Ellada Kralli 

 A dream so distant dragged her out of her peaceful sleep. The road was still flooded in moonlight as she stared out the window. Tree shadows were falling on the bare walls of her room. The chandelier resembled a living bird with wings slowly being burned whenever a car was passing by and shadows created formed of different shapes around it. She raised her hand to touch it and all of a sudden it disappeared. She rubbed her eyes thinking that vision was her imagination. Nothing changed. She got up to turn the lights on but darkness gave no token. Assuming a power failure she timidly looked out the window to check whether the neighbors had lights on and everyone had indeed. It was outrageous. Terror flooded into her and breathing deeply, she managed to calm a bit after a while. She headed for the bed keeping in mind that she only had to walk on a straight line. She sat on the bed somewhat more calm now. She reached out for the night table just next to her. She recalled there was a small torch there for such situations. She turned it on but its light was not enough to illuminate anything around. Fear returned immediately and her heart was beating as fast as if ready to stop any moment.

“Why can I see nothing? It’s insane. It must be a joke, that’s it.”

How much she craved to hold on to that idea… but things were not like that. She screamed out loudly if anyone was in the room receiving no reply. She kept on screaming, in vain. Not even the walls were visible in that darkness. She got up resting her hand on the wall. She turned the torch’s beam to the same direction.

“This cannot be happening, it’s impossible. How can I touch the wall yet it does not exist?”

The window was still visible as she could see it. With slow steps she moved towards that way, soaked in sweat by fear. With an impulsive movement she turned the torch to the window again. Still no result.

“What am I going to do? Is this all a joke? Help! Can anybody hear me?”

She decided to turn off the light and let her eyes guide her in the darkness. The window appeared again under the moonlight and the shadows were visible again on the chandelier. She walked to the window and opened it needing some fresh air. She felt her lungs shrinking, pressed down by a heavy weight. She believed, this way, she could breath again as before this experience.
 
-“Eventually the light is not the answer to everything my dear.”

- “Who’s there?”

- “Calm down…” She lowered the torch having threatening raised it. There was a shadow lurking nearby. 

- “Why can’t I see your face?”

- “Anyone can see and believe whatever he wants or believes he will see or believe.”

- “I see you are in a mood for mysteries.”

- “You could say I am a philosopher but I don’t know how true this could be.”

- “So, what do you want from me.”

- “Nothing at all. It’s you who don’t remember.”

- “What do you mean?”

The shadow smiled bitterly and came close to her. She felt a touch as cold as death. She instantly turned the torch to the shadow.

- “This isn’t true… No you cannot be…”

- “…Be you?”

- “What’s happening? I cannot breath…”

“Calm down and enjoy death.”

Her breathing was going weaker and weaker and the space out her window smaller and smaller. Could this be nothing but a joke after all?

She was laying down, dead, next to the park out of her window. It was night… The torch went off and the scattered leaves were dyed by her blood. The sunlight deleted all traces…