I begin to cry. I have lost my one true love. My rock. The one person that made my life worth living. My daughter is sat in the bedside chair looking at me with her sad eyes. They begin to water and soon a tear rolls down her soft fair skin and drops onto the clean white bed sheets in which I am laying. I tell my daughter that I need to rest and she leaves the room. The silence is too much and I end up breaking down. I can’t help thinking about my loss. Who would want to do such a thing? What could drive them to do it? Where did it happen? When exactly did it happen? Why him? Why me? How could it happen to such an innocent man who had a life ahead of him? I lie in my bed and think. What could I have done to provoke the attack? Without warning I start to drift into a silent sleep. Suddenly I picture a dark place. Night time. Trees. A house. My house!
I wake up in a cold sweat and look at the alarm clock my daughter brought in. 2:34 it says but no matter how much I try I can’t sleep. Every time I do eventually drift off I always end up picturing that house. What could it mean?
“Good morning madam, I am inspector Willoughby and I was wondering if you are fit enough to answer me a few questions regarding the night of the murder.
“What do you mean?” I ask the inspector. He makes me feel like I am a suspect. I start to panic. What if I am a suspect? What if I was the murderer? But I can’t be, can I? I mean I ended up injured myself. I can’t remember a thing which makes me panic even more.
“I just need a few details from you. You know what can you remember? Where were you at the time do you know what I mean?”
“Yes inspector.”
“Good, wouldn’t want the murderer being free now would we after all he’s killed once and could kill again. You are our only piece of evidence and three months is a long time to wait for it so whatever you can remember would help us a lot.” He reassured me.
I don’t know what to say. What if I am the only person to help? I can’t remember a thing…unless…what if my dream was the setting for the murder? Would it help the inspector? Might as well give it a shot.
“All I can remember at the time is where it might have happened.”
“Might?”
“Well no, I am positive that it happened outside my house. That it is where the murder took place but that is all I can tell right now. My memory’s a little hazy at the moment but as soon as I remember anything else I will make sure that you are contacted.”
The inspector leaves along with everyone else and yet again I am left on my own. I daren’t sleep in case that image comes back to me. But what if that image was my memory starting to come back? It is 9:56 wonder if anyone will be visiting soon. Before I can stop myself I realise that I am in my little place again. I can see a figure. No two figures. They are all a little blurred but they begin to come into focus I see my love. The murdered one. His corpse. Then the murderer begins to come into focus I’m sure I recognise those eyes. They seem real like I am actually in reality. “Hello again,” he says hoarsely with his eyes like ice. “I’ve been waiting for you. Pity took you so long now they’ll never find me.”
“What do you mean?” I ask nervously wondering if I am dreaming at all. I cannot focus on his other features, all I can do is stare at those icy eyes, those familiar icy eyes.
I gasp.
“What’s the matter he says is it too cold for you. Let me warm you up.”
He begins to walk closer I want to move but I can’t. I can’t help staring at him.
“Well done maybe you ought to think before you go leaving me you bitch, but don’t worry I won’t let you get away this time. It’s amazing what you can do in dreams. Nobody can save you. Can hear you scream. Can see you struggle.”
I start to try and think of a way to wake myself up but it is no use he is too strong. I feel a sharp pain in my lung…..
“Mum are you all right?”
“Where am I?” I ask my daughter. She looks at me in a strange way then I realise that I’m not there any more. “Sorry sweetheart it was just a strange dream, what time is it?” I look across and realise that I had been asleep for nearly 12 hours. Throughout the day I can’t help thinking about who that man was. Something attracted me to him but I am not sure what. A part of me just wanted to run and leap into his arms but another part of me thought that he was too familiar. I really want to sleep but all day I have people coming in and out either checking up on me or coming to see how I am and how I am coping. I didn’t really pay any attention to what they were saying. All I can focus on is that ‘mystery’ man. Was the dream a reality?
At last I am alone. Wonder what my dreams have in hold for me tonight. But that man. His familiar face appearing before mine making me feel the way I’ve never felt before. It is almost like…I love him. I doze off into a deep sleep hoping to meet the man of my dreams literally!
“You’re not going to get away this time.” He tells me.
“Why’s that then?” I reply hoping to catch him out and make him break his disguise.
“You shouldn’t have left me.” He repeats. He walks over to me and gives me the most amazing kiss ever. He’s lips are warm and soft, the way he kisses me is memorable. The kiss makes me realise suddenly…
“It’s you”
The sharp pain in my lung comes back but this time there is no one to wake me up.
BANG
Eliza Garrett
1965-2005
A loving mother who died an
Unexplainable death
Which left an unanswerable
Question…WHY?
……………
