Deadly Dreamer - Book One ✔️

Chapter 3

I stand stock still, absolutely frozen to the spot, staring with my mouth slightly ajar at the TV screen. My heart rate has picked up significantly, my hands tremor slightly by my sides and I'm trying to keep my legs steady to ensure I don't fall.

This can't be real.
Someone is playing some really fucked up joke on me and that shit needs to stop.
I can't handle this.

Unless it is real.
My brain pauses, searching for reason, though I find nothing to explain this away.

I can't tell anyone about this, I'll be locked up for sure. Whether it be in an insane asylum or jail it doesn't really matter, no one would believe what I have to tell about my side of the story and plus, I still come across as a murderer either way and that's not what I am. There's no good outcome if I tell anyone.

I guess I could try telling Alex, but he's sure to think I've gone mad. No one wants a girlfriend who thinks she kills random people in her sleep. And saying that in my head doesn't sound logical either. I can't win here.

Hell, I don't even understand the situation.
It didn't feel like me in the dream, but at the same time, I knew it was me. Yes, I definitely sound crazy with my internal commentary. I should keep my thoughts to myself, that's definitely the safest option.

My alternate personality - which is the best solid thought I can gather for this strange situation - went and put my entire life into turmoil by killing a person, whom may or may not have actually done something to threaten me. But then, just to make matters worse the body actually turns up in an alleyway in Pasadena? This is so much to take in!

Normalcy is the key I've decided, acting normal is my best plan right now and I'm sticking to that until I can figure out what the actual fuck I'm truly dealing with here. That's all I can gather in my mind at this point in time. I've got way too much information to understand in my own mind right now, that it's best that I just give Alex a somewhat intrigued answer when he eventually says something to me.

Be normal. Act curious about the case. But be normal. It's just another normal day, just a crazy, crazy, can't make any logical explanation for my dream/reality day.

"-you think? It's pretty crazy huh?" Alex says, interrupting my internal yammering.

"Huh? What did you say?" I stammer back, shaking my head ever so slightly to regain my composure.

He gives me a quizzical look, then his face drops back to normal.

"I said... how haven't they got any kind of information to work from as to what's happened to this guy? Or who's done this? What do you think? It's pretty crazy, huh?"

I nod, "Oh, yeah totally crazy. You would think there would be fingerprints or a camera to view or something...." I trail off as I pray there's no camera in that area.

How would I explain what I was doing there? Especially when I don't even know what really happened, it was like I appeared out of nowhere. Which is wrong, because I was out of breath like I'd been running. Was I being chased or was I chasing? And why?

I have so many questions that can't be answered by anyone. I wish I could just talk to someone. Rather than drive myself even further into a spiral of mindless madness.

"Hello? Dan...? Are you ok?" Alex asks, after what must have been a much too long pause.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good, sorry just had a bad day at work. The jerk is on my case again." I reply in what I hope is a normal tone.

That sounds convincing enough. It's not a lie either. I mean, he was on my case, but I wasn't exactly with it either. But Alex doesn't need to know that.

Alex just stares at me for a minute with clear annoyance on his face.

"You can't keep going on like this Dan, he needs to stop speaking to you like you're a worthless member of the team. You're an associate, not just a simple secretary. You have worked your ass off to get to where you are now. Don't let him forget how important you are."

I've heard this all before. But I know Mr Wynns won't really fire me. He knows very well that I'm an essential part of the firm. I've been working for him in criminal defence for a couple of years now. He just likes to push me around, which I know is wrong, but I let him. There's also the fact that I know he plans on making me partner in a couple of years, so that's why I stick it out. He's also not exactly in his prime at fifty-six, so he won't hang around forever. Retirement is definitely nearing for him, and I couldn't be more excited for it.

"I know babe. He knows it too." I sigh to myself. It's pointless me trying to get recognition from The Lord of the Slime when he only gives recognition for a good tight skirt.

"I'm going to head to bed, I'm exhausted after the day I have had. We've got a big case going at the moment and I could use a little more sleep to get on top of it." I say in the best resigned voice I can manage without over playing it.

"Ok...but just remember what I said. He's not allowed to treat you like you're insignificant. Without you, his firm would fall apart. You're great at your job." He smiles a little to reassure me, I assume. "Go on, I'll be in soon, I just want to watch the rest of this." He turns his attention back to the screen which is still showing the news about the murder.

Hopefully this all dies down soon. My inner thoughts are really using the wrong words.

Turning away, I amble to the bedroom and strip out of my work clothes. It's a cooler night tonight and I'm able to lay a thin sheet across my body without breaking into a rapid sweat. As I shift onto my side, I stare out the window that I've left open so that I can see the stars clearly. They have always calmed me.

I'm dozing off, my mind and body succumbing completely to sleep, but then I feel myself jolt, and suddenly I'm in a quiet street with my back pressed firmly against a cool brick wall. Hands splayed to steady myself, I look around and my initial thought is 'not again'.

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Poor Danica, another one of these dreams has come about and she's barely grasping the first one!

What is she to do?

Thanks for reading. Don't forget to press on the little star at the end if you enjoyed the chapter.

Shantelle 😁