First post here but just wow, I just had nightmares. Actually nightmares, ones I couldn't wake up from. At first I thought I was waking up, and just falling back asleep immediately... But no, I was sound asleep the entire time. But I was trying so hard to wake up!
They were based on nightmares I had back in college. Apparitions who looked and acted like people I care about... Until I realize it's a dream, and that realization transforms them into horrible monsters (with the same normal, loved one's appearance). It was always at that point that I woke up. I could try to look away or stay very still, but once I knew it was a dream their transformation was inevitable.
Eventually I started confronting them directly as soon as I realized. It wasn't at all pleasant, but it was very brief and basically nothing. Soon the dreams became rarer, and later stopped... Unless I ever took a nap, in which case I'd have to dispel them occasionally and go back to sleep.
This was so different. I went to sleep at... about 3:15, no earlier than 3. Only an hour ago. I didn't know REM sleep started that fast, but the dreams seemed to last longer than that.
I was in a warped version of my home, alone. It was nighttime, and I needed to sleep. I didn't need any lights, a soft blue glow poured in from windows which don't exist, into rooms too long and in the wrong places, and repeated. (Previously in such nightmares, there would be a red glow like sunset or blood everywhere). I found my "bed" but was uncomfortable. Couldn't fall asleep, the cot kept moving around the room. I fell off, and I swear, the impact felt absolutely real. I had no idea I was dreaming. I decided to sleep in the guest room.
I won't go into detail on the apparition who met me there. Just that I realized I was asleep, and... Gave it a hug, assuming I'd wake back up anyway. It was a nice hug. It produced a sharp fork. We wrestled, and I still remember the feel of its fingers gripping mine. It screamed static and I finally managed to wake up.
...Except I hadn't, I only thought so. Worried about going directly back to sleep, I got up and looked outside. I think I heard someone shouting. I considered, I swear, making a first post in the Things That Made You Terrified thread... But my laptop wasn't where I expected. Something was wrong, and I concluded I'd fallen back asleep. I concentrated hard, and again "woke up".
This time I woke up outdoors, in my car. For some reason my car was parked in a lot overlooking my apartment from high above, but that seemed normal. The blue light was everywhere, but I still thought I was awake. I tried to make myself comfortable and fall back asleep, but that was tricky when I realized someone else was in the car. And the ground was shaking, and the mountain tipping over as if to drop me. "This isn't right, it's like I'm still asleep". Which caused the figure beside me to start shaking and murmuring in rage... I tried hard to will it away, or for me to wake up. Unless every other time I'd tried, nothing. I did manage to set it on fire but that didn't really improve the situation.
I ran out of the car and began walking along the apartment complex. Somehow I reached the conclusion that I was awake, but, was so sleep-deprived that I was hallucinating. A pack of dogs approached me, snarling. "They're just hallucinations, they can't hurt me..." Yeah, stupid I know. They kept growling and nudging me until I tried to push them away, at which point one bit my hand. It *hurt*. I've died in dreams many times, but it's always been oddly serene and painless (even if it should have hurt). This pain was muted, but it was there, and every impact carried real weight.
The owner of the dogs called out from a window, and the dogs backed off. He said it wasn't his fault though, I was right outside his yard at night. I grumbled and walked away, eventually calling back "Fuck you! You're not even real, probably!" Then regretting it. One way or another, I was definitely going insane.
I kept trying to open my eyes all the way, because they felt partly closed. I had no idea I was asleep. I returned to my warped home and met the first apparition there again, the scariest one. Desperate, and incredibly frustrated, I grabbed the fake thing and just starting punching it. Which was pretty traumatic considering its form. I felt like I was punching through water, and that's what finally let me realize I wasn't hallucinating at all. I was asleep.
This time, completely freaking out, *I* did the static-screaming. Which finally woke me up, for real, but also worries me.
;tldr usually I can wake up but this time I couldn't, and the apparitions took advantage of that for the longest hour. Also I was the demons?
That's probably enough time passed that I can go to sleep safely. I also suspect it was triggered by putting the pillow too far up my "headrest", something I used to do when these nightmares were common.