The Nightmare

By Mithun Sudarshan

In the dimly lit recesses of a sacred gathering, a young man finds himself thrust into a spiritual awakening that will test the very fabric of his reality. An unsettling disturbance unfolds as the priest's solemn words echo through the chamber, anointing him with the holy cross. His father, consumed by an inexplicable force, rudely interrupts the ceremony, his actions a harbinger of the turmoil that lies ahead.

 

Terrifying visions begin to unfold before the young man's eyes. In one moment, he finds himself denying the temptations of the earthly realm, rejecting a friend's invitation for drinks out of reverence for a higher power. Yet, in another vision, he is confronted by the ghosts of his past, his ex-lover's insistent pleas to indulge in the very vices he now shuns.

 

As the veil between worlds grows thinner, the young man bears witness to a horrific scene – a twisted amalgamation of mangled metal and bloodied bodies. This cruel accident has left its victims wandering aimlessly like soulless husks. The terror is palpable, a visceral reminder of the fragility of life itself.

 

In the midst of this spiritual upheaval, the young man's prayers seem to resonate with unseen forces. A newfound acquaintance, no stranger to supernatural phenomena himself, thanks him for his intercession, claiming to have received a divine message while slumbering. This individual, chosen by God and the devil, is a living embodiment of the eternal struggle between light and darkness.

 

Yet, even in the depths of this darkness, a glimmer of hope shines through. Invoking the holy name of Jesus, the young man casts out the evil spirits that have plagued his slumber. And in the aftermath, a passage appears before him, a testament to his perseverance: "You have passed the test..."

 

As the young man navigates this spiritual minefield, he encounters an atheist – a devoted communist who revels in satanic music and harbors deep-seated ideological beliefs. Though initially disarming, this individual's true nature is revealed in a passionate rant, a stark reminder of the ever-present battle between faith and godlessness.

 

The visions continue to unfold, each more vivid and unsettling than the last. Cars and trucks collide in the parking lot of the young man's building, a choreographed chaos that seems to have been anticipated by the gathered masses. In a twist of fate, the young man's dream becomes a shared experience, a vision gifted to his friend, blurring the lines between reality and the paranormal realm.

 

Sleep paralysis, that terrifying state of conscious immobility, becomes a recurring torment. A white-cloaked figure, its face a void of nothingness, haunts the young man's dreams, invoking the memory of his departed grandmother in a desperate plea for respite. Yet, even in this vulnerable state, he finds himself under attack, his own father manifesting as a malevolent force intent on suffocating the life from his body.

 

As the story climaxes, the young man stands at a crossroads, his faith tested by the relentless onslaught of spiritual forces vying for dominance over his soul. Will he emerge triumphant, believing in the divine fortified by these trials? Or will the darkness consume him, leaving him adrift in a world where the lines between good and evil have become hopelessly blurred? The answer lies in the depths of his will, a hopeful substance that is the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of the unknown.

• Language: English
• Publisher: True American Publishing
• Release date: Jun 9, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227064691

Mithun Sudarshan

Mithun Sudarshan is a young author who strives to promote moral teachings in his works. His 'Diaries of Darkness' series has garnered attraction from his first released volume,  'The Hidden Graveyard.' Mithun aspires to leave a legacy behind within his writings

Book preview

PROLOGUE

In the dimly lit recesses of a sacred gathering, a young man finds himself thrust into a spiritual awakening that will test the very fabric of his reality. An unsettling disturbance unfolds as the priest's solemn words echo through the chamber, anointing him with the holy cross. His father, consumed by an inexplicable force, rudely interrupts the ceremony, his actions a harbinger of the turmoil that lies ahead.

––––––––

Terrifying visions begin to unfold before the young man's eyes. In one moment, he finds himself denying the temptations of the earthly realm, rejecting a friend's invitation for drinks out of reverence for a higher power. Yet, in another vision, he is confronted by the ghosts of his past, his ex-lover's insistent pleas to indulge in the very vices he now shuns.

––––––––

As the veil between worlds grows thinner, the young man bears witness to a horrific scene – a twisted amalgamation of mangled metal and bloodied bodies. This cruel accident has left its victims wandering aimlessly like soulless husks. The terror is palpable, a visceral reminder of the fragility of life itself.

––––––––

In the midst of this spiritual upheaval, the young man's prayers seem to resonate with unseen forces. A newfound acquaintance, no stranger to supernatural phenomena himself, thanks him for his intercession, claiming to have received a divine message while slumbering. This individual, chosen by God and the devil, is a living embodiment of the eternal struggle between light and darkness.

––––––––

The darkness, however, is not content to remain a mere whisper on the fringes of existence. In nightmarish visions, a sinister figure emerges – a pope bishop cloaked in black and purple, his entourage ascending angelic steps as he defiantly curses those before him, a brazen act of defiance that sends tremors of fear through all who bear witness.

––––––––

The young man's visions intensify as he finds himself trapped in a glass room, a twisted smile etched upon the face of a creepy woman who seems to recognize him as the chosen one. Her relentless pursuit, her finger extended in an accusatory gesture, culminates in a moment of heart-stopping terror as she makes contact with his chest.

––––––––

Yet, even in the depths of this darkness, a glimmer of hope shines through. Invoking the holy name of Jesus, the young man casts out the evil spirits that have plagued his slumber. And in the aftermath, a passage appears before him, a testament to his perseverance: You have passed the test...

