Sweet Endless Terror: An Anthology of Nightmares

By R C MacDonald

Take a journey into a nightmarish world. Be careful not to get lost! You may never get out alive!

12 short stories:
The Head
Is This Real?
Heartless
Obsession
Eternal Suffering
Space Trip
Let Me Out Of Here!
Faceless
Ribbon
Hunger
Paralysis
Won't You Play With Me?

• Language: English
• Publisher: R C MacDonald
• Release date: Mar 4, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311740182

R C MacDonald

R C MacDonald is the author of Alliance, Alliance: Dawn, Sweet Endless Terror: An Anthology of Nightmares, and More Than Meets the Eye. They're a clarinetist, love to learn about cultures and languages, travels internationally through cooking, a blogger, amateur photographer, an animal lover, a lover of all things horror, mystery, humor, suspense; and more.

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Sweet Endless Terror

An Anthology of Nightmares

By R C MacDonald

Copyright 2016 R C MacDonald

Smashwords Revised Edition, 2020

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Table of Contents

About This Anthology

The Head

Is This Real?

Heartless

Obsession

Eternal Suffering

Space Trip

Let Me Out of Here!

Faceless

Ribbon

Hunger

Paralysis

Won't You Play With Me?

Other Titles by R C MacDonald

Connect with R C MacDonald

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About This Anthology

It seems I've always had nightmares. Rarely have good dreams. Earliest recurring nightmare I can remember first happened when I was 2 years old. There are quite a lot of recurring ones. I remember trying to talk about 2 of them with a friend in college, and she was terrified. I couldn't get through half of the 2nd one. A couple of years ago I was talking to someone else about them. They suggested that I write them down. Then, I had an idea. Why not write stories based on those nightmares? Just to get them out there. There's only one that's not technically based on a nightmare, but based on something I heard. I have a Eustachian tube problem, and sometimes I hear a lot of fluid moving around in my ears. One time it sounded very different and more haunting than usual. It lasted for a few days, rather than the normal few minutes. The first story is based on the first recurring nightmare I can remember. Enjoy!

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Sweet Endless Terror

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The Head

Rachel! We’re going to leave soon! Are you ready?

Yeah, Mom! I’m coming! Just a sec! I said as I stumbled around with my bag, and tried to find a towel for my bathing suit. I was in a one-piece, which was black, except for dark blue across my chest. Denim shorts were over the bottom part. Our family was headed to a popular lake to go swimming, where most of the locals went when the temperature started to rise. I was 9 years old.

We’re going to leave without you! My mom yelled from the front porch. I made it down the stairs, sighed, and walked outside. My parents were putting their things in the trunk of their station wagon. There were some picnic supplies as well.

Are you ready now? My mom asked exhaustedly.

Yeah, this should be fun!

Yep, it’ll be nice to cool off a bit. She replied, as I threw my stuff in the backseat. Dad was with us, and happy that we’d finally get some relief, too. We headed out, and when we got there, we were slightly taken aback by how crowded it was. Taking a long sigh, we grabbed our picnic supplies and found a flat spot on the grass shaded by an overgrown tree, overlooking the lake head on. I noticed there wasn’t a lifeguard this time.

Where’s the lifeguard? I asked.

I don’t know. Maybe they figured since there are so many of us, that we could all look out for each other. Just don’t go swimming passed the line of flags. You should be ok. Dad answered.

Ok. Still seems odd. Anyways, I’m going in. I smiled back at them, as they were setting things up.

Alright, have fun! Mom yelled out to me. I had taken off my glasses, and everything became blurry. I made it out enough to head towards the water. I found some other kids having a good time while they were swimming and playing games, so I joined them. Eventually, they had to leave, so I decided to go exploring on my own.

I swam to the other side of the lake, then felt something slimy wrap around my leg. I reached down, and found out it was just some plant, probably a reed or something. Didn’t think much of it. I decided to go out a bit further, almost out to where the flags were. It felt a lot cooler, and part of the bottom of the lake seemed to give way around the area. Almost like standing on the edge of a cliff. I wobbled a bit, and decided that I probably shouldn’t go any further. So, I headed back to where my parents were. Vision was still blurry, until I made it up to where my glasses were. I put them on.

