The following is a work of fiction. The characters and incidents portrayed and the names herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character and history of any person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and unintentional.

DREAMS

Dare believe your own dreams?

Luke walked into the grey buildings, staring at the name list. He found the office

of Alexander was located on the second floor. He used the elevator and walked

through a maze of officers. There were stock brokers, real estate agents, he

finally found the officer of Alexander Matthias at the end of the floor. As he

walked through the glass doors, he found himself in a small room. At the end of

the room the secretary to the man looked at him curiously.

“Luke Scott, I have an appointment with the Doctor at 7,” he said to the

receptionist who looked at him over the rim of her glasses.

“Yes. You are early. He’s seeing someone right now. Would you be kind enough

to wait for sometime,” she said staring at the clock which read 6’55”.

“Yes, that’s fine with me,” Luke said walking to the couch where he settled down

with a copy of Life Mag which was lying on the table. Though he stared at the

magazine, leafing through the pictures , he barely paid any attention to the

magazine. He stared at the attractive secretary to the doctor, though her frame

hid her eyes behind a glass wall. He saw that she was really very attractive. He

was tempted to ask her out, but it did not seem like a good idea at that time, but

he hoped that he would someday.

He looked at the expensive wall furnishings, this guy should be good. His friend

had recommended Alexander to him, though the office was small by any terms

he knew that this place must have cost a fortune to put up, for it was located in

an affluent suburb of New York. He looked back at the glass door, the name of

Alexander Matthias written silently across the glass. He was amazed at the

number of degrees that this guy had behind his name. He shifted his gaze back

to the woman who was also observing him carefully. He tried to act self-

conscious. Maybe he would ask her out. Anyway this would not be his first trip to

the doctor. He smiled and the smile was returned. Their flirting was interrupted by

a man in late thirties walking out of the inner cabin.

“Mr. Luke you can go in , the doctor will see you now,” she said. With a smile on

his face returning the same he walked into the inner confines of the office. He

looked at the watch as he walked in. the time was 7’00”.

As he walked into the room he was quite surprised at the hugeness of the office.

It was really huge in comparison with the office outside. Walking into the room he

noticed that it was dimly lit, bu6t it could not be called as dark. Seated across

the room on a huge table was a small man, he would not have been very tall ;

maybe five feet. Alexander waved him to a comfortable chair facing him. As he

settled down in the armchair he was warmly greeted by Alexander.

“Luke Scott, I believe. Please make yourself comfortable.” Alexander offered him

a glass of water which Luke courteously refused.

“So Luke,” he said “ what can I do for you? In the telephone conversation you

told me that you had a very peculiar problem.” Alexander asked Luke

questioningly.

“The problem is doctor, I am seeing things. I am a flight attendant by profession,

work in the United Airlines, the domestic service. My job is going great and so is

everything in my life. I am married happily and have a nice daughter.” A smile

broke upon Luke’s face as he walked about the past.

“Pray go on,” Alexander said listening intently.

“I am having problems with the sleeping part. I have also discussed it with my

doctor, and I am undergoing medication.”

“Have you got the prescription?” Alexander asked interrupting.

“Yes, this is the doctor’s prescription.” Luke removed a slip from the pocked and

placed it on the Oak table. Alexander did not pick it up.

“Please continue Luke.”

“ I am a very sound sleeper, I have to say. I rarely wake up and always manage

to sleep at least eight hours a day, well since one month I have been troubled by

disturbing dreams.” Luke stopped, lost in thought.

“What kind of dreams Luke?” Alexander said trying to distract Luke from his

thoughts.

“It started a month back. I was in Chicago, our flight was over and we all went to

the hotel to get some sleep. The day was pretty fine, nothing out of the ordinary.

Then for one week I started to have a continuous sequence of dreams. They

were like a movie, rather they were so real. It felt that they were so real. It’s not

that I never had any dream. I know that dreams are like but this was different.”

Luke stopped again lost in thought.

Alexander noticed that Luke was sweating profusely and his eyes were vague

and were unfocussed. He offered him a glass of water and asked him to

continue.

“I still know the date for I have a habit of writing a daily diary.”

Alexander wanted to interrupt, he wanted to see the diary but he did not want to

disturb Luke from the conversation and so let him continue.

“It started on June 5th, the first dream I mean, then they came at regular intervals

for the whole week, after the week they just stopped.”

“What kind of dreams, tell me Luke what did you see?”

Alexander asked probing Luke to stick with his problem. He had very little time

and Luke was getting lost. He had another appointment scheduled at 7’30”.It was

a friend and so he had to get through Luke quickly.

