My Sleep Paralysis Demon Is Actually A Pretty Chill Guy

I’ve suffered from sleep paralysis for about five years now. It started when I was a teenager and has continued intermittently into my early twenties. The first few times it happened, I thought I was going crazy. After researching it, I learned that a presence is often associated with the condition. In fact, the first time I figured out what it was, I stumbled upon an article stating that a large percentage of people who suffer from sleep paralysis encounter a scary presence in the room. <br><br>For me, it always starts with being half-awake. I can see my bedroom around me, but it’s distorted, and I’m unable to move. It’s an extremely frightening feeling, especially the first few times it happens. As I lay there frozen, I notice there’s someone standing in the corner of my room or sitting on my bed, sometimes on my chest. At first, I thought it was the boogeyman or a ghost, but it’s nothing like that. His name is Dave. <br><br>The first time Dave appeared, I screamed as much as one could while they had sleep paralysis. It wasn’t really a scream, more of a muffled groan. He was sitting on my chest. I was unable to move or speak, but he could tell I was terrified. He put his hand over my mouth to shut me up and said, “Hey, hey, hey. No need to be alarmed. I’m not here to hurt you. My name is Dave. I’m just a demon who has been assigned to you. I know it sounds pretty scary, but I don’t kill people. My job is to just sit here, look scary, and watch you suffer the fear of being temporarily paralyzed and unable to speak. I’m not a bad guy. I have a family to provide for; wife, three kids, you know how it is.” <br><br>After that first night, every time it happened, Dave was there. Sometimes he would bring his daughter, Sally, who liked to play with my hair while I was helpless. His wife, Andrea, would occasionally join him, and we would all watch TV together. The first time I saw Andrea, I thought she was there to kill me, but Dave reassured me she was harmless. <br><br>Andrea is a very sweet woman. One night, she even held my hand throughout the episode, trying to comfort me. She explained to me that she knows the experience is frightening, but it’s temporary and doesn’t hurt. They’re just doing their job, getting paid, and providing a better life for themselves. Once I understood that they weren’t there to hurt me, I became accepting of the entire situation. <br><br>I’ve learned a lot about the lives of this demon family. Dave used to work in the city, terrorizing conspicuous consumers. He made pretty good money, but he was never home for his family. One day, he received an offer from a smaller town. The pay was lower, but the hours were more flexible. He could work at night and be home during the day for his kids and wife. He took the job, figuring his family was more important than making tons of money. <br><br>Dave is a pretty cool guy. He’s not scary at all. He’s funny and courteous. One night, I had sleep paralysis, and he was there as always. He was sitting on my chest and looking through his demon wallet. He showed me pictures of his kids, Sally, Jack, and Dylan. Sally is the oldest. She likes to play with hair, as I mentioned before. Jack is the middle child. His favorite thing to do is roller-skate. He recently lost a tooth and got five dollars from the tooth fairy. Dylan is the baby. He’s just learned to walk and is starting to say a few words. <br><br>As we exchanged stories, I asked Dave what was in his wallet. He showed me his demon driver’s license, a coupon for some demon pizza place, and a library card. He told me that he likes reading about history. Not the history of humans or demons, but the ancient history of the world. He says it’s interesting to learn about how everything came to be. He told me the story of why there are oceans and continents. <br><br>I don’t really remember the story, but it has something to do with a huge war that took place under the water. Apparently, demons used to live in the ocean until a civil war broke out, causing half the demons to come onto land. The war caused an explosion so powerful that it created the continents, separating the oceans. <br><br>As I lay there, I realized that even though Dave is a demon and he was there to scare me, he’s a pretty chill guy. He has a family, hobbies, and a job. Just like me, or anyone else, we’re all just trying to get by and enjoy life to the fullest. <br><br>I’m not afraid of sleep paralysis anymore. When I feel an episode coming on and I see Dave sitting on my chest or somewhere in my room, I’m happy to see him. He’s an old friend. Sometimes I miss him. It’s been a few months since my last episode. I hope he’s doing well and that his family is healthy. If you have sleep paralysis, don’t worry. Ask the presence what his name is. He might just be a regular guy doing his job.