Wherever I go, he follows. His skin is a shadowy black, his face contorted into a nondescript image and his fingers long and spindly like prongs on a rake. I try to run, but he looms behind me inevitably, waiting for my motion to stop. Whenever I come to a halt, his slender hands dig into my chest, slipping past my ribcage and removing its contents, leaving me without a heart and taking away my breath. His maw hangs above my head, the vortex of his mouth sucking up my thoughts and corrupting them beyond belief. Leaving me a lifeless husk, a shell of who I am.

     But not today, I tell myself. This does not have to happen, I can leave him behind. I take off, running down the hall like my life depends on it. My house feels like a maze, with turns and twists in the path every few decameters. Each turn I make, each step I manage, he waits behind me to try and attack again. So I never stop, I continue to break through the house, searching for a way out. The lights dim, and everything gradually turns blinding black. I hit a wall, a dead end, and the figure moves to stand in front of me.

     His boney hand reaches out for me, ready to leave me hollow once again. In desperation, I turn and pound against the wall, telling myself I would do anything to get out. And it broke, the barrier crumbling down and collapsing into a pile of rubble. I step forward, my pace quickening. In the far distance, I see something at the end of the tunnel. A friend, some help. Someone to protect me from the demon that haunts my mind. My hand reaches out, and I grab onto theirs. Taking me into a hug, my saving angel protects me. The monster was never seen again, forever out of my head. I am free.