“What are they, if they’re not people?”
“They are aliens. Highly intelligent aliens that are preparing to take over our planet. They are studying us, learning everything about us before they ultimately take over and enslave humanity.”
“And these aliens look like people?”
Richard nodded.
“Just like people, or is there some way to tell them apart?”
“They look just like people, and everyone is fooled. I can see some differences but most of the time even I can’t tell them apart. Only Steven knows how to really spot them.”
“Do you know how Steven spots them?” The Doctor asked.
“No, he doesn’t tell me those things, or at least he hasn’t yet.”
“How do
you
spot them then?” Hays redirected the questions. “I mean the ones that
you
can spot.”
“Sometimes its a strangeness that I pick up. Either they will be doing things that seem opposite from the norm, or they’ll say something that doesn’t ring quite right.” He stopped and thought some more. “And then there is something in the eyes.”
“What do you mean?”
“Something like a blackness around their eyes and it swirls like a hurricane around the socket, sometimes covering the person’s eyes entirely.”
“And you can see this…this blackness, but other people can’t?” The doctor asked.
Richard again nodded.
“And these dreams that you have, are they about the aliens as well?”
“Yes. In my dreams the aliens are always after me. I’m always trying to get somewhere, but I can never remember where I’m trying to get to. They’re trying to stop me.”
“In your dreams, you can see them?” The doctor asked. “I mean for what they are, you see them as aliens?”
“Not at first. At first everyone and everything appear normal, but the closer I get to where I’m going, I begin to see the ones who are off. Just strange things that don’t exactly make sense. Things that make you do a double take and if you don’t catch it fast the moment is gone and everything appears normal.”
“I understand I think.”
“It’s like the times that you think maybe you saw something, and you look again, but by the time you look back everything is normal. They’re that good. Steven says that you have to train your mind to see everything the first time. ‘The omniscient mind that sees everything’ is the only way to beat them according to Steven.”
Richard shifted uneasily in his seat, somewhat uncomfortable about even talking about it.
“Once they know, that I know… I guess that’s when things go bad. There are others, who turn all the way alien. Steven calls it ‘flipping alien’ and they come after me at first, but eventually they call in aliens that are only alien. Or at least they don’t want me to see their human form, or else I’ll know their identity. If that even makes sense. They are like soldier aliens. They are bigger, faster, and more aggressive than the others. It is the last ditch effort of the aliens to prevent me from reaching wherever I’m going.”
“But you can’t remember where you’re going?”
“No, It could be anywhere, or nowhere, I don’t really know.”
“And why are the aliens chasing you? I mean if Steven is the one who knows all about them, why aren’t they chasing him?”
“Steven says that there is something special about me, that’s the reason the aliens chase me, and I think that’s the reason why Steven helps me.”
“Very interesting…” Doctor Hays said. It was as if the Doctor was fascinated by what Richard had to say. “Do you believe that the aliens are real Richard?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well before, you said that you had just been reckless, I gathered the impression that you believed that you had the accident. I thought perhaps that you had remembered details of that night. Now I think that your reoccurring dream of the night might include these soldier aliens. If that’s the case, I’m wondering now, which version you tend to believe to be true. Simply put, I would think that either what Steven says is true, or it isn’t. Either aliens are taking over the world or they’re not. And depending on the answer to that, Steven can either be trusted or he can’t. I think it’s your decision to make.”
Richard’s deeply set eyes revealed a man at his breaking point. He hadn’t slept a solid night in almost a year, yet somehow he felt as if he was becoming used to it. As if his body had somehow changed to accept the lack of sleep.
“Is it possible, Doc, for a body to get so used to being awake that it just stays awake?” Richard asked, dodging the question with a different question. “Do you suppose that I could just not need to really sleep anymore so I just kinda get used to living in a sleepless…” he stopped short as a fly brushed by his nose making him swat desperately at it.
“No, I suppose not Richard.” Hays looked around quickly, wondering what had drawn Richard’s attention. “The human body needs sleep, much like it needs water, and food, and oxygen. Sleep is something that it can do without for seemingly great periods of time, yet at some point the body will find a way to rest. Sometimes this results in the sudden crashes that you seem to have experienced.” Doctor Hays, having found Richard’s focal point, was staring at the fly also. “You see you wake up in a strange place and wonder how, by chance you got there. When really all you have done is fall asleep on the bus or at work, most of the time it happens for very brief moments, say three minutes or so, but the body has found a way to rest itself. The trouble is that when the body falls asleep in such a fashion, it plays havoc on the mind. You begin losing track of time, not knowing where it was you’ve been or where it was that you were going… That sort of thing.”
“It just feels strange Doc. I mean, I don’t wake up in strange places as much anymore and when I fall asleep in my bed, then more and more often that’s where I wake up, but it still doesn’t feel like sleep. I can’t remember things well, that’s the only thing that seems to be getting worse. I’ll wake up in bed and know in my mind that’s where I fell asleep, but I’ll be fully clothed and not remember getting dressed. Sometimes I have cuts and bruises that I can’t remember how I got.”
“And how bad on a scale from one to ten is it effecting your life right now? Is it possible that it is simply forgetfulness caused by stress?” The Doctor asked.
Richard slumped in his chair.