Ah, you’re back! Your father went in for a bit. We might as well start setting up what we brought for dinner. Mom said as she looked up from her book at me. I nodded and helped her. Dad came back, and then we ate as we watched other people swim and run around. We were having a great time. However, it was starting to get chilly.

Rachel, I think it’s time for us to go home. Let’s gather our things, and head out. Mom spoke up, as I felt sleepy. I helped with getting things back into the car, and sat down on the right side of the back-passenger seat. Mom had told me that Dad was too tired to drive, so she’d take over. I was too sleepy to care. Eventually, I fell completely asleep. I felt a loud thud, then the car stopped moving.

Are we home yet? I rubbed my eyes lazily.

Yep, we’re here. Now, Rachel could you be a dear and help your father out? She asked happily.

Sure, but where’s Dad anyways?

You don’t see him?

No. I shook my head looking around the car.

He’s lying in the footwell next to you.

He’s what? I looked around frantically. I suddenly saw only my dad’s head peering up at me. I screamed out of shock.

What’s wrong? Mom looked at me quizzically.

He’s j-just a head?! Where’s the rest of him? I looked at him in disbelief. Just then, he sprouted small short legs from his jaw, and small short arms from right above the sides of his cheek bones.

W-what?! What just happened?!

Oh, he’s always been this way. I don’t know what the big deal is, so help him out.

How? Wouldn’t he die without his body?

He does have a body. Nothing’s wrong with him. Pick him up and take him inside.

Oooook. I look down at him, then tried to figure out how to pick him up without hurting him.

Rachel, I don’t know what the big deal is. My dad said as he peers up at me. I slowly nod, try to lift him up, and then take him inside. He seemed awfully heavy, especially for someone my age.

Put him on the couch over here. It has a towel. Mom ushered me.

I remember him going swimming, eating with us, getting in the car with us, and me falling asleep. Dad was normal until then! What’s going on? And, what’s the towel for? Do I even want to know?

Rachel, calm down! For your information, the towel’s so he doesn’t leak through the couch. Where do you think we went just now?

We were at the lake, swimming, having a picnic, and having fun. I looked disgustedly at the towel.

That’s not where we went. Are you ok? Maybe we should have you looked at?

Something’s seriously wrong! But, it’s not me! The only thing I remember that was a bit off was the lake, where something grabbed me. But, that was just a reed or something, right? Did Dad go further than the flags? Oh, I don’t know! I thought as I went over the scenarios.

Rachel, why don’t you lie down and rest for a bit? Mom asked concerned.

Where did we go?

We went to the hospital to have Dad checked out.

Hmmm...This has got to be a joke!

You guys must be pulling my leg! Ok, joke’s over.

No, why would we joke about something like this...

Uhhh...This has got to be some sort of dream!

I think I will lie down for a bit.

Oh, ok. That’ll be good. Sleep for as long as you’d like.

That did not sound like her... I thought as I headed up the stairs to my bedroom, getting more freaked out by the minute. I sighed heavily, made my way to my bed, then got under the covers.

If I close my eyes, things will go back to normal, right? I refuse to believe my dad’s just a head with short limbs! I thought as I tried to calm myself down enough to at least close my eyes, and slowly fell asleep.

Is This Real?

A young girl was sleeping soundly in her bed. The room was pitch black. Her bedroom door was left ajar. The only sound was that of her breathing while asleep.

A cat was downstairs getting something to eat at its food bowl in the kitchen. Then, it suddenly stopped and looked pained. It started to make noises. All the while the girl tossed and turned, unaware of what might be happening.

Soon, there were loud and heavy thuds coming up the stairs. The sound stopped just outside her bedroom door. Huh, what’s that?! She yelled suddenly realizing the sounds were real and not imagined.

A low growl came from the foot of the bed. She turned on the lamp that was on a night stand next to her bed. At first, she only saw a strange looking shadow. It looked like fingers spreading across the room. She didn’t want to look down at the figure that was making those shadows, and turned out the light. She turned on her side facing the other direction, pulled the covers over her, and closed her eyes shut. Hoping that if she willed whatever it was away, it’ll disappear. Or, she’ll realize she was just dreaming.

