A short psychological thriller Story about a man who is haunted by nightmares of a tragic car accident when he was a teenager . His weak mental state leads him to questioning reality as he feels trapped between the events of his life.
John Parker was 14 years old boy on his vacations .It was a sunny day, perfect for a family trip to the beach. But as they cruised along the coastal highway, a speeding truck plowed into their car. The world blurred, the sound of his heartbeat pulsed louder. John threw his blankets and woke up all drenched in sweat heavily breathing. His wife calmed him down and asked “that vision again?” John shook his head and told her “I'm fine ,I know it's just a nightmare”
The next morning, John gets ready for work. It’s his daughter Donna’s first day of school, and she is nervous. On the way to school, John comforts her, telling her that he once attended the same school, and everyone was very kind to him. When they arrive, John notices that everything down to the last detail looks exactly the same as it did when he was a kid . From the paint of the buildings to the marks on the tennis court . All that made him feel like a young boy once again.
After dropping Donna off, John sees the streets decorated with white flowers. When he asks his colleague about them, he is told they are for a memorial, because of a tragic event. John heads home early after finishing his work . He shared the news of some tragedy with his wife, but she didn't care a bit. She was glad he was here early. Rachel prepares his favorite dinner: stuffed bread with roasted turkey and apple pie. Donna watches TV while John reads some articles.
That night, John goes to bed early. The dream continues ,this time, he's back in the wrecked car, severely injured. His fingers are missing, one leg is crushed and turned black, his lower back is cut open, and glass shards are embedded in his face. Beside him is a corpse in his father’s clothes. Overcome with grief, John screams so loudly that even outside of his dream, his wife Rachel hears him and wakes up. She sprinkles water on his face to bring him back to reality. John finally wakes, and Rachel comforts him.
The next day, Rachel takes Donna to school and brings John to see Dr. Kate, his psychiatrist. Dr. Kate diagnoses John with PTSD, explaining that these nightmares are likely tied to a traumatic event from his past. John recounts how, at 14, his family was killed in a car accident, leaving him unharmed but orphaned. Dr. Kate prescribes him antidepressants, Trazodone and Sertraline, to help with his nightmares.
John feels better after the appointment. At home, he thanks Rachel for her care, and she tells him that they vowed to support each other through hard times at their wedding . But John couldn't remember what the vows were and even his wedding, he couldn't tell her this ,how could he ?
That night, John takes his medication and his wife holds him to sleep. Fortunately this night he didn't had any nightmares
The following day at work goes smoothly, after an office party driving home late at night, the effects of the medication kick in, causing him to lose consciousness and crash into a shop wall.
When John regains consciousness, he’s in the hospital. Unable to move,he sees a tall bearded man in a long white coat who was writing something down and asks him what happened. The man ,Dr. Gates informs him that he was caught in a severe accident. His right leg was amputated due to infection, one of his kidneys was damaged, and his back was broken. His recovery will take at least three months. Horrified, John asks who brought him to the hospital and where his family is. Dr. Gates reassures him that Mrs Parker took you here , we called her , she's on her way.
John, overwhelmed, passes out.
When he wakes again, he’s in a different hospital room, he felt a soft touch in his hand and realized it's Rachel by his side. She smiles and tells him he doesn’t have any major injuries and can come home the very next day. Confused, John insists that Dr. Gates told him about his amputated leg and kidney damage, but Rachel explains that the doctor said he's completely fine , his condition was caused by drug intoxication after he mixed alcohol with his antidepressants drugs .
The next day, John is discharged from the hospital. At home, he tells Rachel in detail about his conversation with Dr. Gates and his severe injuries, but she hugs him and reassures him that none of it was real—it was just a dream she added . Her comforting words calm him, but John remains unsure if they are enough to dispel his nightmares.
That night, when John closes his eyes, he is overwhelmed by intense pain throughout his body. His heart pounds like war drums , and he feels trapped in darkness, unable to move. He feels like his world is falling apart. Suddenly, he feels a soft touch—someone holding his hand. But this time, it wasn't his wife rachel.
John sees her face with his partially open eyes and freezes in shock…..
it was his mother, whom he thought was dead. Beside her is Dr. Gates. His mother is overjoyed to see him awake. John, realizing it must be another dream , is overwhelmed with emotion. The room is decorated with white flowers, and he finds comfort in being able to talk to his mother again, even if it’s only in a dream.
John tearfully tells his mother how much he has missed her and wishes she could meet his wife and daughter. His mother is shocked, telling him he doesn’t have a wife or daughter. She recounts how, five days ago, their family had a car accident. His father, who was driving, passed away , and John was critically injured. She had pulled him from the wreckage and brought him to the hospital, where he’s been unconscious for five days.
Dr. Gates confirms that John had been in a coma and was likely experiencing coma-induced dreams. He reminds John of their conversation the previous day when John briefly woke up before passing out again. He emphasizes that John is still a 14 years old boy and could not have been married.
A nurse enters the room and softly asks John if he’s okay. Her voice sounds familiar, and when John looks up, he realizes the nurse looks exactly like Rachel. She tells him that she’s been taking care of him the whole time.
John couldn't believe his eyes, his body was really shrunk down he could only see one of his legs and that nurse had a voice and face just like his wife , “was my wife and daughter mere a dream ? “ ,he asked himself.
John was unable to believe any of it. He shut his eyes, hoping to wake up in his real world again. But days, weeks, and months passed. John healed physically , though he now walks with a prosthetic leg. Every night, before sleeping, he prays for this nightmare to end and to return to his real family.
One day, teenage John stands by the window, enjoying the fresh breeze and the scent of white flowers ,his hairs waving with the wind . He wondered about reality and dreams. Who is real ? his mother or wife ,or is he hallucinating right now because of the drug intoxication ? He was stuck in the dilemma yet he smiled looking at the tree scattering bloomed white flowers down the garden . John Walked through the window and came down like those white flowers from the high window . Sadly, unlike those flowers, this one hasn't bloomed yet. John could feel a soft touch on his palm again , likely someone holding his hand this time he cannot tell who it is.
~ Aysh
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