In darkness's embrace

Almost every night I have this recurring nightmare. I’m going up a stone spiral staircase and there is something coming after me. Something black and evil. A black smoke. I reach a big wooden door and no matter how hard I try to open it I fail. Then that thing engulfs me. The strange thing is that I am not afraid of it but I do not know why I run from it. That thing is familiar. I am almost sure it is a person hiding in the smoke. Someone I know and knows me. Tonight, I had the same nightmare. It is 3 a.m. and I am wide awake. I try to go back to sleep but I cannot fall asleep. I got dressed and went to the park near my flat. It’s not the first time I do this. Every time I cannot sleep, I go and sit on the same bench in the park.  It’s so peaceful at night. I just sit there for a few minutes and relax. I close my eyes and inhale the night air. As I was resting there, I saw a man standing behind a tree looking at me. Maybe another soul that cannot sleep and likes to go for a walk under the moonlight. I wanted to go and say hello but as soon as I got up and walked towards him, he vanished.  I looked for him but could not find him. I think I imagined the whole thing, he was not real. If he was real, where did he go? I heard no footsteps on the pavement. I had enough of the night air for tonight so I decided to go home. As I was walking, I heard noise behind me, another set of footsteps. I stopped, turned around and looked but I saw no one. I continued to walk and again I heard footsteps behind me.  I was thinking that maybe the man from the park was real and he was following me, but no one was there, just me.  Just like in my dream I was not afraid.  Maybe anther woman in my place would be terrified right now and run back home but not me.  I felt a familiar smell, leather.  I looked around again. I was the only one on that street or so it seemed because there was someone else there close to me. He was wearing something made of leather, boots maybe. “Show yourself, I know you are here.” I shouted  Nothing. “I know you are here. I saw you in the park.” Again nothing. “Is this a game? If it is I am not playing.” The bulb from one of the lamp post exploded making little noise, then another bulb exploded and another. The street was now covered in darkness, the moonlight was my only source of light.  “Great show, what is next? I applauded and shouted “You know what? I am tired of this stupid game. I am going home.” I said with an angry voice I started walking and I heard no footsteps behind me this time. As I was unlocking my door he grabbed me by my waist with his left arm and with the right arm he tried to stop me from screaming. I managed to turn around and saw his face. He was young and handsome. I looked into his eyes but there was nothing human about them. I was starring in his eyes and then I passed out.     The sound of thunder and rain drops on the window woke me up. I did not recognize the room I was in.  I was tired and confused. The room was furnished with antique furniture, a king size bed, a wardrobe, a vanity, a sofa, a desk and a big mirror. On the floor a soft carpet and on the walls tapestries with flowers. I opened the wardrobe and found antique gowns made from silk, velvet, chiffon and satin. I wanted to try them but I had more important things to do like to find out where I was. Someone kidn*pped me and brought me here. Where I did not know. I was wearing a white silk nightgown, I was not wearing it in the park, someone dressed me in it. Again I was not scared, I was curious. A normal human would be terrified about now but not me. I grabbed the nightrobe on the bed and opened the door. To my surprise it was not locked.   In front of me I saw a long corridor. It was dark and cold. There were candle holders as tall as me on both sides of the corridor. I walked until I reached the end of it and saw a grand staircase with two gargoyles guarding it. I went down the staircase and looked around hopping to find someone to tell me where I was and more important why was I there but I did not see anyone. I wanted to shout but I was too tired cold. I heard the noise of wood popping coming from the fireplace in the living room and rushed by the fireplace. I sat down on the cold stone floor in front of the fireplace to warm myself. The storm was still going on outside. “Hello, my dear, I have been expecting you!” said a man  I did not even notice that in the room was another person. A man sitting on an armchair in the back of the room with a glass of red wine in his right hand.  I got up to face him. He was tall and handsome with raven hair, green eyes and spoke with a soft, soothing voice. He was wearing a white shirt under a vest with black trousers. He was standing there in darkness. The only source of light in the room was the light from the fireplace.   “Who are you and why did you kidnap me?” “I am Lord Devon. Welcome home Elyse!”