The Curse Conduit

By the time Dr Horton had heard their story he was thinking very seriously about having them all certified. Uriah did not strike him as the kind of person who would willingly go along with such a story just to cover up anything. He also had to remember how his patient, Derek had presented to him. Never in his life had he seen symptoms like those he had encountered with Derek. But what really nudged the Doctor into thinking that these men were actually telling the truth were Casta and Simian. He listened as they told their side of the story.

The room was silent for a while as the four men waited for Dr Horton’s reaction. The Doctor in returned looked from one man to the other. He sighed and let his gaze fall on Derek. “So you are telling me every time you fall asleep you dream about these people?”

In silence Derek nodded and then Dr Horton looked at Uriah. “You to?”

But it was Simian that answered. “They both do and like we said it is scary. How can a dream put you in hospital?”

Dr Horton sighed again and shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea. There is no explanation. But from what you have said things are getting dangerous.” Once again the Doctor looked at Derek. “You can’t stay awake forever and you said that you have had these dreams all your life. Maybe they will just stop like they did before.”

Derek shook his head. “I don’t think so Doc. Don’t ask me how I know but I think we have to fix something, do something before they will stop. I know it sounds crazy.” He let his words trail off. Derek had not had a chance to tell the others what he had dreamt after he had passed out, what he had seen but he was convinced that if he did not figure it out his own life would be shorter than he expected or even wanted.

Dr Horton’s words rippled through the room. “I really don’t know how I can help you. There is no reason to keep you. From a medical stand point you are free to go if you feel up to it. I am worried about what will happen if these episodes escalate. It is obvious that you would not have died even though your initial tests showed you had lost a lot of blood. But I am worried that your body won’t know the difference between real and imagination and it will shut down.” He looked very seriously at Derek and then at Uriah. “I am at a loss as how I can help you but I will be available if you need me.” Dr Horton pulled out his wallet and gave each man his card. “Anytime day or night. If I don’t answer it usually means I am at the hospital.” Again he looked at Derek. “I’m sorry Mr Mailer I wish there was more I could do.”

Derek gave the doctor a smile. “That’s okay doc. At least you didn’t order the strait jackets. I appreciate that. Thanks.”

As the Doctor left, Casta looked very seriously at Derek. “I don’t think either of you should be left alone from now on.” He looked at Uriah before continuing. “How do we get to the bottom of this and make it all go away?”

Uriah had no answer for his friend but he did know that he was right about not being left alone. “Casta is right. Maybe we should hire out a hotel suite until this is all over.”

Simian’s voice was tempered with anguish and uncertainty. “What if it is never over?”

Derek shot him a look that bordered on sheer horror. “It has to be Simian. We can’t spend the rest of our lives like this. I don’t want to die!”

At Derek’s last words his friends looked at him stunned. Uriah stepped closer to the bed. “What did you see Derek? What would make you say that?”

“Uriah. Like I told the Doc. I can’t seem to get my head around this but I know if we don’t fix it, like Declan, like Danny, I will die. I don’t want to die.”

Again Uriah pushed his friend for an answer. “Derek. What did you see? You have to tell us if we are going to help.”

Derek lowered his eyes so he was looking down at the bed. “It’s what I heard.” He looked at Uriah. “Remember I said that Uri saw me.” All his friends nodded. “Well this last time he talked to me. It’s like he is living a dream as well. He knows who I am, who I really am.” Derek looked to Uriah, his face pale. “He said he had been waiting for me, he knew I would come back. He’d seen me earlier in his life. Thought I was some ghost.” Derek took a deep breathe. “Every time these dreams start-up he has seen me.”

Simian was shaking his head. “How can that be? He is long since dead and you keep dreaming about the same thing. How can he possibly have lived the same moment over and over?”

“He didn’t Simian. I get to live the same moments over and over but he has seen me throughout his life and always when some important event was about to happen in Declan’s life. That’s why he knew his friend was going to die. He saw me.”

Uriah could see that Derek was having trouble but he still hadn’t answered his question. “Then why did you say you are going to die. When you are the one that turns up when others are fated to do so.”

Again Derek looked at his friends with sorrow and pain in his eyes. “I dreamt about Danny as well. Declan had been invading Danny’s dreams. Kept telling him he had to change things, that’s why he married Bethie and didn’t wait until after the war.” Derek could see that Uriah was getting frustrated. “Can’t you see? I have to change things or I will die. That is the reason for the dreams.”

It was Casta that exploded with all his Latin temper and passion. “No! What do you have to change? What is there to change? This is not right. Derek this is not your destiny. I do not believe it. I will not believe it. We find a way to stop these dreams and you will be alright.”

In such a quiet, calm voice it unnerved the others Uriah spoke. “And what about me Casta? How do you explain my part in all this?” Uriah waited for someone to answer him knowing that they could not. “There is no explanation. For whatever reason this has happened, we must continue on this journey until the end if we are to have any hope of regaining control of our own lives.”

Under his breath Derek spoke. “And saving mine.”