Dad rushed me to the hospital, scooting me into the emergency department and demanding to see someone right away. As always, he was over reacting and I felt a little embarrassed for him. I was fine, I felt fine. Just a little weirded out by the vivid dream. Why did someone shoot my mom? Is that how she really died? Or has my brain developed some elaborate messed up dream to torture my night? Why had my ears bled? Why do I feel fine?
I was quickly taken to a side room for examination, clearly dad's words had somehow struck a note with hospital staff. Because one minute he was being told to wait patiently, the next minute staff had rushed out to come to my aide.
An entire hour passed before we were ushered to another room to see a specialist, most of that hour had been spent waiting. Which only flustered my dad even more. I had been told to sit a chair that looked more like it belonged in a dentist's surgery than in a hospital side room.
Eventually a tall middle aged man entered the room, he walked slowly and confidently, his smile lit up the room. Something about this man was warming my very heart, already I felt that he brought good news.
"Hello Melanie." His voice was calming like the narrator of a movie, like Morgan Freeman or something. That was it, he sounded like Morgan Freeman.
"My name is Doctor Watkiss." He continued. "You won't remember me but I have known you for quite some time."
My dad smiled at Doctor Watkiss as he moved closer to the chair I was on. "Mr Wilson. Good to see you again."
My dad had never mentioned a Doctor Watkiss before, and why do I not remember him at all?
"I was the consultant who treated you when you first slipped into your coma many years ago."
Ah, that why I don't remember him.
He beamed his wondrous smile and continued to speak to me like a real adult, much respect to the guy for that gesture.
"I'm pleased to see that you are all grown up now, but can only apologise that you have wound up back here with some troubles."
"It's okay doc. My dad just worries, I honestly feel fine." I smiled back at him, hopefully he would see us on our way now and we could get back home.
"May I speak with you father for a second Melanie? It won't take long."
"Sure." I said sceptically.
Doctor Watkiss and my dad moved briefly out of the examination room. So, I remained sat in dentist chair, twiddling my thumbs whilst more secretive things were going on in my strange life.
Doctor Watkiss returned with my dad not far behind. That beaming smile had moved south slightly on the doctor, that didn't bode well for little old me.
"I have informed your father that there is nothing to be concerned about. All of your tests have come back fine, although we are still concerned what has caused the strange bleeding that you suffered."
I didn't have an answer for that, but the positive news was that I wasn't gonna drop down dead, well, hopefully.
"Your father tells me prior to this happening you told him that you had a bad dream. One that you considered scarily realistic."
"Yes. It was like my old memories before my coma were coming back somehow. But I know that's impossible because doctors have told my dad that it's highly unlikely that will ever happen."
The doctor sighed but quivered a hint of a smile as he did so. "I wouldn't say impossible. But, then again your condition is a very rare case indeed."
"My condition?" I reiterated.
"Melanie. I need to ask you some questions about your dream. It may help me pertain of your memory is indeed coming back or not." Again, the smile faced a little.
"What do you need to know?" I became the teeniest bit reluctant to now give too much away, I needed to know what clearly the doctor already knew and most likely what my dad was also hiding.
"Your father tells me that in your dream you are in stuck in some kind of laboratory. What happens in your dream when you are trapped there?"
I swallow hard and begin to inform the doctor of the harrowing events from my dream.
"I hear voices at the end of the hallway, before I reach the end I hear a loud bang, a gunshot."
"Do you recognise the voices?" Doctor Watkiss asked.
"No. But I hear my mother's name mentioned, which shocked me."
"Then what happened?"
"I heard another gunshot." My eyes began to well with tears, this wasn't as easy as I thought it might be.
"What happened after you heard the second gunshot?" The doctor seemed deeply intrigued so I continued to explain, wiping my eyes with the sleeve of my shirt.
"I froze on the spot outside the doorway."
"And did you see anyone? Did you see who had been shot?"
"No. I couldn't quite see inside even though the door was open. I dared not look l, and then I heard footsteps, someone was walking towards the door, towards where I was standing."
"Melanie, did you run?"
"No. I was terrified, I couldn't move."
"Did you see the person?"
I swallowed again, fearful that I was back in that awful dream. Beads of sweat ran down my forehead.
"Yes. He was a doctor or a scientist, I can't be sure. He was holding a gun, and he was- he was smiling."
The doctor seemed to take a deep breath, he reached to an inside pocket of his long white coat, he produced a photograph and held it out for me to see.
"Is this the man you saw?"
My heart stopped in my chest, I gasped when I saw those thin spectacles, they slick greying hair and the shortly trimmed beard, those dark dead eyes staring at me from the photograph.
"Yes. H-how? Why do you have that photo? How did you know he would be the man from my dream?" I began to panic.
"That wasn't the first time he had been in your dreams, was it?" He seemed sure of himself now and his tone became confident.
"No. He has appeared to me many times before, always that sly grin, always the killer." The words rolled off my tongue with no effort at all, like it wasn't even me that spoke them.
I burst out before he could speak again, "Who is he? Why do I have nightmares about him? Why? Why? Tell me!" I demanded.
Doctor Watkiss placed his hand upon my shoulder, he seemed cautious about making contact with me.
"I will explain everything. But right now I need you to remain calm. Anger is a trigger to your condition, you must please try to remain calm and focused. Do you understand Melanie?"
I didn't understand, what the hell was going on? Who was that man, who is this doctor and why the concern over me losing my temper? Don't I have that right to lose it? My world is spinning wildly and he is telling me to remain calm.
"Melanie. Listen to me, stay calm and everything will be okay. I promise." Watkiss spoke again, moving his hand away from me slowly.
"Dad? Take me home, I want to go home."
"Just stay calm baby, the doctor is here to help." My Dad remained seated and didn't move a muscle to help me. What is going on?
"Screw help. I want to go home!" I was yelling now and suddenly both the doctor and my dad also up to keep me pressed against the chair. I saw the doctor mouth the words "Oh No." He was looking deep into my eyes, his own eyes seemed filled with fear.
I saw him reach down to his belt and press a button on a white device clipped onto his trousers.
I struggled and they both managed to keep me held in place. I kicked my legs and then the door flung open.
Two bulky men in black suits stormed into the room, quickly pinning me down with force, the doctor stepped aside and began to apply straps around my chest, wrists and ankles.
Where did those come from? I guess that is why the chair is designed the way it was, I knew there was something odd about this chair.
I didn't stand a chance against these brutes, my dad was now further back and looking on with sorrow washed across his face. Why wasn't he helping?
The guards wore sunglasses, but somehow I could see through the dark glass and could see the fear in their eyes. I couldn't overpower them, wait! I was. How is that p-
I was stretching the straps and moving back the huge arms of these burly men, their facial expressions were as shocked as I was. I could feel my legs snap the leather buckles holding me down, my arms more powerful than the two men trying in vain to hold me down against the chair. I heard the leather straps at my wrists snap. I felt the cold sting in my neck. And then I passed out.