Loop
The dream is back. She's in the Gidan Makama museum opening an ornate clay jar. There's an otherworldly howl, and black vapour bursts out from the jar, forming into vague skeleton shapes. They hang there, staring at her wide eyes. She's shivering and sobbing softly. One skeleton grabs at her and the vapour descends on her. She's whisked away, screaming.
Her eyes open. She's standing in an open area surrounded by darkness. Only a small circle around her is dimly illuminated. Eerie cheers echo out from the darkness.
A skeleton emerges, wearing a Fulani warrior's garb, a turban on its head and two daggers, one in each hand, gleaming wickedly. It charges at her. Her eyes widen, and she turns and sprints away, heart pumping, sweat pouring off her body.
The cheers boom. She glances behind. It's right on her heels. She stumbles, crumpling to the floor. It advances slowly, its permanent, unnatural grin seemingly even wider. She scrabbles backwards, hyperventilating. It raises an arm and a dagger flashes. She screams.
*
She awakes with a jolt. Her bed is soaked with sweat. She scans her palms. They're bruised. She looks at previous injuries she's woken up with after this particular dream. A nick on a cheek, a slash across her calves. It's been happening since she visited the museum and opened that jar four days ago. She shudders and leaves the bed, vowing never to fall asleep.
*
One can only go so long without sleep, and five days later, she falls asleep on her couch.
She's back in the museum. The shapes are staring again.
"No. No. No", she chants, voice cracking.
The vapour descends. She's back in the open area. This time, she doesn't wait and runs away immediately. The cheers increase. She glances back. It's behind her. She stumbles and falls. It advances. She kicks out desperately and catches it. It staggers and a dagger drops, clinking noisily. She reaches out, grabbing the dagger. Total silence. She raises her arm and brings the dagger down repeatedly, the tension seeping away from her body with every blow.
*
She jerks awake, rubbing sleepy eyes, a sheen of sweat over her body. She's smiling. She feels around and touches her couch and the TV remote. She opens her eyes slowly. The smile freezes on her face. The shapes are there, staring. One stretches out an arm.
"Come".
"No. No, please", she whimpers.
The vapour descends.
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