The Dream Theory

(12) The Demon Within

There was a small groan from behind the door as Robert brought his hand back down after knocking. He shifted in his place, taking a few steps back as the door opened. In front of him stood a women around Owen's age. Presumably Tasha.

Robert held out a piece of paper to her. "Mrs Hashmere. I'm sorry about your husband-"

The women snapped the paper out of his hands. "Ex-husband. And just call me Ms Tash." She said as she adjusted her reading glasses on her face read the paper. Her gray blue eyes shot up to meet Robert's. "Oh..." Her voice trailed away as her eyes remained still with the paper still in hand. He hasn't told her anything, but she already knew everything. Her hands visibly shook. But she inhaled deeply and took a swift step back. "Come inside."

Robert nodded, admiring the place as soon as he walked in. There were flowers everywhere. On the furniture, the shelves, the counters, and the wallpaper. That explains Owen's house.

"So Owen is dead, huh. Never saw it coming. Not that way." Ms Tash breathed as she walked over to the couch. She then gestured at the one across from her. "Sit."

"I'm good, Ms-"

"It was a command. Not a suggestion." She hissed as she reached for her purse. Her words were strong and suggested that she came from a tough family. She was the perfect match for Owen. Her red curly hair remained still as she whipped her purse onto her lap.

Robert frowned, nodding slowly as he immediately took a seat. "I came-"

"Owen always liked sending people my way. As if I were some sort of doctor." Ms Tash crumbled the paper in her hand, then paused. "You're not the one he sent."

Robert shook his head. "No, I...I took it."

She sighed. "Well, you're here anyway, so there's no use in changing that." Ms Tash looked away.

"Do you know why I'm here, Ms Tash?"

Ms Tash immediately nodded. "Yes I do, Robert Valeri. You're the mad man legend." She chuckled. "I admired your act by the way." She unzipped her purse and took out a pack of cigarettes. She knows.

She offered a cigarette to Robert, who politely declined. She shrugged and popped it between her red lips and lit it up with a red lighter.

Robert watched as she took a puff. "Yes. That's me." He said tiredly and scooted himself closer. "I-"

"You want to know about that newspaper boy." Ms Tash cut off again. Now Robert knows why Owen had a tough time handling her.

"And I only the half of it." Robert said, holding his hands together tightly. "I hoped you could tell me. Fill in the blank. Considering the fact that you are the widely known psychic. It was hard not to recognize your name on the paper."

Ms Tash smirked at the word. "Psychic. People rarely call me that anymore. Considering the fact that I'm retired." She said and exhaled a puff of smoke. "Look boy. You do have a bright future ahead of you but my visions don't work the same way like they used to back then."

Robert sat up. "I know but, you can try. Right? " He said and watched as Ms Tash slowly shifted in her place, giving him a tiny shrug.

"I can try." She replied and took her position. "Give me something the person you want to know of, touched."

Robert immediately reached in the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a piece of a newspaper. He grabbed it from Erik's hand after he jumped him. "He touched this."

Ms Tash took the paper with a steady hand. She looked at it carefully and inhaled, putting her cigarette down and closing her eyes. Robert watched in anticipation as she held up a finger. The smoke sitting in the cigarette tray began to rise and grow bigger. Robert watched in amazement as Ms Tash held out her hands over it, creating an orb shaped ball of smoke.

"Erik Oliver, aka Erik Darlson, a scorpio and one hell of a charming guy." Ms Tash rubbed the paper with two fingers as her unoccupied hand levitated the ball of smoke. Her eyes remained shut. "He's a hard worker. Has an eye for composition and...is fighting against the nature within him."

The words caught Robert's full attention. "Nature within..." He repeated as Ms Tash walked behind him.

"He caused many pain in his past, among those is your girlfriend. Reem." The smoke began to fade and grow darker than usual. "I see a family of three invite a 5 year old boy into their arms. The 5 year old boy had no memory, no family, no love. The only thing the boy had was that he was human. "

"Human." Robert repeated. Ms Tash smirked.

"Yep. And the young boy believed his own lie until it became the only truth he knew."

"But was he truly human?" Robert wondered. Ms Tash only stared at him and continued.

"To win the beast you must tame it. And to tame it you must feed it." Ms Tash chanted in a booming tone. Robert furrowed his brows together, not making sense of that last sentence. "Feed it something different than what it usually eats. Feed it with words, as it understands and can change."

Robert blinked. He felt like he was being told a riddle in a different language. Sure, he was a writer but he wasn't a very poetic type of writer.

"Guess you'll have to figure it out yourself." Ms Tash said, noticing his confusion and let the smoke disperse into nothing. She then walked up to the door. "You've to leave. My sisters are coming soon for a palm reading and they just love seeing a new young man. And that won't be fun for you or me."

Robert nodded as he walked up to the door. "Thank you ma'am." He gave her a tiny nod and headed out. She stopped him, touching his shoulder.

"Sorry I couldn't help much." Ms Tash said in a melancholy tone. "But you've my best wishes, boy. May luck be on your side and don't forget about Reem."

Robert gave her a small smile. "Thank you again, Ms Tash. May we meet again some other sunny day." He then headed out.

Outside he took in a deep breath and exhaled harshly. There was a Demon running loose. A Demon who killed his girlfriend and many innocent souls. His only option was to find it, and face it like one of his many fears.

The nightmares shall stop now.