Melbourne Dread

It has been two and a half years since my experience and I am still rocked by what took place.

Two of my friends, my brother and I booked tickets to Melbourne (we live in Brisbane) to see a band called Tool. We rented an expensive 20th floor apartment for the week and set in to party. I took the master bedroom and as there were only three bedrooms, my brother ended up on the couch. Everything was great and we were having a ball, the only downside was me. I started to feel a little crook in the stomach and it didn't let up all week. I just figured it was something I ate on the first day but our final night in Melbourne suggested otherwise.

Everyone had gone to bed around one in the morning and not long after that I got up to get a drink. I found one on the table next to where my brother was sleeping and he stirred and looked at me as I grabbed it. I said goodnight and went back to bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow a deep and far off bass sound started in my left ear. It didn't matter how many times I turned or cocked my jaw I couldn't get rid of this sound. After about what I think was half an hour I noticed the noise getting louder and honestly more sinister. The noise got so loud and scary around me that it was palpable, and I was suddenly thrown on my back unable to breath, unable to move and was feeling dread like it was a cloud around me. It was almost like the fear was made of something and it was in the room. Never have I felt such fear. I remember trying to force air into my lungs and it felt like I had to move a mountain to do it. I kept trying to move and roll over and scream and finally let out a few murmurs (whimpers) and I thought to myself if I can do that then I must be able to call out or something. I tried with everything I had and let out a scream so loud it was deafening to my ears. I kept screaming and still don't remember stopping. At some point I heard the other boys calling out and running around the apartment. They had run straight out to where my brother slept. Later they told me that they heard my brother screaming and went straight for him. My brother said that he woke up to a hooded figure coming at him from the direction of my room, down the hallway. His words were "I thought I was going to die." He said it passed him and went out the doors to the balcony.

It was only after they calmed him down did they come to my room. They found me sitting bolt upright, wide eyed and sweating with the light on. Not one of them heard my screams, only my brothers, and not one of the boys turned my light on. I don't even remember the light switching on.

Since then, I refuse to go to Melbourne.