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impenetrable fog and, the more
Jake’s view became obscured, the more his fears came to the fore.
    With a certainty that had no rational basis Jake Tranton
knew that he was quite alone.  There was no other sentient being in the whole
of this world and that sensation of loneliness was enough to drive him ever
deeper into despair.
    Fight against it.  You can do it.
    But no.  Jake felt his self-control trickling away down an
ever increasing incline and still he continued to trudge across the
increasingly squishy grassland, fighting to prevent his feet from sinking into
its marsh-like quality
    And then he saw something, at least he thought he did. 
The barest hint of movement in the surrounding ether.  He was not alone but
somehow the thought gave him no comfort.
    ‘Who’s there?’ he whispered.
    But there was no response; just the continuing silence and
all the terrors that conjured.
    There it was again.
    The hint of a dark, dark, shadow that seemed to be
following behind.
    ‘Who’s there?  Show yourself, please.’
    And Jake knew instinctively that he was being stalked by
some unknown beast.  He tried to run but his feet found no purchase.
    He had to escape; he just had to.
    And, behind him, the creature inexorably advanced.  A
greyness, against which all greyness paled into insignificance, hunting its
prey.  A ravenous hulk that wanted to suck out the life from him.  Terrified
beyond his imagination Jake turned to face the shadowy pursuer but there was
nothing that was truly visible.  All he could see was the fog but there was the
impression of something monstrous that seemed to loom over him.
    And then came the most hideous, unearthly, voice
imaginable.
    ‘Give me the ring,’ it rasped and Jake somehow knew that
all he had to do was to hand over his family heirloom and all would be all
right.  But no.  He could not do that.  How could he?  And he touched the ring
for what little reassurance it could endow.  But it was to no avail.  His legs
were losing their strength and Jake knew that he was about to collapse into the
soft yielding soil that opened to welcome him as if it were quicksand.
    The thing dropped down until, at last, he could see its
dreadful shifting shape as if it had been formed of the very air itself.
    Its enormous maw opened and Jake could feel its cold, cold
breath upon his face and then, for one fleeting moment, the thing seemed to
change to become a little girl who stared at him with hate filled eyes…and Jake
recognised her.
    It was then that he screamed.
    …………………………………
    ‘Jake!’
    As his eyes snapped open, Jake became aware of two
things.  One that Fiona was shaking him and the other that he was bathed in
perspiration.
    ‘Fiona?’
    ‘You okay?  You made enough noise to wake the
neighbourhood.’
    He tried to concentrate but he could still see the face of
that little girl.  Why did she seem so familiar?  And, as the details of the
remainder of the nightmare faded, so the girl’s face seemed to become more
real…accusing him.  Who the hell was she?
    ‘It was a dream.  God, it was awful.  I’m sorry.’
    ‘It’s all right.  How d’you feel.’
    He shook his head, trying to return to normality, but
everything was so sluggish.  He had to concentrate.
    ‘Come on.  I’ll get you a drink.’
    ‘Thanks.’
    And Jake knew how grateful he felt.  Fiona could sometimes
show real consideration.  It was a shame that he was not usually the
beneficiary.
    By the time Fiona returned with a cup of sweet tea Jake
was feeling somewhat better and ready to go to sleep again.  Without conscious
effort he drifted off to a fitful doze but he did not really fall asleep until
he heard Fiona’s alarm ringing.
    When his own clock woke him with its electronic beeping it
was inevitable that he had no inclination whatever of getting out of bed. 
Still, he had a busy morning ahead of him and he knew that he had to make the
effort.  There was the mysterious