[COLOR=gray][URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPjuuVOGqxI][COLOR=00b395][INDENT][B]
[SUP][SUB][H3]T H E  W O O D S  R E S I D E N C E:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=LIGHTGRAY]The Night Before School Starts[/color][/sup][/INDENT][/URL]
[INDENT][INDENT]The sound started faint at first, like the humming of static on a television a few rooms away. It ebbed closer, and the nearer it got, the more the sound separated. Not static… no… sand. The magnification of sand passing through an hourglass. Filling a void. The sound was quickly drowned out by the muffled hum of a deep voice. An underwater lullaby, sung soft and eerie. Demeter felt the tickle of his breath at her ear and jerked her head away instinctively.

At least… she tried to. It was then that she realized she was tied up. Something blinded her and held her head in place. She could hear, but only as well as one could with cotton in their ears. Everything was muted. Demi tugged at her hands and feet, but they too were bound. Panic gripped her spine as she struggled to free herself. A sharp pain at her neck was felt before she lost all sense of gravity. After freefalling for what felt like hours she finally hit the ground.

Demeter’s eyes snapped open but she was still trapped in the nightmare. The plastic glowing stars on her ceiling faded into view slowly while she gasped for breath. She couldn’t breathe, she was choking on the midnight air. It tasted earthy and dry and it clogged her throat. When Demi went to reach for her neck, her hand didn’t respond to the signal. Her whole body was cemented to the floor and she once again was overcome by panicked hyperventilating. 

Remember what Dr. Merlot says: ‘If you can tell that it’s a dream, it’s almost over.’ Remember that it’s not real. Try to move your fingertips first. [color=00b395][i]It’s not real.[/i][/color] Wiggle your toes. [color=00b395][i]It’s not real.[/i][/color] Focus on what [i]is[/i] real… what you see, what you feel... smell... hear. Slow your breathing, be still, be calm. Stop fighting it.

[color=00b395][b]“It’s… not… real.”[/b][/color] The sound of her own voice, although raspy, washed Demi with relief. She drew in a shaky breath and then another until they became steady and strong. Once she had the strength, Demeter sat up and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. Covering her face with her hands, she sighed into her palms. Would these night terrors ever stop? Sleep paralysis was a bitch.

A sudden scratch at the window behind her caused Demi to startle. The hair on her arms raised in a flush of goosebumps and a second scratch followed. Her rational mind said it was nothing but a stick scraping the glass, yet she couldn’t bring herself to turn around. Repeating the mantra that it wasn’t real, Demeter eventually dared to turn and face the sound. As soon as she did, the shadow behind the curtain… [i]meowed[/i]?

Demi stood up, more curious now than fearful, though both feelings were present, and padded towards the window. Slowly pulling the curtain back and holding her breath, Demi was greeted by a pair of a wide, mismatched eyes. One emerald, and one sapphire, staring from a stark sea of white fur. [color=00b395][b]“Oh…”[/b][/color] Demi let out a relieved sigh. [color=00b395][b]“Hi there.”[/b][/color] She smiled at the feline. It responded by pawing at the glass repeatedly.

[color=00b395][b]“I’m sorry… I... can’t let you in.”[/b][/color] Demeter apologized as if the cat could understand her. Almost like it could, it immediately responded with a dejected mew. Demi felt her heart melt at that… how could an animal evoke such strong emotions? Feeling guilty, the teen came up with an idea. [color=00b395][b]“Wait right there,”[/b][/color] she said to the cat sitting in her hanging window planter before spinning away.

The poor thing was probably starving, that must be why it wanted to come in so badly. Demeter made her way from her bedroom to the kitchen, and peered into the bright light of the refrigerator. She pulled out some leftover grilled chicken and shredded it into tiny pieces with a fork before placing it in a small bowl. Slipping on a pair of foam flip flops and tightening the house robe over her pajamas, Demi headed out into the brisk night air.

The white cat, sensing her approach, jumped down from the planter and trotted over to her ankles. It purred and weaved figure eights in between and around her legs. Demi chuckled at the small creature, feeling the tension of the nightmare she’d had moments ago leave her in doing so. Kneeling low, Demi set the bowl down and the kitty quickly turned to scarfing the meat up. She cautiously reached out to pet the animal, and when it accepted her touch, she smiled. [color=00b395][b]“Pretty boy.”[/b][/color]

The cat looked up from it’s meal and turned it’s ears back in response. Demi pulled her hand away, afraid that it might take a swat at her. It’s eyes were so human. It looked… [i]offended[/i]? [color=00b395][b]“... girl? Pretty girl?”[/b][/color] At that, the cat went back to eating and purring. What a peculiar creature, Demi thought as she reached out to stroke it’s fur again — fur as soft and white as moonlight. [color=00b395][b]“Do you have a name?”[/b][/color] The cat looked up and tilted it’s head to the side, waiting. [color=00b395][b]“... I think I’ll call you Selune. Goddess of the moon.”[/b][/color] Yes, that seemed like a very fitting name indeed.[/INDENT][/INDENT][/COLOR]