The Dream

Chapter 11

What the hell was happening! Why is everyone involved with me suffering. First Mr. X was dead, then Alice got hurt and now even Jessica went missing. I think I probably should stop prying into the dream anymore and just accept my jail sentence. At least people around me would be safe.

"Oh, what is wrong with you guys! Can you stop screaming?"
Both of us turned back in an instant. It was Jessica. Calmly entering the lab with a coffee in her hand.
"Can't a person not go out to grab a drink? I was at Starbucks a few blocks down. I ain't gonna go missing anytime soon"
"You could have informed one of us at least, don't you think?" I exclaimed
At this point, I was relieved but still extremely agitated and if she had not returned I would have drowned in guilt.

"Forget Richie, you too are getting worked up Max? It's my usual coffee time isn't it?"
"Yes ma'am it certainly is. It's just that I didn't see you leave the lab. And his anxiety got me worried too. I am sorry."
"And you! Richie. Good job out there, lying to your girlfriend. It wasn't very good but I think it was quite convincing."
Jessica sure was something. I have pretty good awareness, but the fact that she had sneaked past me, not only to grab a coffee but also was around me to keep an eye on me, whilst I didn't even realize that. She sure was a part of a secretive organization.

"Anyway, now let's get to work. Tell me the specifics and sequelae of your dreams. And tell me everything that happened on the night of the murder. Spare no details."
I told her everything I knew about my dreams until this point. She was taken aback too when she heard that she was in my dream too. I gave her every little detail that I had to my expense and I really, really hoped that she could make some sense out of it.

"Okay, so this is what we know right now. You got weird dreams which repeated themselves for a week, and suddenly the events started happening in real life. Steve Spindler a.k.a Mr. X who was a dead person in your dream was helping you by giving out clues but then like your dream he actually ended up being dead. You have proof that you have killed Mr. X but you have no knowledge of it. Robert who was the officer in your dream turns out to be a real-life character too and it turns out even I was there in your dream"
"Yes, that pretty much sums up everything. So, what do you think about it?"
"Honestly I am lost in awe, and I pity you too. This is the most surprisingly spooky version of déjà vu you could ever come across. And you are on the verge of being sent to prison due to it. I don't have words to say. I'll do whatever I can to help you get out of this mess."
"Thanks a lot, Jessica! I appreciate it."

"So, there are a few possible explanations according to me. But need to test those possibilities. We need to study your sleep, to monitor your brain activity during your sleep so we could get some data on what was actually happening. Tonight you will stay here in our sleep lab. I need to monitor every minute of your sleep. Even if there is a slight change from a normal pattern we might get some clue."
"Alright I am ready. If this is the only way forward, then let's give it a shot."
"Yeah! To be honest I am very excited. This will help me gain a lot of important data which might be put to use for the CIA too."
"Yeah cool! Let's do this"

Everything was set. They had attached some weird looking machines and a lot of cables on my body and my head. They were to continuously measure my vitals and my brain waves which apparently fluctuate when we sleep in a certain pattern and any variations could be found using those machines. I was told to keep the conditions around the bed as it was in my bedroom because the environment could have some role in triggering something too. After everything said and done, it was time for a good sleep. Honestly, though it was a bit sad that I got to sleep while Jessica and Max were awake. But they weren't the ones going to prison in two days. This was the excuse I gave myself to escape this guilt.

"Okay Max, what do the readings show?"
"Ma'am the EEG shows perfect transitions between the NREM stages. He is currently in deep sleep. Vitals are normal. I can see the emergence of delta waves so he is in NREM stage 3. It's pretty normal for sleep at 2:30 AM."
"Alright Max. Be alert, it is almost time when he said he starts to dream."
Jessica just finished saying this and she heard a noise. Well that was just a reminder I had set in my mobile so that I don't stay up till morning working on my cases. But just then something unusual happened.

"Ma'am there is a spike in brain activity. The temperature and respiratory rate are increasing. He has gone into REM sleep."
"Alright! That's right! He is dreaming!"
Little did they know that a huge surprise was waiting for them!!!