Free Nightmares

"He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows when you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake..." Everyone has heard the classic Christmas song written by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie in 1934. It clearly states Santa knows everything. So if we've been good we have nothing to worry about, right? Right. But what if we haven't? What if we - even in the slightest way - did something to upset Santa? Have you ever thought about that? I have. In fact, I have a story to tell you from many years ago, a time when I should have been good....

Plagued by a recurring nightmare, you decide to get away for a few days and book a room at a reasonably priced motel. Upon arrival, the motel appears very old but well-kept. Although you are still haunted by the same recurring dream, the motel seems nice enough. The staff at the motel seems strange but nonetheless pleasant, the bed is comfortable, and you have a large screen television with almost anything you can think to watch. However, it isn't long before you learn that this motel has a secret - a secret that leaves you in a situation of life or death.

We all knew as children that monsters lived in the closet and under the bed. When the room was dark and we were alone, the monsters would make themselves known. Our parents would tell us and, sometimes, even show us that there was nothing there. What if the monsters really were there? What if mankind had made a deal long ago, ensuring our safety, but forgot about that deal over time?

A train engineer has been avoiding the stretch of track that leads to the tunnel that took his friend many years ago, a tunnel known as the devil's gate. Now he is faced with a situation that requires him to travel not just to, but through the gate. The tunnel is known for freak accidents and disappearances. Those who make it through are never the same. This engineer is doing something different than has been done with the devil's gate. He's taking a passenger. There's going to be a decision to make. Will you make it through?

A message is sent from the future - a warning of current events caused by a future blunder. There isn't much time. The message is clear: The warning must be heeded before there is no end to the virus. Can you stop it before it finds you?

The 26th short story in the Free Nightmares series. How many of us have played mirror games, calling some rumored horrific entity's name a certain number of times in front of a mirror, only to walk away a little creeped out but otherwise okay? What if the first time you called that name you set an evil being in motion? What if, unlike the rumors had told, they didn't show up immediately. What if they came at a much later time, a time when the act of calling their name had long been forgotten?

The 27th short story in the Free Nightmares series. Learn the story of what makes a true sociopath. Written from the victim's perspective.