The October weather was getting cooler and it couldn't be long till it would start snowing. A little past eleven it was and pitch black outside. My face was just a few inches clear of the cold winds blowing outside the window. I listened to the wailing as they made nature's instruments vibrate. I could almost see the Bogeyman in front of me, playing the doomsday organ. Chills ran up my spine.

The sound of my wife turning in the bed brought me back to the reality. I shrugged off the frightening thoughts. Once again that day I noticed being exceptionally tired. A long and demanding day of work was past. Wonder why I wasn't sleeping already. No reason to stay up any more. I hit the sack without my nightly routine of reading. Too tired to concentrate. For a moment I hoped I wouldn't have to wake up the next morning and face the challenges of the day, but I found the thought somehow scary - as if I was going to die before dawn. I tried to cool down.

Somewhere in the borderlines of sleep I started to hear footsteps. I could tell they were approaching. I got scared. A burglar, a serial killer or something even worse? I was frozen with the expectation of my own death. Then I woke up to reality. I could now hear the steps more clearly, the paws of a dog hitting the parquetry. That must be Spot! I sighed of the relief. But still - I sensed there was something metallic about the sound. I was too tired to care, though, as long as I could get back to sleep. Then I heard a door creak open. It was too dark to see, but it was obviously the bedroom door. Now I could hear Spot walk very clearly. He came closer and I felt him climb onto the bed, on top of me. That stupid dog, I thought. Coming to disturb me at this time. However, I was too tired to send him away. I could feel him walking over me. His paws felt surprisingly hard, but I couldn't be sure of myself, being half asleep. Next he licked my cheek. At first the sensation was pleasant, but suddenly my cheek felt hot and I sensed a weird tingling, that escalated into a pain.

"Ow!" I went with a muffled moan.

Spot continued licking my face, and soon the pain was unbearable, it was all over my face.

"Quit it, Spot! Get away, it hurts!" I yelled.

The noise had awakened my wife, and she said with a surprise in her voice:

"Spot? Don't you remember we lost him in the summer."

Then she switched on the light and turned to see.


Originally written for my IB Finnish A1 class on Feb 15, 1995, after inspiration from Ray Bradbury's stories. Translated into English for the scary stories quest.

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