Footsteps In the Dark

By Elton Camp
Late one gloomy night
Meg woke up in a fright
Frightened when she realized
That she was totally paralyzed
No effort helped her at all
She couldnt move or call
She kept on mightily trying
Wondering if she was dying
Then, to add to her intense dread
Footsteps approaching her bed
Was a heinous killer drawing near?
Never had Meg experienced such fear
Suddenly, control she regained
No trace of paralysis remained
She was in her bedroom alone
The horrid specter was gone
Had it been only a nightmare
Or had a presence been there?
(Megs experience was actually sleep paralysis. Many people experience it, some
repeatedly. When dreaming, the brain shuts down the muscles so the person isnt
injured by acting out the dream. During an episode of sleep paralysis, the mind awakens,
but the body does not. Experts call this atonia. The cause is unknown. Some
hallucinate during these episodes, sometimes imagining a malignant presence in the
room. Sleep paralysis is common and disturbing, but isnt dangerous or a reason for
undue concern.)