I had the most peculiar dream last night. I was scouring through several of my previous journal entries and patient files with the hope of rediscovering some scrap of information about A.H. that had slipped through the fingers of my memory, when all of a sudden, I heard a voice. It was a voice that was somehow both familiar and foreign to me. And it said but one word – “here.” Just that one simple syllable. There was a pause, and then the voice repeated itself – “here.” Naturally, I called out, thinking some blabbermouthed burglar had infiltrated the study. There was no response. I made certain that the door’s lock was secure, but I made no further efforts to investigate the possible intruder. Several minutes passed without a sound. Out of this silence came the voice again. This time it spoke two words. “Hear…me?” The voice had not been giving a location, but rather presenting a question, as indicated by the inflections it used on this new second word. The voice seemed closer, almost as if it was in the room with me. But that couldn’t be. The bolt on the door hadn’t moved. Abruptly, the voice restated it’s query, and it became clear to me why the voice seemed so familiar – it belonged to me. Someone was speaking to me in my voice. It was somehow…changed, perverted. The voice, MY voice, sounded raspier then usual, as though it had not had a drink of water for a fortnight, which perhaps explains my failure to recognize it with it’s first few statements. I was in shock, and I still am, these many hours later. I do not remember when I arose from my slumber. In fact, I do not remember when, or if I went to sleep. Even though it was simply a dream, I have been very anxious today. Oh, how the mind plays tricks.
Sincerely, Otis Dietrich