Allowing the silent mist to settle down, I saw it. Clear as day, black as Night. A mere cat under the moonlight that wore a glossy fur coat and had golden eyes with greenish flecks known as a “black dream.” Its eyes bore into mine. Why did the earth stand still as this cat stared at me? Why did it seem like the wind calmed down and the night had gotten darker? I didn’t know.

Thunder clapped and rain began to pour. With a screech the cat scurried away, never looking back. It seemed familiar –almost like dejavu. The faint image of its eyes ran on and on in my mind like a broken record as I headed to my dorm. The room looked empty and bare as I walked in throwing my bag onto the pale, peach sofa. It was quiet enough to hear my breathing and that frightened me.

Thunder, rain, a black cat, and a quiet empty room; it felt like a scene straight from a horror movie. Was it wrong to be afraid? As the thought crossed my mind a knock came at my door. I was horrified. Flashbacks of The Grudge ran through my mind. Before I opened the door I ran around my dorm turning every light and everything with a switch or a button on to keep contacted with reality. I held my phone in my hand ready to call 911. If anyone had seen me at the moment I would look like a crazy person for sure. But, all the people in horror movies are crazy enough NOT to call 911 and I wasn’t about to be one of them.

With my cell clutched tightly under my thumb, I looked through the peephole. I gave out a loud sigh as I found my roommate’s face staring across the tiny glass circle. Still paranoid, I opened the door with caution just in case she suddenly disappeared. Luckily for me, she was still there and I let her in.

“Why are all the lights on?” She said immediately as she made her way onto the sofa.

“It’s been a creepy night.”

“Paranoid much?”

“Very paranoid.” She gestured at my cell phone that was glued to my hand as if she’d turn into a devil at any moment. “9-1-1 emergencies.”

“Sure,” she replied casually. Then she got up and went into the bathroom.

I felt a cold breeze and shivered uncontrollably. “It’s kind of cold don’t you think?” she said.

“Yeah,” I said and reached up to close the window. As I grabbed the latch to the window I heard a faint sound. So faint, that I could barely make it out in the silent whisper of the wind. Quickly, I closed the window and latched it safely shut.

My roommate walked out of the bathroom a toothbrush in hand and toothpaste freely falling from her mouth. “What was that?”

“I thought I heard a cat…”

“Oh, didn’t you notice? I found this cat outside. Isn’t it adorable?” and there sitting atop her suitcase was the “black dream.” Again, I had that moment where its eyes reached into mine and took every sense of feeling I had away from me leaving me empty. “Its adorable right?” she exclaimed picking up the cat and breaking apart our stares. I didn’t answer, but she didn’t mind.