ago in counselling.
Evelyn sat down and peered over at the door, ensuring that it was closed. Not satisfied, she jumped up and went over to the door and locked it from the inside. Evelyn did this now and again, and Adam knew that she must be feeling very tense and anxious, as she behaved this way when she felt worried.
“Okay, Evelyn,” Adam started the conversation as she resumed her seat. “Tell me slowly what’s happening in your life right now.”
“Something is wrong. I feel death around me. I can feel it. I can sense it. My dreams are starting up again, bad dreams.” Evelyn talked this way when she was in this state of mind. She could be very abrupt and had no time for social chit-chat or filling in her sentences with warmer tones. Evelyn came across cold to many. People tended to avoid her, and she shunned them. But she liked Adam and sometimes Carol. Adam came to realise that there was something special about Evelyn, and he couldn’t help liking her too. He also had patience for the woman because she was dreadfully lonely and avoided people, however, she felt safe with Adam and Carol and they seemed to be her only contact with people. Adam had told her that she was always welcome to visit the office when she needed a chat.
“Deep breath,” Adam sounded the words out slowly, as if he was deep breathing himself. “First, what do you think is wrong?”
“I dunno! I can feel it, something is wrong,” Evelyn said, looking impatient. She kept looking back at the door and the window. “Even my dreams are all… so clear…” She stopped talking and looked even more distressed.
“Okay? Tell me why you feel something is wrong,” Adam repeated himself.
“Something big is going to happen. In my dreams, well, uh, I am dreaming the same sort of dream.” She looked down, trying to recollect her thoughts or trying to put words to her dreams. She continued, “I sense death, lots of lies, I dunno what I am feeling anymore! I hate these feelings. It’s all around me,” she said, becoming surprisingly calmer as she finished her sentence.
“Are you dreaming these things?” Adam asked.
“Yes, in dreams, and sometimes images just come to me when I am minding my own business. I can’t control them!” She paused, then said, “And remember Adam, you can’t tell anyone about this.”
Evelyn always ended her sentences with this comment, then working herself up and becoming very dramatic, before returning to a contented state of mind. She had these emotional outbursts from time to time. These mood swings seem to only happen when she was distraught about something, however Adam has not seen this behaviour in Evelyn for a very long time.
They talked for nearly one-and-a-half hours, and Adam tried many approaches to calm Evelyn and reassure her. She talked about her dreams and was convinced that they were messages especially for her. Evelyn felt that many people will die and that she could possibly be one of them. She likened it to mass murder of people, similar to an extermination of sorts. But unlike former atrocities, this wave of death brought upon the masses is something entirely new, and never seen before.
After Evelyn left Adam’s rooms, Adam couldn’t help feeling for her. She really believed what she was saying, and Adam found it hard not to believe her himself. In all the sessions and times he spent with Evelyn, she always came across truthful and honourable. If she was rambling on about made-up stories in her mind, she was very convincing–and also consistent. However, he couldn’t just ignore what she was saying either. Evelyn was an Image Carrier and a good one at that. She had told him things in the past that came to fruition, which surprised Adam, hence taking some of what she told him seriously, but what to do with the information?
Adam had tried to study Evelyn in the past, but she wanted nothing to do with that side of herself. She didn’t like being referred to as psychic or an image carrier and found that this ability caused untold problems in her life with many breakdowns in her earlier relationships and friendships. She also told Adam that it was best for her to try and ignore that aspect of herself and focus on real matters instead of living in a fantasy world.
Yet Adam couldn’t help thinking that Evelyn may be tuning into something big. Was she picking up on something about to happen? Or was all this just part of her crazy thinking and paranoia? Evelyn had been doing well over the last few years. Adam had not picked up any strange behaviour that brought about alarm bells in his head. However, he could not get the last part of what she told him out of his head. That an extermination of sorts will occur of the likes we have never seen before. What shook Adam the most was when Evelyn pointed out that this deadly assault on the populace has already begun?
Adam also wondered if this was somehow relevant to what Tom told him and Joey the day before.
Adam’s musings were interrupted when Carol popped into his office. “Just checking if you are okay?” Carol said with a smile. “Evelyn was very distressed. She got me to double check outside before she left, as per usual.” Carol laughed. Adam reminded Carol about Evelyn’s behaviour and to be more supportive. Carol agreed. Carol and Evelyn had become sort of friends over the years and Evelyn’s odd and repetitious behaviour sometimes frustrated Carol, causing her to either laugh or grimace to break her own tension. Adam also wondered what they talked about when he heard them giggling outside before Evelyn’s meeting with him. Sometimes Carol and Evelyn would get on fine and other times, Evelyn steered away from Carol for no good reason.
That night at home, Adam and Joey talked about Tom. Joey was more eager to follow up on Tom, as he believed that something was happening with the old man. Adam wondered if what Evelyn told him was linked somehow and updated his young companion. Joey couldn’t help thinking that they were all connected. He was also a little disappointed that he wasn’t picking up anything to do with disasters or the like.
Seeing Joey’s excitement about the topic, Adam thought he’d better rationalise their conversation. “I am not sure about all this, Joey. Tom could just be a lonely, old rich man looking for company. I don’t think we should entertain his…” Adam stopped to think for a short moment and continued, “Well, I think we should leave the man alone.”
Joey sat up and was not going to leave it at that. Deep down, he was sensing that there was more to Tom and he told Adam. “I can’t put my finger on it mate, but I think the old guy is on to something. I don’t get that he is bullshitting us.” Adam secretly thought along similar lines.
Adam was amazed at Joey’s reaction and seemingly keen interest in Tom as Joey was lazy, not really interested in anyone or anything unless it was his music and catching up with one or two of his no-good acquaintances. Joey’s interest in Tom mystified Adam somewhat, but Adam also couldn’t get rid of his own gut feelings about Tom and wondered what the attraction was.
“Yes, Joey,” Adam humoured him, as he wanted to change the subject. Adam had other things on his mind and didn’t appear to have the energy to continue the conversation. “Let’s talk about Tom another time,” he said, getting up and going to bed. Joey sighed and flicked over the television channel and returned to his thoughts about how he could get Adam interested in returning to Tom’s house.
As Adam went into his bedroom, Joey quickly shouted out, “Okay mate, sleep on it, we will catch up in the morning about Uncle Tom.” Adam pretended he didn’t hear Joey.
The following Saturday morning, Adam heard an irritating noise that woke him up. He slowly opened his eyes to see that it was 7.30 am. From what he could make out of the noise, it sounded like scraping metal. He lay there thinking what it could be and then realised that Joey did stupid things like this from time to time, disturbing his sleep and peace. After a short while, Adam got up and went to investigate. He was surprised to find Joey cleaning the dishwasher,
