A haunting homecoming
I was on the run from this toxic environment called home, only to realize later that the only move I made was running to another toxic household. I found myself walking on eggshells, trying not to wake the beast, yet I failed, and the beast woke up anyway. She rapidly flew up the stairs, flung the door open forcefully, and came right up to my face, shouting at me. I remember feeling afraid, lost, and with nowhere to turn other than to return home again. As I walked back, memories of my family played in my mind. Home had always been chaotic, but it was the only place I knew. On the way, I got a call from my brother. His voice was urgent and filled with worry. "Come home as fast as you can," he said, his tone made my heart race. Despite the skepticism in his voice at the end of the call, all I could hear was, "They say they're seeing demons. I can't see them like they do, but I know that you do. I don't know what to believe at this point, but please help me out." I tried to get there as fast as I could, but my heavy backpack was slowing me down. Each step felt like a struggle, the weight of my past bearing down on me. As I arrived, I saw one of my older brothers standing in the corner, shouting at a wall, while my mother did the same in the living room. It was a bizarre and unsettling sight. "This seems too odd," I thought, trying to make sense of the scene. Why can't I see them? I usually do. Am I not in a dream? It was common for me to be haunted, not them. For a brief second, fear gripped my body and mind, but this time I managed to turn it into anger. I ran to my brother and faced the wall. Even though I couldn't see them, I could without a doubt feel their presence. As usual, it was hard for me to speak the words of the Almighty, but it didn't stop me from trying even harder. I knew that these words coming out of me wouldn't do much, but yet I always found myself praying anyway. I could hear them laugh at me in a very disturbing way. Suddenly, I heard my mother's voice saying, "You don't have a strong iman," and that's when I woke up, remembering her telling me this before she disappeared. The fear and confusion from the dream lingered, but I knew I had to face these demons, both real and imagined.