––––––––

As the young man navigates this spiritual minefield, he encounters an atheist – a devoted communist who revels in satanic music and harbors deep-seated ideological beliefs. Though initially disarming, this individual's true nature is revealed in a passionate rant, a stark reminder of the ever-present battle between faith and godlessness.

––––––––

The visions continue to unfold, each more vivid and unsettling than the last. Cars and trucks collide in the parking lot of the young man's building, a choreographed chaos that seems to have been anticipated by the gathered masses. In a twist of fate, the young man's dream becomes a shared experience, a vision gifted to his friend, blurring the lines between reality and the paranormal realm.

––––––––

Sleep paralysis, that terrifying state of conscious immobility, becomes a recurring torment. A white-cloaked figure, its face a void of nothingness, haunts the young man's dreams, invoking the memory of his departed grandmother in a desperate plea for respite. Yet, even in this vulnerable state, he finds himself under attack, his own father manifesting as a malevolent force intent on suffocating the life from his body.

––––––––

The darkness takes on a more tangible form as a demonic entity, red-skinned and horned, emerges from the depths of the young man's closet. Its weight bears down upon his chest, stealing his breath and threatening to extinguish his very existence. On the precipice of oblivion, the young man awakens, gasping for air and grappling with the blurred boundaries between the waking world and the realm of nightmares.

––––––––

As the story climaxes, the young man stands at a crossroads, his faith tested by the relentless onslaught of spiritual forces vying for dominance over his soul. Will he emerge triumphant, believing in the divine fortified by these trials? Or will the darkness consume him, leaving him adrift in a world where the lines between good and evil have become hopelessly blurred? The answer lies in the depths of his will, a hopeful substance that is the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of the unknown.

Chapter 1 – The Twisted Fallacy Begins

David, a young man who has had a history of traumatic events, has his heart throbbing every time he steps foot out of his home, which was instilled in him since childhood. Anticipation clung to his skin like a second layer as he walked shoulder to shoulder with his father, John, toward the entrance of the dimly lit chamber where a religious ceremony was to take place. At 19, David stood on the cusp of adulthood, his soul eagerly reaching for the divine connection that this rite promised.

––––––––

The hushed chamber opened before them, an ancient space where countless had sought solace and spiritual communion before. Shadows flickered against the stone walls, cast by candles that sent whispers of smoke into the vaulted ceiling above. Each step they took reverberated softly through the hall, joining the murmurs of the gathered congregation. The air was thick with devotion, each breath David drew laden with the weight of centuries-old traditions.

––––––––

In David's eyes, John is a pillar of strength and piety, led by quiet example. His presence was a reassuring constant, a belief that tied father to son. Yet tonight, David felt the surge of trust and reliability more strongly. He was being called deeper into the folds of their shared faith.

––––––––

The congregation's subdued tones swirled around them like an unseen current, carrying prayers and silent pleas upward. His own excitement was a bright flame within that pushed against his chest, seeking release in the ritual that awaited him.

––––––––

Tonight, David felt more than just a son or a congregant. He was treading into a legacy of belief that would shape the rest of his life.

––––––––

The priest stood against the flickering light of the altar and raised his hands as if to cradle the silence itself. David approached, his eyes cast downward in reverence.

––––––––

The priest's voice could be heard through the stone walls and stained-glass windows. David closed his eyes as the priest anointed him with the holy cross. The cool touch of the oil starkly contrasted with the warmth that radiated from the candles.

––––––––

During this sanctified moment, John began to act abnormally. His shadow, cast by candlelight, twisted across the walls, taking on a life of its own. Something was in the way he moved, an aura that bordered on violence.

––––––––

The group’s breath halted, and the air grew dense with an ominous energy. John's previously settled face was now etched with lines of conflict. His eyes, once pools of calm faith, seemed to swirl with a rebellious spirit that defied the sanctity of the chamber.

––––––––

David anointed and standing at the altar, found himself anchored to the spot by a mixture of horror and fascination. The ceremony, the priest, the congregation—all faded into the periphery as he watched his father succumb to an influence that should not have dared to breach these hallowed grounds.

––––––––

For a heart-stopping moment, the chamber felt like the forces of darkness were crushing and bending the light that had sheltered them all.

––––––––

John's abrupt movement was a ripple that turned into a wave, disrupting the still waters of devotion. The congregation's silent prayers fractured into whispers of anxiety, their heads turning towards the source of the disturbance like sunflowers swayed by an unfriendly wind. Midway through tracing the cross over David's head, the priest's hand froze as if suspended by something or someone.

––––––––

As the whispers grew louder and more agitated, the chamber seemed to shrink, its walls pressing in with a suffocating closeness. Candles flickered, casting long, quivering shadows dancing a macabre ballet on the stone floor. The air thickened with each breath drawn by the gathered faithful, now laced with fear.

––––––––

David stood motionless, his heart pounding against his ribs, a drumbeat out of sync with the world around him. His father's form was a dark silhouette against the altar's backdrop, starkly contrasting the light it radiated mere moments before. Confusion clouded David's thoughts.

––––––––

The priest, a figure of authority and peace, hesitated—a rare sight that only heightened the sense of alarm. His eyes, seeking guidance from above, found none. The ritual, once a wellspring of solace, had been tainted by the inexplicable.

––––––––

David's gaze remained locked on his father, searching for the familiar warmth that he had been accustomed to. But the man who stood before him now was a stranger cloaked in John's visage, his actions sowing seeds of doubt where once there was absolute. The ceremony had promised spiritual ascension. Instead, it delivered a trial of faith