The noise woke me up with a startling jolt. I sat up in bed listening intently for the noise to reoccur, to pinpoint its location. It took almost a full 5 minutes to hear it, again. It seemed to be coming from the front bedroom. I looked over at my wife watching her chest rise and fall in rhythmic motion. Deep sleep. I gently eased myself from the covers and sat up putting my feet on the cool floor, trying to decide if I were dreaming. No, I had heard the noise after I sat up in bed. I slowly started to head for the front room, the old house trying to give away my presence by creaking floors. Stopping in the kitchen I paused, listening for the unrecognizable noise. Nothing. I was sure it came from the front of the house, the living room or bedroom. As I crept into the living room I began to hear something. This was not the sound that had awaken me from a deep slumber. Totally different. A sound not unlike the rhythmic sounds my wife made earlier, except this was a sound made by someone that was on a respirator. A mechanical sound that was coming from behind the bedroom door.The beating of my heart almost drowned out the sound but it could faintly be heard. I was about to turn and go back to bed for fear had overcome me when I heard the distinct low, raspy voice of a man. I could not make out any words. I started to get extremely anxious, my pulse beating hard and fast in my head. Go back to bed. I wanted to do just that but I had to find out what was going on. I needed to know if the Demon had found a way to enter my world. The conscious mind. With all the strength I could use, I slowly opened the door. cont, theblogmeister