't.
For some mysterious reason.
But then again.
He was too curious not to.
When Alistair activated the flashlight.
The light illuminated a sight that he shouldn't have seen.
It was one of the creatures from his dreams.
Dead.
Blood pooling around it.
He scrambled away from his bed.
Pushing his back up against the wall.
What did he just witness?
He must be having some sort of mental illness, he thought.
But then he heard something that assured him it was real.
"Help me…"
A strangled voice called out from under the bed.
It was familiar.
He knew for certain it was one of the creatures from his dreams.
"Alistair…"
Alistair was too stunned to respond.
"save us…"
He couldn't take it anymore.
It must be a demon.
He retrieved a crucifix that was hanging on the wall above his bed.
Alistair said a prayer as if he were casting out a demon.
Then he heard no more voices.
No more groans.
He figured he should lie back down in bed.
He's just tired, he thought.
That's it.
There's nothing more to it.
Just mere sleep deprivation.
So he sat back down in bed.
Pulled the sheets over his head.
And tried to fall asleep.
But there was something he couldn't deny.
Not for the life of him.
That what just happened…
Felt too real.