My recurring nightmares through like have had several themes.
The first one I can remember from the time before I was 5 years old. I would wake in the morning with the image of an oval, young, pale asian woman's face (I'd never met anyone asian until years later) and as I saw it in my mind's eye, it would age like a time lapse film, turning old and wrinkled. At the same time, I would get this unique taste/smell that went with the image. I was too young to talk about the dream at that time.

Since then it's been the school/exam nightmare.
Nazis executing me after I've tried to hide, but they track me down.
Mafia hit men executing me after I've tried to escape from them.
During my brother's time in VietNam, being in the midst of battles there in my dreams.

The arms of Morpheus can be a scary place indeed.