She felt something lightly jump on the bed, but kept her eyes shut and tried not to move under the covers. Then, it felt like whatever had jumped onto the bed had patiently sat down. Not a sound was heard for several minutes.

I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to take this! Please move, whatever you are! If I’m dreaming, wake up already! She yelled internally. The being sitting at the foot of the bed started to purr.

Oh wait! Is that just one of the cats? Maybe Drifter? She slowly slid the covers off enough that her eyes were peeking out.

Is that you Drifter? Her eyes grew wide seeing a rather large shadowy figure, where the purr came from. It lifted its giant head, and a jingling sound was heard. It slowly inched closer. The girl turned on the light again.

The first things she saw were enormous antlers with things hanging from them. The ‘things’ seemed like long crystals. Her eyes followed down to the base of the antlers, which was the top of a skull peeking out from matted fur. The body was of her cat, which looked mangled, and tight. It had long claws, as well. Its tail was curled around one of its legs. The cat’s eyes seemed normal except for a touch of red. She stared at it, unsure what to do or even if it were real.

It crept up to her chest, and looked down at her with a giant grin. Its breath smelled foul. She tried to roll out from under it, but it dug its claws into the covers around her and was heavier than she expected. It licked her face. One of the things on the antlers tickled her face.

Hehehe...What do you want from me? She looked at it in the eyes questioningly. Suddenly, there was a loud thud coming from downstairs. It looked startled, and jumped up into the air. She took this opportunity to slide out of the covers, and stand on the carpeted floor.

She immediately ran out of the room, then headed downstairs. Hoping the sound she heard came from one of her parents. The creature cautiously followed her. She looked around.

Nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. Suddenly, the landline phone rang. It was close to the kitchen table where the family would eat dinner. She picked up the phone.

Uhhh...Hello? She gingerly asked, realizing how late it must be. All she heard on the other end was some sort of noise that sounded like a train heading towards it. She quickly tried to hang up. The noise kept getting louder, and then a train came out of the receiver. It kept going through the garage, and down the street. Leaving a mess in its wake.

She stared dumbfounded after it. What the heck was that?! She exclaimed as she tried to compose herself, her heart beating rapidly. She questioned in her head why her parents, surprisingly, didn’t wake up to the noise.

Brrring! Brrrring! The phone was going off again. H-hello? Who’s there? She asked again, this time with the receiver slightly further from her ear. She noticed the creature from before was now lying next to the staircase. So that thing is real?! That can’t be! Why is it over there, and not glomping onto me like before?

You’re not paying attention, are you? A gravelly voice responded from the other side.

Paying attention to what? There’s a huge creature near me, and a freaking train came through the receiver! That’s just impossible. As soon as she stopped talking, the knives in the kitchen started to clatter in their wall holder.

W-what’s going on?! She yelled into the receiver. No one answered. The knives, seemingly on their own, came out of their slots and were raised into the air. They turned around and pointed in the girl’s direction. She quickly dodged and hid under the counter. She didn’t hear a thing. Slowly, she looked up, and didn’t see the knives. She looked to her sides, and widened her eyes. The knives were a hair’s breadth away from her head. She tried to move backwards, but they followed her. The creature from before growled. She held the receiver back up to her ear.

What do you want? How are they following me?

Do I have your full attention now?

Y-yes! Again, what do you want with me?

Good girl. Do you recognize that...thing that’s growling? Take a good look at it. As soon as they finished talking the knives forced her to turn around to look at the creature.

I-is that Drifter?! What did you do to him?

Ah, good! You opened your eyes finally. Now what did you think of that train?

What do you mean?! It was terrifying! It must not have been real! There’s no way a train can come through a phone.

Ha ha ha...This is too funny! Seeing you squirm! Let me ask you then, did it feel real?

Yes, very much so. I think if it were real, it would have crushed me as well. What are you getting at? What about these knives? Are they really moving on their own?

What do you think?