“The first dream was I was in some kind of airport. People were bustling around

me. All the regular fanfare. I saw the customs. I saw the whole airport without any

idea as to what airport it was. The dream stopped when I stared at the flight

announcer list. There was an announcer’s voice that I heard in the background.

She was a lady and she was announcing the final boarding call for Western

Airlines flight to London.”

“the dream stopped when I was staring at the display screen, and the blinking of

the light. It was the Western Airlines flight to London. I have been through

airports all my life and I really enjoy flying. I love my job but you know

throughout the whole dream I was plagued by something terrible. It just did not

feel nice anymore. You understand, don’t you,” Luke said barely looking at

Alexander. His eyes were focused at some point in the air, noticed Alexander as

he continued.

“The next day I was plagued by uneasiness throughout the day. I could

remember every detail of the dream as it happened. It seemed so real.”

“The next day again I had a dream, this was the next day when I came back to

New York. I was in my house and by the time I was asleep I barely remembered

about the dream. You know this time I dreamt that I was in some kind of house or

something. The details were really fantastic. I can even say the color of the

wall.”

“And what color was it?” Alexander asked.

“Cream I should say. Really fantastic color. And as I was walking through the

house I noticed a couple making love. I should say that though they seemed

familiar I just could not recognize them. Their bodies were really vivid. I should

say I saw every detail of their love making. You know but I just could not see their

faces. The faces were so blurred. Throughout the whole dream I experienced a

vague sense of uneasiness that I had the previous night. This might bore you but

the next day again the same dream continued. I had taken leave for the day as I

was really becoming very disturbed by them. That night I listened to music. Nice

and romantic ballads of the 70s and 60s that I thoroughly enjoyed. That night

again I was plagued by a different dream. This time I was in some suburb of

Washington. There was no indication anywhere, I was just in a house I just kenw

that this was Washington. There were four men sitting around a small table, I

wanted to move closer towards them but I just could not. It felt like I was a ghost

in all these dreams where the things happened around me. People were so

unaware of my presence. It felt strange you know and the same feeling of

uneasiness bothered me throughout the whole dream. The table was cluttered

with a lot of electronic stuff. Lots of small bulbs, wires, though I could not see

them clearly. Only an outline of the things was visible but I just kew that they

were there. The next day was really horrible for me and I spent the whole day

again away from my durty and I spent the whole day with my daughter. The day

had passed so joyfully and happily for me, never had I been tormented by the

thoughts of the dreams. That night again I woke up having a dream. This tume I

saw a man as he walking towards the boarding gate for the Western Airlines

flight. I recognized him instantly. He seemed some kind of Moslem guy with his

neatly trimmed beard. I knew that I had seen this guy the day before. He was

one around the table. You must be wondering about how I knew about the guy

when I happened not to see any of the four faces that were present in the day

before.

But I just knew it, there was this overwhelming feeling inside me that told me that

this guy was one among those guys who were around the table. The feeling of

uneasiness grew when I stared at the bag that he was carrying. It was a brown

shoulder bag. At that moment I woke up.

The whole of the next day I was wondering what the dream might be and again I

had to abstain from my duties. I was not taking this stuff seriously. But there was

something strange that was happening to me. I just could not fly any longer and

then I decided to contact this doctor who have me some tranquilizers to help me

sleep better without dreaming.

I dreamt again Doctor, you know this horrible dream when everything seemed to

form a picture. I was in the airport again and I knew that the date was August 1.

The flight I saw from the display screen was the Western Airlines Flight to

London. This time I did not hear the announcers’ voice.

As I saw this man passed though the customs and boarded the flight. There was

this strange feeling of seening something happen and occur. Everything was so

real. The pictures, the men, the conversations, everything was life-like.

I did not want to board the flight and I knew it, something in me told me not to

board the flight, but something pushed me. I felt like I was flying through the air,

past the men, past the customs, while I wanted to stay back at the airport.

Something just kept pushing me. Then as I was inside the flight I could hear the

people talking.

There were some kids speaking about some famous actor who was there on the

flight, in first class. I saw the captains. I saw everyone then as I stared in my

amazement I saw the guy. The Moslem guy from my dreams standing up and

screamed, jehad or something, I could not catch it properly, then he removed a

small device, I could not see it clearly. I saw some men trying to run frantically

towards him and their screams were all around me as if hell had broken loose. I

stared in horror as the whole plane blew up in a ball of flames.

