~ The dark night sky separates us to lay bare our hearts as they call out to each other. Cast off your useless trappings. Some things can only be seen when you've lost everything.~ Kiseki no Umi - Maaya Sakamoto
Jase walked into the kitchen and inhaled deeply. Bacon and eggs, the most wonderful breakfast in the world. He took a chair at the small round table and sipped at the glass of orange juice his mother had poured for him. Naila was already shoveling through her food, watching cartoons on the small TV that sat on the counter.
He mother set a plate down in front of him. "Here you are. Enjoy!"
He smiled and picked up his fork. He took a bite of the eggs, always perfect. His mother was a terrific cook. The TV channel changed as a news bulletin came on.
"Breaking news this early morning. Tragedy strikes a Chicago apartment building as a young woman's mutilated body was discovered by a downstairs neighbor. The neighbor reported saying that blood from the woman had seeped through the floor and dripped down into her apartment. Police suspect the woman's fiance is involved. They ask if you have any information regarding the crime that you contact Chicago police immediately. Now, back to your scheduled programming."
"That is just awful. What is happening to people these days?" His mother said, shaking her head.
"That's scary." Naila agreed.
Jase was silent. Suddenly, he didn't feel like eating.
...
The waiting room in Dr. Hale's office was as dull as it ever was. Boring Reader's Digest magazines and public programming on the TV. Jase sighed. Why was he still coming here? It's not like Dr. Hale could help him. He's been a patient since he was seven, what could this man do now that he hasn't been able to in the past ten years?
The door to his room opened up. Dr. Hale escorted a woman out. "Don't forget to keep your dream journal up to date, Sarah."
"I won't Dr. Hale."
Dr. Hale waved goodbye and turned to Jase. "My favorite patient. Come on in Jase."
Jase frowned and followed him into the room. He sat down in his usual seat and waited for Dr. Hale to get his file. Dr. Hale sat down across from him.
"So, how have you been this week, Jase?" He asked.
"Fine. It's been a normal week."
"Normal? What defines a normal week for you?"
"No nightmares. No incidents that require me to be here."
Dr. Hale chuckled. "You used to enjoy coming here. It got you out of school."
"Yeah, but now mom schedules me for Saturday appointments."
Dr. Hale crossed his legs. "So, no nightmares then? "
"No."
"Your mother tells me different."
Jase shook his head. "She called you and told you about last night?"
"No, she called and expressed concern about your nightmare on Wednesday. What happened last night?"
Jase mentally scolded himself for falling for Dr. Hale's tricks. "It was just a unpleasant dream. Nothing serious."
"What did you dream about?"
"I dreamed about...dying."
"You died?"
Jase nodded. "Yeah. I just dropped dead."
Dr. Hale sighed. "Jase, in order for you therapy to be effetive, I need honesty from you. I'm nt going to argue that you're lying to me now, but know that I am a little disappointed."
Jase didn't say anything. Dr. Hale nodded. "Very well then. Tell me about your dream."
As he spoke, Dr. Hale took several notes. "I was walking down this dark alley. I don't know where I was. I just stopped and dropped dead."
"This occurence of death in your dreams is becoming more and more common. Is there anything going on in your life that you need to talk about? Anything stressful?"
"No, everything is fine. It's all-"
"Normal?"
Jase looked at him. "Yes, normal."
"Jase, this obesession you have with your life being normal leads me to believe that you in fact don't think your life is normal. It is in the nature of humans to want to conform and be accepted by others. When we are different, we feel a sense of inadequacy. We feel like we stick out and no one understands us. Even people who feel they are different from everyone else are in fact the same. Some people thrive on the false belief that they are different. They lable themselves as individuals, but in reality, they are using the same products as everyone else to achieve this. It is true that there is only one of each of us, and we can never be truly copied. That is where true uniqueness lies. Inside, not out."
"I am different from everyone else."
"I know you are, but how?"
Jase thought about it. "I am different on the inside."
The timer on Dr. Hale's desk went off. "That's a shame. We'l' continue this next Saturday Jase. Remember what I said."
Jase nodded. "I will Dr. Hale."
