Allen woke up drenched in cold sweat. It was a long night. He had a brutish nightmare. He dreamt about tentacles being forced down his throat while a cruel looking demon loomed over him, cutting of any ways of escape. Thank God, it was only a dream. He thought, but just then a screeching noise assaulted his ears, and a sharp pain manifested in his head. “What th-?”

“Finally, you are awake.” He swiftly turned around to the voice.

There in front of him, in but an arm’s reach stood the central figure of his nightmare. Impossible, he thought. It was just a dream, it had to be! His eyes darted around the room, there was no mistaking it. This was his room in the orphanage. The same paint on the walls, the same books on the shelves, the same carpet on the floor, everything was the same! How? Was he still dreaming? Is he still a prisoner of his nightmare? No, it cannot be. He tore his eyes from the familiar sight, and stared at the towering demon, standing a full 3 ft taller than him. Why is it still there? Why won’t it disappear?!

“Now, do you understand me?” It asked, though the screeching noise still accompanied its every word, it was more bearable now. He looked up and down the demon, it was questioning him no doubt, but why would a nightmare ever ask anything? He hastily went through his repertoire on ‘how to banish bad dreams’, hoping that it would work.

He could only hope that if he doesn’t acknowledge it, then it would disappear. Yeah, it certainly will. What a crazy dream he had, first he dreamt of a land of fire and ash populated by monsters beyond his comprehension. Then about a foul demon tearing into his flesh, but then why? Why was he seeing the very thing he had dreamt about up until now? The very thing that had caused him so much suffering?! Even if it didn’t hurt him in reality, that dream felt real. Very real.

The dark form of the demon shifted, as it moved to take a step.

Allen reflexively called out. “S-stop! D-don’t come any closer.” Though, it would usually leave his mouth in a commanding tone, now he whimpered.

To his bewilderment the demon obeyed, it halted its step midair as it looked straight at him. Many red eyes opened throughout its body, much more than what he had seen in the nightmare. There was craze in those eyes.

He didn’t know what to do now. The demon obeyed, so if he ordered it to simply disappear then it would, right? Or was he still hallucinating and that was why the demon followed his design? Unconsciously he must control every slight movement, and the demon only reacts noticeably to verbal commands while his unconscious mind simply sustained it? Plausible he thought.

But then how did it talk? It couldn’t have been his subconscious questioning him. That was why it is called subconscious it doesn’t do such thing. Was it the voice inside of his mind yet again? But that didn’t sound the way this demon did. He should try other tactics to make the dream disperse. He was broken out of his train of thought when he saw the demon’s maw moving yet again.

“Are you ready to talk?” It spoke. It definitely did, and he was sure that he wasn’t the one causing it to speak. Okay, something is not right.

Something strange occurred.

What the hell?! Was he slowly drifting back to the nightmare? Allen panicked, as the light blue painted walls lost their colors, and slowly all objects in the room disintegrated. Many were replaced by stone equivalent, like his bed and desk, however most simply disappeared. He felt a chill running down on his spine as the form of the demon loomed over him. While the room disappeared, the demon only seemed to grow in size before him. Then the all too familiar screeching noise entered his ears.

“I thought that a familiar place would it make easier for you to talk, but alas you failed to do so.”

It said, and Allen felt the dread spreading around the room.

“I am willing to give you one last chance, now then; will you talk, or should I make you?”

It said as it sharpened its 2ft long razor-sharp claws at a threateningly close proximity to his face. Allen gulped audibly. It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a dream! Fuck. Goddamn it all! I don’t care, I won’t succumb to despair. Not now, nor ever! He made up his mind simultaneously summoning his resolve.

“So, have you decided?”

“What is it that you want, you demon?!” Allen spat, as he elevated his vision to meet the gaze of terror incarnate.