Two days had passed since Lucian's discharge from the hospital. Dr. Jane visited him at home, bringing a bag of groceries and preparing a warm, nourishing meal to aid in his recovery. She helped him with his medication, ensured he was comfortable, and even took care of his laundry. Every gesture reflected her quiet kindness and genuine concern.
As she prepared to leave, Lucian offered her a grateful smile.
"I'm okay, Jane. You don't have to worry about me."
Dr. Jane hesitated for a moment. There was something different about Lucian-something in his eyes, in the way he spoke-but she dismissed it as the lingering effects of his ordeal.
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me, okay?" she said gently.
Lucian nodded, and Jane left, reassured he was on the mend.
That night, Lucian crawled into bed, his body still sore, but his spirit grateful to be alive. Exhaustion pulled him under, but sleep brought no peace.
His subconscious opened the door to a darker world.
In his nightmare, Lucian found himself sprinting through a barren, desolate landscape. His feet pounded against the dry, cracked earth as a shadowy figure pursued him-its presence thick and suffocating, as if the very air recoiled in fear.
Lucian's lungs burned. His breath came in ragged gasps. The terrain shifted abruptly beneath him, and he found himself at the edge of a ravine. Gravel crumbled beneath his feet.
He slipped.
The fall was fast, violent-rocks scraping his skin as he plummeted. He landed hard. Pain exploded in his chest.
He lay there, motionless, as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, staining the dusty ground.
Above him, the shadowy figure emerged, towering and still. Its presence was overwhelming, like a nightmare given form. Lucian's vision dimmed, his strength fading.
He felt his life slipping away.
Then-nothing.
Lucian jolted awake with a strangled gasp, drenched in sweat. His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe, heart pounding like a war drum.
It was just a nightmare, he told himself. But the fear clung to him, cold and real.
And the feeling of being watched refused to leave.
The next day, Lucian sat in his office, warm sunlight streaming through the window as he received a call from his receptionist about a new client. He nodded-though she couldn't see him-and made a note on his schedule.
A few minutes later, the client arrived. A young woman named Sarah walked into his office, her expression troubled, her eyes red-rimmed from crying. Lucian greeted her warmly and invited her to sit down.
"So, Sarah, what brings you here today?" he asked, his voice gentle and non-judgmental.
Sarah took a deep breath, then began to share her story. She spoke of her struggles with anxiety, her constant feelings of inadequacy, and her overwhelming fear of failure. Lucian listened intently, his gaze steady and compassionate, nodding as she spoke.
As her words unfolded, a deep wave of empathy washed over him. He could feel her pain as if it were his own-raw, aching, and real. His eyes began to well with tears, and before he knew it, he was crying. Sarah paused, surprised by the intensity of his emotion, but she didn't seem uncomfortable. Instead, she looked at him with a mixture of shock and gratitude.
Lucian, suddenly self-conscious, excused himself and stepped out of the room. He headed to the restroom to compose himself. Splashing cold water on his face, he stared into the mirror.
But what he saw stopped him cold.
His reflection was... wrong. His eyes looked darker, his skin unnaturally pale, his hair longer than it should've been. He blinked and leaned closer. The image in the mirror rippled, distorting like water disturbed by a stone.
His breath caught in his throat. What was happening?
Shaking his head, he tried to dismiss it-just a trick of the light, he told himself. But the image lingered in his mind, unsettling him.
Taking a steadying breath, Lucian returned to his office. Sarah looked up, concern etched on her face.
"Are you alright, Dr. Williams?"
He forced a smile. "Yes, I'm fine. Sorry about that. Let's wrap up for today."
Sarah nodded, and they concluded the session. As she left, Lucian couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He glanced at his reflection in the window-normal. Everything looked normal.
But the image in the mirror still haunted him.
******
Later in the day
Lucian stepped into the crowded coffee shop, hoping to clear his mind. Instead, he was instantly overwhelmed by the torrent of emotions swirling around him. He felt the sharp anxiety of a businesswoman furiously typing on her laptop, the fluttering excitement of a young couple on their first date, and the heavy sorrow of an old man sitting alone at a corner table.
The flood of feelings struck him like a wave, dizzying and relentless. Lucian felt as though he were drowning in a sea of emotions, unable to filter out what wasn't his own. It became too much to bear. He turned abruptly and stepped back outside, gasping for clarity in the open air.
As he made his way to his new car, something caught his eye. In the midst of the crowd, a mysterious woman stood still, watching him. Their eyes met—and a sudden shiver coursed down his spine. Before Lucian could make sense of the encounter, a vivid vision flashed before his eyes.
He saw a horrific car crash—vehicles colliding, people screaming, shattered glass flying. The vision was so intense, it felt real. Lucian staggered, trying to shake it off. It's just my imagination, he told himself.
But just moments later, the exact accident unfolded right before him.
With wide eyes, Lucian watched the crash play out—the screams, the screech of metal, the chaos. He stood frozen, disbelief anchoring him to the spot. Then, a sharp ringtone cut through the noise, snapping him back to reality. He fumbled for his phone and answered.
"Lucian, how are you holding up after what happened with your third client?" came Dr. Jane's voice, filled with concern.
He climbed into his car and started the engine, still shaken. "Jane… something's wrong. I had a vision—a car crash. I saw it happen before it actually did."
There was a pause. Dr. Jane's voice turned serious. "Lucian, we need to talk. Meet me tonight and tell me everything."
Lucian nodded, merging into traffic. "Yeah. I'll see you tonight."
As he ended the call, his thoughts raced. What's happening to me? Why am I seeing these things? And what does it all mean?