The night was warm and humid.

There were birds screaming in the trees.

I closed my eyes to sleep,

And felt the nighttime squeeze.

In my dreams a figure rose,

Tall and dark and mean.

His claws were longer than my arms,

His eyes an emerald green.

The monster reached out and stroked my cheek

My knees trembled, suddenly weak.

I woke suddenly with a scream,

Sweating and trembling from my dream.

I saw then my dream was true,

A figure stood at my bed.

His emerald eyes watched me move.

And claws reached for my head.

I dove and ran out the door

And his footsteps followed right behind.

I needed to escape, so I ran.

My fear making me all but blind.

Out the front door and into the street,

A car screeching into my flesh.

I lay bloody and torn upon the ground,

And footsteps came to find me.

The dark figure was still there,

Claws eager to tear and grind me.

The monster reached out and stroked my cheek

My knees trembled, suddenly weak.

I woke suddenly with a scream,

Sweating and trembling from my dream.

This time I grabbed the clock,

Threw it at the figure at my bed.

The clock passed through and the figure smiled.

Once again reaching for my head.

I dove and rolled,

To the kitchen this time.

The figure followed

With a noise like slime.

It would have worked,

I had a knife.

But I slipped and fell

And ended my life.

So the monster reached out and stroked my cheek

My knees trembled, suddenly weak.

This time I did not wake,

As the figure touched me I started to shake.

The claws shone bright, the eyes shone green.

The claws rended my chest,

My blood gleamed.

And my life ended with a scream.

So now like him I haunt your dreams.

Feasting upon your dying screams.

My claws are sharp, my eyes are brown.

In your dream you start to drown.

I offer you a hand and pull you out.

Then my claws reach for your shout.

I reach out and stroke your cheek.

Do your knees tremble?

Are you weak?