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HE BOLTED UPRIGHT IN bed in sheer panic to look around, trying to place where he was. His breathing was rapid, and a cold sweat covered his body. All around him was an eerie silence. The only light in the room came from the small alarm clock on the nightstand. A light breeze from the overhead fan skimmed across his body, helping to cool him down even more.
The dream, or maybe nightmare was the better word, had been so real that he half expected to find himself surrounded by the haunting faces that plagued his dream. He walked naked to the bedroom window and peered outside, wanting to make sure there were no ghostly images lurking about.
He chastised himself for believing all the ghost stories he heard. He never took stock in them, and he certainly should not let it play into his mind now. There was no such thing as ghosts.
He walked into the bathroom and splashed some cold water onto his face. As he stared at his reflection in the mirror, the dream slowly resurfaced. The faces of all the women he trapped in the cisterns over the years haunted his mind. In his dream, they were chasing him, luring him back to where he trapped them. They reached for him with their bony fingers, taunting him with their guttural cries as they pleaded desperately not to be left alone in the dark.
The unwelcome dream seemed to linger in his mind. He could not shake the feeling of paranoia, as if something was waiting to happen. He tried to shake the feeling away; he could not afford to feel anything. The monster was rising up inside of him once more. He had been insatiable lately, constantly needing to be fed.
Today was a gloomy day, matching his mood perfectly. The sun refused to break through the heavy gray clouds that loomed overhead.
ON THE WAY HOME, HE noticed a car on the side of the road with a flat tire. The driver caught his attention more than the car. He felt a stir deep inside of him just from a glimpse of her. Looking around to make sure no one was coming, he did a quick u-turn and slowly approached the car. She looked down at the car tire all the while shaking her head, clearly unsure of what to do.
The monster inside of him had begged for a playmate all day. A wicked smile formed on his face as he realized this might be just the perfect playmate for him. He would gladly help free her from her current dilemma, but she may not like the price.
EXCITED ABOUT HIS LATEST find, he pressed down on the gas pedal anxious to get to the cabin. For the next few minutes, he envisioned everything that he would do tonight. The rush of power flowed through him as he allowed the sensation to swallow him whole.
As he made his way down the bayou to his secret place, he looked down at the sleeping beauty. She was so easy to overcome, so unsuspecting and trusting. Too bad she would not learn from her mistake. Luck was on his side when he saw there was virtually no activity along the bayou.
After securing the bateau, he threw the young woman over his shoulder and made his way to the cabin. He moved along the tree line, making sure he remained hidden. The crunch of dead leaves and branches echoed through the swamp. He forced himself to slow down, not wanting anyone to hear his movements. Now was not the time to be discovered.