I believe this is written back in my freshman or 8th grade back in Japan. I have posted it in remembrance of the old times.

Copyrighted 2004 Kaung Ko

   “No!” I said to myself and started running away from this amorphous invisible blob which followed me and made me shiver with its fowl odor; the odor that could not be described. For certain, it had the scent as though you were sniffing the bucket of ice, mixed with blood dripped from the raw meat package, which was just taken out of the freezer. It was at night and I was in a lane which I did not know how I arrived at. The sky was completely covered with dark mist. The mist when mixed with air, made me chill and as the worst part, I could not see what was in front or back. But I kept running. No matter how much effort I put into running, it seemed like my feet were moving slower than while walking! I knew it was too late. There was no way I would get away from this unknown predator. My speed gradually decreased. I was not even sure if I still got my legs, for I could not feel their existence. But the buzzing sound from the behind made me kept moving and moving and then suddenly…(darkness)

   I suddenly woke up in a delirious state with a huge headache. My vision was blurred and all I saw was dark clouds floating everywhere and mist covering the whole atmosphere making things impossible to be seen. Cold air from all the sides made me shiver increasingly. With all the energy I regained, I heavily opened my eyes and cleared my vision, but my whole body seemed to be frozen. The buzzing sound kept on beeping and I realized that it was just my alarm clock and not the noise of the blob chasing me. I realized I was just having a nightmare! My heart rate returned to the rate of at resting, drum-beats alike breathing changed into a soothing calm sound, and I became sore and sleepy again. Instead of sleeping again, I decided that it was no use for laying on this surface, which was close to -2 degree C. Stretching my hands high up in the air almost touching the ceiling, I arose from my bed, making ready to start my tough day from this hour 7:00 a.m. “Ko are you ready for this new day?” The question echoed in my head, without knowing the reason. Lazily I got out, tip toed to the dining room, without waking up my parents who were sleeping soundly.

   Quietly, I opened the fridge, searching through each shelf, shuffling all the items inside. It became colder and my anger arose from the combination of coldness and not finding what I wanted. Stumbling over the things inside - racing the clock before the big hand landed pointing at 7:10 - finally at the very corner of the bottom shelf, there laid my milk bottle and cereal box for my day. Reaching my hand towards it, I felt the dust like soft, grey, moist substances covering up my breakfast. But without hesitation, I took both boxes, wiped them and poured the milk and cereal together into the bowl. Without actually tasting the cereal, I just let it run down my throat. Luckily, I have never choked! At the moment, a smell….the smell of the unearthly person, the stinking odor floated in the air. Even the buried person smelled better than that. I followed the smell to sense where it originated, but I went no farther because that smell was from me…It was the smell of sweat! I recalled what had made me that sweaty…It was because of the worries I had last night. The worries about had I done all my homework, am I ready for the tests, and about will I be able to keep up my grades. I slept with sweat gained by worries, but the cold wind blowing from the east window increased its power somehow and wiped my sweat and made me frosty. And that was why I’m stinking worst than the dead who had put sweet smelly perfumes on, right now! And that was why I’m sensing the bad odor in my dream as though from a blob! It was very unusual, ironic, and incredible that it was my own smell and the sound of the alarm clock that made me awaken in a sudden. I do not know if other students always woke up with a nightmare but I know for sure that it is not just me who smells “stinky” in the mornings …. THE END...