“Well I can tell you that now that we are talking about it, I remember everything that we’ve talked about today, but for the last ten minutes or so, I’ve also been trying to remember how I got here.”
“You mean you’re trying to remember how you got to my office?”
“Not just that, I can’t remember getting dressed this morning, I can’t remember if I walked here or if I rode the bus. I can’t remember entering your office. I remember yesterday, at least I think it was yesterday, and I remember now.”
“Let me ask you Richard, do you remember ever having one of these dreams about aliens in your younger life?”
“No, I know you don’t understand, its hard to understand.”
“You’re right, I don’t understand yet Richard. But there is a difference between refusing to understand and wanting to understand. I want to understand you and I want to understand what is going on here. I want to help. Together Richard, I think we can both understand.”
Richard dropped his head in his lap and stared at the floor.
“Richard,” The doctor paused, speaking slowly, perhaps choosing his words carefully. “You seem very troubled possibly by these recent events in your life. You seem to be suffering both mentally and physically from stress related amnesia, and insomnia. I feel that your mild narcolepsy during the day is simply a byproduct of sleepless nights. Your health and hygiene are both more than slightly below average I would say, and you seem, how should I say?… wound up. “ The doctor paused again this time to clear his throat.
“And?…” Richard insisted.
“These aliens, and the events that surround them, they are still somewhat of a mystery to me. I’d like to talk more about them to try to get some idea of what triggers these dreams.”
“You think that these dreams about aliens are just from being stressed, and nothing can be done?”
“We’re doing it…You’re on medication. Medication can help to either break the habit of insomnia or treat the narcolepsy, depending on which is more threatening to the individual. You’ve seen yourself how the medication has made you sleep better, and keep track of… yourself throughout the day. I know its not a perfect world scenario, but isn’t that promising to you?”
“Yes, but it’s not good enough Doc. I feel like my head is splitting apart, do you understand how crazy I know this must sound to you, but yet its more than reality for me. This dream is… it’s destroying me, and this stuff with Steven, I mean I know that he hasn’t contacted me in almost a month, but if this thing with the aliens is just all in my head, then how would Steven know. I’m telling you that someone from the outside is telling me about the things that haunt me in my mind and you’re saying its just me needing to de-stress.”
Richard shook his head. He began to shed tears, but quickly wiped them away and pinched his lips tightly to keep them from quivering.
“It cannot be that I am merely imagining this… How then do you explain Steven”
“Right now Richard, I need you to calm down a bit. We’ll get to the bottom of Steven during the next few times we meet… Everything will be ok until then. You need to try to relax and try to get Steven out of your head for awhile. I think the prescription we have you on is going to do well to keep the dreams from becoming any more of an issue, and I think now that we’ve established a secure mode of communication we’ll be able to get to the bottom of Steven, but for now he can wait.”
“That being said Richard, I don’t after our initial sessions, find anything seriously wrong with your mental stability. You may of course be suffering from mild paranoia and post stress insomnia, but in my opinion, I find these effects to be temporary, as opposed to permanent. I do however like seeing you Richard, and I feel that I can help you with your, condition for as long as you feel is needed, but it is completely up to you if you choose to return or not.”
“You mean, you don’t think that I have to come back if I don’t feel that I need to?”
“Our initial interaction has been all about you getting some things off your chest and learning to trust me, and me establishing if I think you may be a danger to either yourself or someone else. I can tell you that I don’t feel that you pose a threat. Your symptoms are common and relatively mild for a person with your condition. With the right medication, I think we’ll have you feeling your old self in no time. I think that we’ve established a level of trust just now in this session. For those two reasons I have to say that it is not mandatory that you come see me any longer although it would be encouraged and I feel that you can continue your job and not have to provide your employer with any new doctor slips.”
“That’s a good thing right?”
“Oh yes, it’s a very good thing. But I want you to know that what we’ve completed now, this is the foundation work. I think with even just a few more sessions, we could get so much accomplished and really make some progress towards understanding. I think we could learn to understand Steven and the dreams, and why your mind manifests its stress and anxiety in the form of nightmares about aliens. Some real progress.”
“When would you like me back?” Richard asked.
“Let’s shoot for sometime next week, why don’t you stop and see the nurse on your way out to schedule our next visit.”
“And if I choose not to, will you cut my prescription and force me back?” Richard asked, still feeling mildly in shock at the possibility of getting the green light after mentioning aliens just ten minutes before.
“If you choose not to continue the weekly session, then you will be required to come in for an update once a month, otherwise I am forced by law to discontinue your medication and to notify your employer. It wouldn’t even be a full session, you could come by for a checkup, and we’d chat for a bit and I’d write you up a new script. So as long as we’re clear on that then we should be ok either way no matter what you choose.”
“I’ll think about it and I’ll let you know Doc, ok?” Richard said as he stood up and walked toward the door that led out into the foyer of the clinic. “Everything seems hit or miss in my life right now. I don’t know how one day will be from the next or if I will wake up today and realize it’s tomorrow.” Richard said this last bit with a sad, very weary smirk. He felt like he could break down at any moment and sob uncontrollably, and he didn't know if it was pride in himself, or respect for the doctor that made him force himself to hold it together. He was hopeful in the doctor’s words, but fearful as to what the night might bring. “I’ll see you around Doc, and just so you know, I’m really thankful for you, you know spending the time on me and giving me advice and such.”