The Prophecy - 3. Chapter 3

Jason finally went back to his apartment. He let in fresh air, and then he showered, dressed and made himself a meal. He ate an enormous pile of scrambled eggs and ham directly from the pan. He saw the package of psychotropic drugs, picked it up, but then placed it back on the kitchen counter. He would not need the pills anymore. Jason called the doctor’s assistant and cancelled his appointment at the end of the week. He was not insane, he was not distressed nor was he burned out nor did memories from a past life haunt him. Leonard had offered a plausible explanation. Jason looked out of the window and watched a few children playing a game.

A thought struck him. The energy form tried to get in touch with him, probably to pass him a message and he was most likely expected to do something with it. What if he was expected to do something morally reprehensible, commit a crime, for instance? What if he rejected to do what he was expected to do? Would the energy form then look for someone else or would it continue to bother him for weeks, months, or even years? Jason stiffened at the dreadful prospect.

He saw Leonard approaching with a bag in his hand. The man spoke to the children who did not respond and only looked at him awkwardly. Leonard turned away and entered the house. A short time later, Jason went up to his apartment and rang the bell. Leonard opened the door and looked at him.

"Sorry to disturb you again," Jason said. "A thought has occurred to me. I’m having a question."

Leonard invited him in and led him to his living room. A big apple pie was placed on the table.

"I'm hungry," Leonard said with a laugh. "You must think I’m a glutton. Would you like a piece of the pie and a cup of coffee maybe?"

Jason agreed. He sat down while Leonard went into the kitchen. The man came back a couple of minutes later with plates, cups and forks.

"All right," Leonard said when he was seated. "What question came to your mind, Jason?

Jason told him and Leonard pondered for a while. "You’re absolutely right," he said. "We need to find out what this message is all about. Try to remember every detail of your dream, Jason."

"The man is locked up in small room, the floor and the walls are made of stone, a prison cell perhaps. I was under the impression that the cell was empty. I saw no furniture," Jason said.

"A young man, locked up, bound to die in this room and therefore looking for help. He created an energy form that he sent out to you. You’re most likely able to understand his wish and his mission," Leonard said.

"I don’t have a clue," Jason replied.

"Next time try to contact him, ask him, instead of just watching the scene. Try to find out when and where he lived, so that we can try to locate him in space and time and get more background information. I mean, did he live in England or in Japan? Did he die ten years ago, or forty, or maybe hundred or even a thousand years ago?" Leonard said.

"Next time..." Jason murmured. "So the dreams will continue?"

"I guess so," Leonard replied, taking a bite of the apple pie.

Jason looked at him. "I’m not certain I can intervene. Can I seize control of the dream?" he asked.

Leonard nodded. "You certainly can. Just tell yourself before you drift to sleep that your conscious mind will intervene. Don’t be afraid. That’s what the energy form wants you to do anyway. It wants to connect to your conscious mind. Take control of the dream," he said.

"Easier said than done," Jason replied. He leaned back and looked into the room, feeling overwhelmed with the task.

"It’s all new to you, but you will grow with the challenge. You have done pretty well so far," Leonard said.

"It seems you’re an expert in these kinds of things," Jason said, turning his eyes back to him.

Leonard waved his fork. "Not an expert. But I have been studying these phenomena for many years, decades so to speak. I’m sixty-nine," he said.

"I’m twenty- five," Jason said lamely.

"Well, I was your age when I first got confronted with the supernatural as people love to call it," Leonard said. "My grandmother died and from that day on our house was haunted. In all honesty, strange things were going on, like cupboards moving, silverware clattering, or lights switching on and off. My mother said that my grandmother could not leave because something was left unaccomplished. We searched the house thoroughly and we found a piece of paper, her last will, hidden in a cupboard. The phenomena stopped that very day. My curiosity was aroused and I started to study these phenomena at length. I’m an amateur researcher, though. I did it all in my spare time. I had a wife and four children to look after."

Leonard leaned back and folded his hands

"My wife died seven years ago and my children have a life of their own. I have plenty of time now that I’m retired. I spend my time mainly with reading and crossword puzzles. I could imagine it sounds boring to you," he said. "What’s your profession, Jason? I saw you usually leave the house at eight in the morning and come back at half past five."

Jason smiled. "I work with a car company, Taylor & Grimson. But I’m not a salesman. I work in the accounts department. We sold a Bugatti Veyron last week, gigantic horsepower, one of the fastest cars in the world," he said.

"I can’t really imagine why people need such a fast car, perhaps for compensating their deficiencies," Leonard said drily.

Jason gave a laugh. "Well, yes, this could be an explanation. Then again, the car is simply awesome."

"Awesome, like I said, compensating..." Leonard mumbled to himself.

They parted a short time later and Jason promised to seize control of the dream in case the dream came back at night. And so it did.

He awoke with a start, or so it seemed to him, but then he realized that he was still dreaming. This time, however, he was able to reflect on what he saw. Leonard’s advice had worked out. Jason was able to take control of the dream.

He watched the scene from the distance, then stepped closer and approached the man. Unlike the previous times, the man did not reach out his hand to him, but stood motionless and waited for Jason to join him. They exchanged a look. "What date is it?" Jason asked. The young man gave him a sad look. "The 18th of May 1012. I was mistaken. So it’s up to you now," he said in a grave voice. Jason awoke and was disoriented for a moment until he realized that he was lying in his bed. He sat up and switched on the light, and then scribbled down all he had heard and seen in a notebook that he had placed on the bedside table.

"Goodness," he muttered when he had finished. He lay down again and after a couple of minutes fell asleep. He slept sound and safe until nine in the morning. After breakfast, he hurried up to Leonard’s apartment. The man invited him in and cleared the table from the newspaper that he had been reading.

"So it worked out?" Leonard asked curiously.

"It did," Jason said and opened his notebook. "The man is young, younger than I am, eighteen, nineteen or so. He has blue eyes and fair, very short hair, and a shaven crown. He was dressed in a robe. He looked like the people I saw on a renaissance fair. He said it was the 18th of May 1012 and that he was mistaken and that it was up to me now. He sounded very sad."

"A thousand years have passed by," Leonard said thoughtfully.

"What?" Jason asked.

"He probably died on the 18th of May 1012, a thousand years ago," Leonard said. "The energy form has waited for a thousand years to pass on the message. A truly mighty energy form, a truly urgent wish, a truly important mission, it seems."

They exchanged a long look.

Jason shuddered. "Goodness," he mouthed. "What does he want me to do?"

"We’ll find out about it," Leonard said. "We must find out about the year 1012. What happened back then?"

"I have no idea," Jason said with a shrug. "I was never interested in medieval things."

"I’m going to ask a friend of mine," Leonard said. "Gary. He's a retired historian. He might help us with it." He paused. "The best source, however, is your dream, Jason. I suspect it will come back. Watch and question the man."

"I need more time," Jason replied. "I need to go back to work on Monday."

"Another sick note?" Leonard suggested.

Jason shook his head. "I cancelled my appointment with the doctor. I’ll call my boss and ask if I can take a vacation. I have not yet had a single day off."

"Don’t risk your job," Leonard said. "Times are bad. This car company seems to make a lot of money. Bugatti or what was the name of the car?"

Jason smiled and rose to his feet. "Bugatti, yes. And I’ll call my boss anyway."

Against his expectations and much to his relief, Jason’s boss agreed to a two weeks' vacation.