The Dream

Chapter 6

After seeing that face I might have just passed out.
I started to panic. I was not even sure now whether this is real or was I dreaming again? My anxiety knew no bounds.
Because the person lying there, was none other than Mr. X.

I felt very uneasy even standing there. How could this have happened? Who could have killed Mr. X? I had a lot more questions about my dreams, and the person who might have had the answers couldn't speak a word anymore.

As a forensic analyst, I got to my job there. He was killed by blunt force trauma. He had been hit several times to the back of his head. The scene must have been very brutal because he had bled out too much. We tried to find out the object with which he might have been hit but there was nothing around.
I started collecting various samples for testing; blood swabs, fingerprints, shoeprints anything that could help us lead to the killer.

Even though I was working on the scene, I was still thinking about my dreams, and flashes of the exact same scenes were appearing before me. It felt as if I had seen the future through my dream. My heart started pounding. I couldn't do this anymore.
I called out to Jack and requested him to carry on further analysis and gave the samples to him.

I now desperately wanted to know more about my dreams, since now they seemed like some sort of premonition to the future. But, I was not feeling too well now. I decided to go home and rest for a while. The day was taking a toll on me mentally, first with the excitement of finding a clue and later with grief. I napped for some time but I just couldn't stay calm. The nightmares were still haunting me.

I decided to talk to Alice. I called her and she picked up the call promptly.
"Hello, This is Richmond Thawne. We met at the auction house earlier today."
"Oh yes! Richie right? I didn't expect a call so soon. Any problem?"
"Well yes, sort of. Can I meet you? I have a few questions regarding my dreams. Since you are an oneirologist, I thought maybe you could answer some of those."
"Sure why not. Meet me in the evening at S.T.A.R. labs. We'll talk about it there.
8 PM sound good to you?"
"Yes! Great! Thanks a lot, Alice. See you there. Bye"

I went to S.T.A.R labs. Alice was waiting for me at the gate.
"Hello, why are we meeting outside? Aren't you going to conduct studies on me?"
"Hey there, hold your horses! What is the problem with young people these days? Why are you so impatient? Let me first know the problem."
"Oh alright, sorry about that."
"So, tell me everything from the start so I could analyze what's the problem here. Based on that I'll design the study to get a solution."

I told Alice everything that I had been experiencing over the past week. How the wild dreams that give me chills at night, Mr. X who mysteriously emerged from my dream into my real life; how he was murdered, and how it seemed like the exact scene from my dream. I kept everything in front of her.
For a moment even Alice too was taken aback by the events. She couldn't believe everything I said, but as an oneirologist; I was the best subject, even she couldn't have asked for. She too was excited to reveal the mysteries behind my dreams. She called her assistant and scheduled a sleep lab for tomorrow and we were all set.

"I knew a little about your dreams because Sarah had enlightened me about some of it, but this is a lot more than I expected.
I am excited to know more about your dreams Richie, but unfortunately today there is a mass study scheduled in the lab. We'll meet tomorrow"
"Okay, sure! Thanks a lot, Alice! I hope I get some answers tomorrow."

I didn't know why but I was kinda happy and relieved. I was happy, that after all that intense drama that happened to me today at least my night was ending in a good way.

But I was a little too soon to judge. I reached home only to see a mail at my door. It was a note which read 'Congratulations on solving the first 2 clues. Now you might wanna look at the third clue.'
"Ah, Shit! Here we go again"

I crumpled that piece of paper in frustration. As soon as I took out the keys to my apartment I saw a key already in the keyhole. The keys in my pocket were not that of my apartments'. I don't know who and when did they switch the keys, but I understood instantly that it was the key to the next compartment.

I unlocked the door and headed straight into my bedroom. I found the box and yes indeed, it was the key that I needed.
I opened the box, pulled out the note, and started looking at the 3rd clue. I couldn't believe what I was reading in there. My hands started to shiver and my throat went dry.
'If you are reading this, I am probably dead already. Not only that, I know who killed me. Look to your right, he is my murderer.'

I slowly turned my neck to my right and the sky came crashing on me. On my right was my full-length mirror.
The day couldn't have ended worse.