I awake suddenly, listening, holding my breath. I know I am alone yet something doesnt feel right. I lie there rigid forcing every muscle to be still. A soft sound fills the air like air escaping from someones lips. I realise that it was me. Stupid I tell myself and start to relax and turn over to drift back into oblivion but as I close my eyes I hear something. Again I freeze. My mind begins to race, did I lock the back door?, is a window open? Straining now to hear every sound my heart begins to pound as I hear something moving in my room. Soft footsteps padding across the wooden floor, my skin begins to crawl as fear grips me even fiercer than before and I lie there paralyzed unable to move. It is as if I have bee n injected with a venom that prevents me making any move to switch on the light. My breathing becomes more and more labored with each soft step. It circles the bed coming nearer each time drawing me deeper and deeper into the darkness of fear. Oh no, I hear it slide closer, I cant bear it anymore, my heart is beating wildly and my chest feels like the weight of the world is upon it.I squeeze my eyes closed not wanting to see the horror that is coming. Then I feel a thump on my bed and soft feet making their way up towards my face and a scream is forced out through my clenched lips and my eyes fly open. Suddenly I erupt into hysterical laughter and collapse on the bed as I realise that it is only my cat who has decided to come join me. Switcing the light on chases the dark shadows and the fear is gone but just for a short time I truly felt what it is like to be alone and afraid in the dark.