Prescient

Prescient

 

By Len Morgan

Adam Quest, Psychiatrist in residence, silenced his pager and read the scrolling message:  Dr AQ 2rm24~patient S.Odell.  He winced, he'd not been looking forward to this one, but it couldn't be put off.  The time had come for Sarah's reality check.

She stood at the window, gazing into a cloudless sky.  Dust motes danced unheeded through shafts of bright sunlight entering through the blinds.

"It's a glorious day," he said.

"There's a storm coming," she replied.

He stood beside her shading, his eyes from the suns glare. "There is?"

"I know these things," she said.

"Or you listen to the weather forecast perhaps?"  She didn't reply.  "Shall we sit?" He pulled up a chair for her.

"Not using the comfy couch today?" She didn't move from the window, so he sat down, facing the empty seat.

"How are we today?"

"I'm well thank you, but you will not be if you keep your lunch appointment at 'Gordino's'."

"What have you heard," he spoke in his routine unflappable voice.  He'd arranged to meet his fiance at 'Gordino's' at 2pm.  He'd booked a quiet table for two in the rear.

"Call her and tell her to meet you somewhere else, as far from that restaurant as possible." He ignored her outburst and began writing up her notes.  "Wasting my breath aren't I?  You'll go right ahead regardless of what I say..."

"Hmm," he grunted, shifting in his seat.

"Well I've warned you, so my conscience is clear."

"My dining arrangements are none of your concern.  Now can we proceed please?"

She turned to face him, her auburn hair swishing past her face like an opening curtain, revealing full vermilion lips and deep blue, hypnotic eyes.  She shook her head, "such a waste."

"I'm well aware that you are a voluntary patient.  You can come and go as you please; I have to believe that you want your condition to improve.  So, sit down and let's get started."

She sat, leaning towards him across the table. "It isn't to late, she will understand, just call her!" she spoke in earnest.

"Moderate your voice please, or we will have security arriving from all quarters."

"I'm sorry, Doctor--, Sorry."

"That's better.  If we both keep cool heads we will make progress," he glanced at her notes.  "Now according to your notes, you claim to be 'prescient'?  Can you describe to me how the condition manifests itself."

She smiled, revealing even white teeth, her eyes sparkled drawing him in, "It's quite simple.  I have flashes - like waking dreams - I see something that is going to happen in the future.  Usually, I have no idea when or where the event will take place."

"Mmm, I must say as a predictive tool it's hardly laser technology." he gazed into her earnest eyes.  "So, tell me how it impinges on your life, and what you would like me to do about it?"  His pencil poised, an inch above her notes, its hard dark shadow softened and disappeared.  He heard raindrops against the window; gentle at first, they grew rapidly louder masking her reply.

"Did you know I got disqualified from driving?"

"I'm sorry?" He said.

"I was disqualified from driving," she repeated, her words punctuated by flashes of lightning.  A sharp clash of thunder followed 15 seconds later.

"I had a flash in the middle of the M25 motorway and wrote off my lovely little Ford Fiesta."  He nodded without looking up.  "The judge said I was driving 'without due care and attention'.  Apparently, I was weaving drunkenly in and out of the traffic; I explained it was because I'd had a flash, so he gave me a six month suspended jail sentence and banned me from driving, pending a psychiatric report, he also gave me 6 points on my driving license and a £250 fine." She gave him a wane smile and a resigned shrug. The sky brightened again; the storm had passed over, as quickly as it arrived.

"So, what exactly do you want me to do?" He asked.  

"Why stop them of course, stop the flashes.  The first happened six months ago.  The second happened six weeks after the first.  Then there was a week between the second, third, and fourth.  Now, I'm getting them once or twice a day without warning.  They have destroyed my career, I've had to give up a well-paid job because I can't trust myself."

"Why do you think you are getting these f-- 'waking dreams'?"

"If I knew that I would be happier.  It's not knowing that scares me."

"Has your G.P. checked you out?"  She nodded.  "Did he send you to hospital for tests, in case there is a physical cause?"

"A scan, blood test and ECG, yes.  They found nothing abnormal, no growths or hormonal imbalance just slightly raised blood pressure nothing to cause alarm."

"So, all the preparation work has been done.  Hmm.  So we know it isn't a physiological anomaly."  He took an instrument from his pocket and raised it to his eye.  "Look at the light please," he examined her eyes, "no aberrations there," he closed the blinds, and noticed that the rain had stopped and the sun was shining once again.  He dimmed the room lights.  "Join me over here please," she sat on the couch beside him.

"Have you ever been hypnotized?"

"No, I thought it was just theatrical hocus-pocus," she said.

"Well, it's not the universal panacea we in the profession had hoped for, but it does have its uses."

"Are you going to put me under?"

"Would you have any objection to that?"

She thought for a moment--  He waited.  "No."

"I should warn you that not everybody is a suitable subject, but all we can do is try."

"Will I know when you begin?"

He smiled and shuffled his pen from hand to hand, "it's important that you are comfortable and relaxed.  Would you prefer a nurse to be present?"