It was really strange you know and I saw through the whole horror, bodies were

burning everywhere around me, children were screaming. The smell of burning

bodies and then I was floating in the air and all ar5ound me there were pieces of

burnt flesh.

I woke up screaming.

You had to image the horror of the dream. I can’t call it a dream, this thing

happened before my eyes. I was really getting disturbed you know. This dream

occurred for the next three days. You had to understand that I was under intense

medication, tranquilizers. But this came over and over again. The whole dream

and every night I would wake up sweating coldly in the middle of the night. Then

it stopped.”

“Oke. I understand your problem. I will write some medication for you. These

things happen Luke. There is no need to be scared.” Alexander said hopefully,

extracting the prescription pad.

“Doctor I don’t think you read the papers.” Jack said placing a copy of the New

York Times. Alexander looked at him. He was looking elsewhere into the air and

seemed very distanced from him. This guy is reliving those tense moments.

Alexander picked up the paper and stared the date. It was August 1. AS he

stared at the headline it read : Islamist Terrorist blows up the Western Airlines

flight to London from Washington.” As Alexander stared at the suspects face he

froze in horror as the man had a nice trimmed beard.

***

Alexander completed the days work. He was about to leave. As he exited the

office closing the door behind him he noticed that there was a man sitting in the

couch. He looked at the man, the face seemed remarkably familiar. He had a habit

of remembering most of his patients. He knew that this guy was one of his patients

but was unable to recognize him. He walked to the man who was quietly staring at

him.

“Hello, Alexander, remember me? “ he said expressionless.

“I’m sorry, but I fail to recognize you. Do I know you?” Alexander asked

uninterested. He had to go home early. It was his marriage anniversary today and

they had a party shortly. If this guy was a patient he’s just have to come tomorrow.

“Luke, that’s my name,” he said.

Alexander stared at the man. Now he placed this man. He was the guy who’d

come sometime back maybe in august if he remembered correctly. He had treated

him for sometime and from then on he’d never heard from this guy.

“It’s been six months ,” Luke said. The man seemed to have changed a lot, now he

looked quite aged. Looked like he was forty years old and there was a beard that

hid the sculpted face of his. That’s why he could not recognize him. Anyway there

were lines on his face and he seemed pretty tired. His clothes were dirty and

showing signs that they had not been washed for a very long time.

“Won’t you offer me a glass of water?” Luke asked with a blank face.

“Sure, what brings you to me?” he said briging a glass of water.

“Those dreams,…. they’re back again.”

“I told you already they were mere coincidences, nothing but your imagination

playing tricks on you.” Alexander said concern on his face.

“this time it’s different Alex. This time it’s different.”

“Well I am sure that you would come here tomorrow evening. Oke I shall see you

tomorrow morning. You know I have a party to attend. So I expect you

tomorrow?” Alexander asked. He was interested in what Luke had to say, but

today was not the time.

“No. This can’t wait. It has to be today or never.”

“Don’t be ridiculous Luke. It’s my marriage anniversary TODAY and I am

expecting a lot of guests.”

“Fifteen minutes sir. Fifteen minutes, I’ll make it fast.” Luke said expectantly.

Alexander stared at the watch. He could hold up for fifteen minutes more. He had

some time, and his curiosity was awakened.

“Sir down Alex,” Luke said pointing to the empty couch.

“Here? We could go down in my office.”

“No. Here.”

“Remember I told you about the couple making love. That dream did not fit into

the story. Often I wondered what it was about. You know I never had those

dreams again. It began on February 10. It was the same dream. The same dream

Alex and this time the scenes were even more vivid.. There was a strange kind of

sensation creeping into me.”

It was really very scary. I patiently waited until the night set in. I was hoping to

solve the riddle of the couple having sex. That night I was in a hospital. As I was

there in an operating room of some kind there was a women giving birth to a child.

The doctors were huddled around her and the only part of her that I could see was

her face.

She was the same woman that I saw having sex the other night. I woke up in the

middle of the dream horrified at this strange turn of events that was happening to

me.

You know the guilt was never gone. I could have saved those innocent lives.

Those bodies of small children only if I had trusted my dreams. I was determined

the next day to find out what would happen. I wanted to see the whole dream in

one night Alex. I could bear the pain of these haunting dreams everyday. That

night I saw the kid as he was growing up Alex. Right from his school, to his

college. He was a very beautiful child Alex. He had the bluest eyes I ever saw. So

wonderful, so beautiful. The next day I was in high spirits and was thankful I was

seeing no more horrors.

