The Dreamer

“You may see Dr. Engel now,” the lady said.

Andy arose and entered the office. Dr. Engel, a fully white-haired man, sat behind his desk, his usual pipe stuck in his teeth. The smell of pipe tobacco lingered in the air.

“Andy, I’ve been thinking about our last session.”

Andy stayed standing.

“I know you feel that your dreams are premonitions. Your daughter’s car accident, the neighbor’s tree falling on their roof, and the school catching fire.”

“Yes, Doctor. I dreamed about all those events before they happened.”

“That’s why I’d like to go to our sleep lab. We’ve tried lots of Rorschach tests, but I think we’ll attempt something different.”

“I still think all those inkblots look like a cloud.”

Dr. Engel chuckled. “Well, yes. They do. Come this way.”

Andy followed the doctor to a yellow wallpapered room. A large window displaying an all white room where a bed hooked to many monitoring devices rested.

“Please lay down on the bed in there.”

Andy obliged. The lights went from white to a dim red glow.

“Andy, I’m going to hang this chain on this hook in the window. As you can see, it’s quite strong.” The doctor yanked on it several times to demonstrate. Concentrate on this chain and I want you to dream that it will fall into two pieces. Notice the shiny silver mixed with the unusual green. You’ll know it when you dream.”

“Ok,” Andy responded, “I’ll try.”

“Go to sleep now.”

Andy laid on the bed for twenty minutes and drifted off into sleep. An hour passed and he entered REM sleep. The suspended chain broke in two. The bottom half fell to the sill with a ‘chink’..

The Doctor nodded. “Just as I thought. These aren’t premonitions. He’s causing these things to happen.”


299 Words
Flash Story Must Contain: Chain, Cloud, Yellow