"Yes please."

He pressed a button beside his chair, a nurse entered and sat beside the door, out of Sarah's direct line of sight. 

"Nurse White is here to observe and will take no part in the proceedings, do you understand?"  Sarah nodded.  "Do you mind if we record the session?"

"No, it would be interesting to hear just what happens."  Nurse White moved slightly and there was a click.

"Now close your eyes, breath slowly, and deeply.  When I count to three you will sleep.  you will still be able to hear me and respond to my questions, relax, relax, one... two... three."

"For the record, your name is Sarah O'Dell?"

"Yes."

"You're 27 years old?"

"Yes."

"How long have you lived in Barchester?"

"Twenty-five years."

"Do you recall your first 'waking dream'?"

"Yes."

"Would you describe it please?"

"It was 06:55pm on Tuesday evening.  I like to watch 'Holby City' so I went over to switch on the TV.  Suddenly I was in a dark cellar, I could hear running water and feel damp stones underfoot.  It smelt musty - like mushrooms.  I could hear a dog whimpering and a voice 'don't fret Bobby they'll miss us soon, and start a search.  They'll find us, you'll see!'  There followed a low rumble, and the dog started barking in earnest; then the Holby City theme tune began, and I was standing by the TV."

"How did you feel?"

"I was terrified and cold, I could still smell it, and my feet felt clammy.  It wasn't until I sat down on the couch that I began to feel a little more like my old self."  She shuddered.

"What did you think?"

"I felt as if somebody had switched channels, and then switched back again only it wasn't the TV, it was my life that changed.  I was afraid to move in case it happened again.  It didn't, but I couldn't move.  I must have fallen asleep because suddenly it was the early hours of Wednesday morning, there was some game show on.  I live alone, so I had no one to confide in this is the first time I've told anybody about it."

"Thank you!  How did this affect you?"

"I became nervous and fearful in case it happened again.  Other people noticed the change in me.  

"How did this change your life?"

She licked her lips, "I became hesitant, nervy, and uncertain."

"How had you been immediately before the incident?"

"I was a confident, friendly and outgoing, extrovert," she paused and reflected before continuing, "I was getting back to my normal self when it happened again, in the middle of ASDA--"

"Can you share that experience with me?"

"I saw a young woman with a child in a pram, and a toddler dawdling behind her."  She licked her lips, "I noticed them leave the store, then the flash hit!  I saw them heading for the car park and the toddler wandering off between two cars, into an empty parking space.  Two cars were racing for the space.  The winner didn't even see the child but must have felt the bump.  It was so vivid that I abandoned my shopping trolley and rushed out of the store.  I grabbed the child's arm an instant before he ran in front of the parking car.  At that instant, the mother reached her car.  She looked back and gave me a look of pure hatred.  'Hey! Leave my child alone!'  I tried to explain, but she had hardened her mind. She smacked the child 'Don't you ever let a stranger hold your hand!  She yelled.  All eyes turned in my direction when she yelled out 'pervert!'  "I kept walking, the toddler's voice wailing in my wake."

"Did you learn anything from the experience?"

She paused and shook her head.  "No.  If I had I wouldn't have tried to warn you about the explosion at 'Gordino's'..."

"Explosion?  You didn't mention that..."

"I saw you sitting with a young woman wearing a dark business suit, and a pale blue blouse.  She had short dark hair and carried a tan briefcase.  You were laughing together, drinking coffee.  I glanced out the window, the town hall clock said ten past two, then there was an explosion."  She looked straight at him.  "Even if I am wrong, what harm would it do to change your venue?"

"I will change it to a later time, will that make you rest easier?"  He'd decided to humour her, against all logical reason. 

"Yes," she visibly relaxed, "that will put my mind at ease."

"Sarah, I'm going to count down.  When I reach one you will awake refreshed and relaxed.  Three... Two... One."  He clicked his fingers and her eyes opened.

"I'm ready, you can start whenever you like," she smiled at him.

.-...-.

The session was over, he escorted her to the reception desk and scheduled a follow-up appointment for the following week.  Then he called 'Gordino's' to cancel his reservation and see if he could book a later time, but they were fully booked. 

He rang his fiancé, "Angie, something has come up and I can't make 2pm, can we try that small cafe near your school?"

.-...-.

They met at 2:15pm and enjoyed a pleasant meal.  Over coffee, he shared the bizarre story with her.  Angie was vice-principal at the local comprehensive school, so after settling the bill Adam walked her back to school.  It was 3:00pm by his watch when he glanced up at the Town Hall clock, which showed 2:10pm.  He pointed it out to Angie, she laughed.

"That old thing hasn't worked for years," she said.

"Then in theory, the explosion could have happened at any time."

"That's if your story were true."

"I'll have to leave you here," he said.  "I have an appointment at 3:15pm."  He kissed her.

"My god!" She pointed to a plume of smoke rising from the direction of 'Gordino's'.  Then they heard it, and felt the blast of the explosion.