The dream of the kid growing up was really pleasant. His name was Timothy.

Everyone called him Tim. I did want to know where this dream was leading me.

Luke broke off.

“And?” Alex asks.

“It’s terrible. A place where even my most horrible imagination would not ho. I

happily stared at Timothy as he was reading a book, Alex. I wanted to watch him

to see the most beautiful person I ever lay sight on. It was pleasure looking at him.

Everything about him was perfect. You know the most innocent face in the whole

world. The perfectness of his skin which stood glowing in the sunlight. There was

a strange unearthly beauty to him, a beauty surely unheard of before he was born.

You know Alex if he asked to die I would have surely done it without even

thinking twice.

A sort of divine experience. Something dragged me to the basement Alex. I

wanted to stare at the most beautiful creation of God but something pulled me

towards the basement. There was no light. I was very blind. I could see nothing

but I could hear some mumbling. It felt like space, the darkness was so

disorienting and I did not find out from where the sound was coming from. I don’t

know how long I stood there. Time was nonexistent.

I might have stood there for a second or for an hour I don’t know this. This

experience was so lifelike, the only thing in this strange world .

I have no idea. This felt a more surreal experience than I had experienced the last

time. Things were much more vivid, and slowly a strange kind of fear overtook

me.

The only comfort lay in the opening door. I stood there beside the steps, the

sunlight filtered in slowly and Timothy was silhouetted against the light. He

seemed even more lovable. As he descended down the steps I walked towards him

and wanted to touch his divine beauty. I was so overcome by a desire to touch him

that I walked towards him but my feet were slipping. I was so lost in Timothy that

I failed to see the basement. As Timothy switched on a light I saw the operating

table.

I saw a woan who was tired to the steel table with straps. I stared in amusement at

first. Slowly, Timothy got himself a pair of gloves and a scissors and cut across

the naked chest of the woman. One moment I could see her breasts. …next there

was only blood.

She screamed in pain. He cries reverberated throughout the room. Blood spilled on

the floor around the table. I looked Alex, and as I stared at Timothy cutting up the

woman with his back towards me I was suddenly pushed towards him. I could see

Timothy clearly now. He was smiling. An expression of happiness spwed across

his face. Warm blood spilled on me. And I felt that the young woman knew I was

there and stared at me blankly. Her fixed eyes, quite dead. I screamed and woke

up.

The next day I dared not sleep. But the day after I fell asleep in the couch. The

same dream was repeated but this was another girl now.

“Don’t worry Luke,” Alexander said calmly, putting a hand on Luke’s hands.

“Everything will be allright. I shall put you on some tranquilizers for now, and

then we’ll solve this problem all right.”

“It won’t help Alex. It won’t happen again. Everyday for the next week, I saw.

Believe me, it won’t work now. The last dream was on the 20th of thismonth. Six

days back. After that there were no more dreams just the horrible reminder of the

dreams lived with me.”

“Don’t worry Luke. It’s just a dream. Trust me, it’s in your mind. You create the

images yourself. We’ll get this over soon, that much I promise.”

“I already cured it Alex.”

“Remember the dates Alex. I guess I see the furture,” he laughed derisively, “at

least the bad parts. On 22nd of this month I saw that very couple Alex. Can you

believe that. They moved recently into my neighbourhood. They had one child

Alex, and guess what his name is Alex? Timothy Daniles.

Destiny is wonderful Alex, destiny really is. Here I am an ordinary human being.

I’m not God Alex, I will die one day. But I shall now die in peace.”

Luke got up suddenly. He handed an envelope to Alexander. “ Promise me you

read this oke?” With that he walked out.

Late in the night, beside the bedside lamp, Alex tore the envelope open. Inside was

a neat handwritten note :

Dear Alex,

Humble Doctor, part God, great Soul--

“ By the time you would read this I would be in jail. It was not easy Alex for

Timothy was very beautiful. As I held him in my arms I knew that I was helpless.

I could not kill this small infant who stared at me with blue eyes. There was so

much innocence in him. I couldn’t believe that he would or could do anything like

that. I was about to place him back into the cradle, when he smiled.

It was the same smile of happiness that I’d seen. I prayed for forgiveness and I

raised him into my arms. I slammed him to the ground. I never looked back. Could

not bear to see that Angelic face. I don’t know for he comes back in my eyes.

Deep inside my eyes I see him. I have to confess for the guilt is too overbearing. I

see him,…”

Luke Marrigan Scott.

© 2008 T.Prabhakar. All Rights Reserved