Episode 2: Paralyzed
1273 Words
⚠ WARNING: This story contains descriptions of sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and unsettling experiences. If you are sensitive to such topics, proceed with caution.
I went to bed at exactly 12:40 AM. I remember checking the time before rolling onto my side, the dim glow of my phone screen disappearing as I shut my eyes. Sleep came quickly, but it wasn’t restful.
At 5:20 AM, I jolted awake, my heart hammering, chest tight with dread. I had a nightmare—one I wished I could forget instantly. My little sister had died. I didn’t know how. I just knew she was gone, and the grief in my dream was so overwhelming it lingered even after waking up.
I stayed up for hours, too disturbed to sleep. When the sun came up, I tried to distract myself, scrolling through my phone, watching random videos, anything to keep my mind occupied. By 9:40 AM, exhaustion won. I told myself I’d rest just for a bit.
Then, I woke up at 10:55 AM—or at least, I thought I woke up.
It was strange. It felt like a dream bleeding into reality, but I wasn’t sure where one ended and the other began. I was lying on my side, eyes half-open, and I could hear voices—faint, distant, but everywhere. A muffled conversation layered over itself like a hundred whispers speaking at once.
I strained to listen, but the words were unintelligible. That’s when I noticed something right in front of me, inches from my face.
A shape. A figure. No... not a person.
It was hovering, shifting, like something crawling out of the darkness itself. It had an unnatural, distorted shape, like a face blurred in a glitching screen. It wasn’t solid. I couldn’t fully comprehend what I was looking at.
Panic gripped me, and I squeezed my eyes shut, praying it would go away.
Then, the growling started.
Low. Deep. Right next to me.
I don’t know if I imagined it, but in my mind, I saw it—a massive black wolf, its breath hot against my skin. Its lips curled back, baring jagged teeth too sharp, too long to belong to anything real. It wasn’t alone.
Something else was there. Something worse.
They were talking. Not in words I could understand, but I knew. They were waiting.
Waiting for me to wake up.
Or maybe… they were waiting for me to die.
The wolf growled again, louder this time, like it was testing me. I felt like prey. Like I was being watched, examined, judged.
Then, they left.
Or at least, I thought they did.
Silence.
Then—
The front door opened.
I heard my grandmother’s voice. She was calling my name, stepping inside with my little sister. My sister was crying.
I wanted to move. I needed to move. But my body wouldn’t listen.
Panic turned into terror. My sister—she has autism. She doesn’t speak well. She struggles with emotions, lashes out at herself and others. I watch her every day after school, and because I do online classes, I’m the one who takes care of her.
What if something was wrong?
I struggled, fought against the invisible weight pressing down on me. My fingers twitched, but my arms wouldn’t budge. My chest felt like it was caving in.
I tried to scream, but nothing came out.
I was trapped.
And then, a shadow passed over me.
Something was still there.
It wasn’t the wolf. It wasn’t my grandmother.
I didn’t dare open my eyes.
But I felt it.
Standing by my bed. Leaning over me.
Breathing.
I forced myself to think of something—anything—other than the horror unfolding around me. I clung to the only thing I knew: sleep paralysis. I had read about it, researched it the first time this happened last year. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.
But then… why did it feel so real?
The longer I lay there, paralyzed, the more my mind betrayed me. What if this wasn’t sleep paralysis? What if something had crawled into my room? What if I wasn’t just imagining the voices, the growls, the presence pressing in around me?
What if I was awake, but something was keeping me frozen?
My heart pounded so hard it physically hurt. My chest ached from how fast it was racing.
Then—
A hand.
Long fingers brushed against my arm.
I snapped my eyes open, but there was nothing.
Just my empty room.
I gasped, my breath finally returning. My body still felt stiff, like it had been under pressure for hours. Sweat drenched my skin, but it was already cooling. I slowly sat up, every movement cautious, like I expected something to grab me and yank me back down.
The moment I moved, my exhaustion hit me like a wave. My eyes burned with the need to close again. It felt unnatural, like something was pulling me back into sleep. I fought it.
I stumbled out of bed, barely making it to the bathroom. Even sitting on the toilet, I felt my body giving up. My head tilted forward, eyes slipping shut—
No.
I forced myself up, splashing cold water on my face. I gripped the sink, staring at my own reflection. My pupils were blown wide, my skin pale.
Even after calming down, something still felt off.
I kept glancing at the clock, checking the time every few minutes, making sure I wasn’t still asleep.
Because that was the worst part.
Even awake, I wasn’t sure if I had actually woken up.
This kind of sleep paralysis can be triggered by exhaustion, stress, and irregular sleep. I had a lot on my mind, and I guess my brain turned that stress into a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.
If you ever experience sleep paralysis, try to remember:
It isn’t real. Your mind is awake, but your body is still asleep. No matter how real it feels, it cannot hurt you.
Try not to sleep on your back. I’ve noticed that when I do, it happens more often. Sleeping on my side helps prevent it.
Having a set sleep schedule can help. Sleep deprivation makes it worse, so getting at least 7-8 hours is important.
If you ever find yourself trapped in sleep paralysis, focus on wiggling a finger or toe. Starting with small movements can snap your body out of it. Holding your breath also helps some people.
And if it happens again, don’t go straight back to sleep. Stay awake for at least 15 minutes. Walk around, get a drink of water, do anything to fully wake yourself up before lying down again. If you don’t, you might slip right back into it.
I’ve also learned that sleep paralysis can lead to lucid dreaming. If you recognize that you’re stuck, you can take control. Instead of fearing the hallucinations, you can change them. Some people have turned sleep paralysis into a gateway for vivid, controlled dreams.
Sleep paralysis is one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever experienced, and if you’re reading this, chances are you’ve been through it too or you’re just curious. Either way, I want you to know that you’re not alone. No matter how real it feels, no matter how convincing the shadows are, they can’t hurt you. Your mind is playing tricks on you, feeding on fear. The more you panic, the worse it gets. I know how hard it is to stay calm when you feel trapped in your own body but remember this will pass. You will wake up. You are in control.
- Writer
