I think I'd like to relate a rather interesting, if not disturbing on some level, experience. In a recent dream I suddenly became lucid while walking down a somewhat dimly lit hall... I had planned to change the dream scenery but for some reason which I can't seem to remember, I decided to continue down the hall. Despite reassuring myself that it was merely a dream and that I couldn't be harmed, I could not shake a certain sense of apprehension... As I continued down the hall, I could hear a strange noise, but unfortunately I can't seem to remember it. I also seem to remember a dream character with me for at least part of the journey down the hall. The hall kept getting darker and darker, but somehow more realistic. I came to a set of double doors, and opened them, thinking it was the end of the hallway, but unfortunately, it wasn't. I continued down the dimly lit gray hallway, the walls seemingly painted dark gray or black, and by now there seemed to be a fog (I'm not too sure about this). Apprehension mounting, I came to another set of double doors, this set with light peering through the cracks in it. By now I was feeling some pretty hefty hatred directed at me, and I could not for the life of me bring myself to open the door, despite the someone reassuring white light that was peering through. Earlier in the dream I had decided that I would want to wake up immediately to write the dream down in my dream journal (which I had considered reopening, but hadn't kept for awhile), and suddenly I decided I wanted to wake up while standing at the door (probably creeped out by the whole experience). I woke up with a blink, but it was a false awakening, I found myself in the bed with my mother in the room apparently trying to get at my dream journal to read it. I realized it was a false awakening when my pen and journal floated over to me, and I remembered noting to myself that I'd want to write down at least one or two false awakenings in my dream journal. After a few false awakenings, I believe I woke up for real (can't be too sure though).

Anyone else have a similar experience, where even though it's a dream, and you know it to be, you're still finding yourself in a somewhat disturbing situation? Keep in mind the fear didn't come from any irrational understanding of the dream world; I knew it was only a dream and that nothing in it could hurt me, yet there still seemed to be elements in it that could cause immense fear... I just wish I could remember the details that had me so frightened...