II.

The next day was Monday, and Duke was glad The Gull was closed. He could barely think straight. He had dreamt again last night, and awoken feeling worse than ever. And yet he looked forward to the dreams. In fact, he couldn't wait for nightfall, when he would see her again. In the dreams she was real. In the dreams he felt whole, connected to her in a way he couldn't remember feeling with any other person.

Monday night had different plans for him, however, and she didn't come. Instead of sleeping, he searched for her through foggy landscapes and dark paths, across the bluffs and along deserted roads. The next two nights had the same results, and by Thursday morning he was a complete wreck. Calling into work, he advised his manager that he would not be coming in, and instead headed out to the beach where he could brood in privacy.

Hours later, Audrey found him, still sitting on a log in the sheltered bay where the Chief had died. She was surprised to see him there; he had been there this morning when she had headed into Portland and it did not look as though he had moved an inch. Parking her car, she wandered over to him, intent on making sure he was ok.

As she approached she heard a strange sound, and realized suddenly that Duke was crying. Finally getting a look at him, she was shocked. His face had a sunken appearance and an ashen cast. His eyes looked as though they were rimmed with charcoal. He had lost weight, and his lips were dry and cracked. Surprised by her sudden materialization, he hastily wiped at his face, trying in vain to hide his discomposure.

"Duke…" she began, not really knowing what to say. This was so unusual, for a moment she thought maybe he was pulling a prank on her. She sat down next to him, hoping she could get to the bottom of this.

He hung his head, and his whole body drooped. Audrey tried again, coaxing an explanation out of him. "You need help. Have you seen yourself lately? I'm really worried about you, Duke. Please, talk to me," she pressed.

With a long suffering sigh, he asked, "If I tell you, will you promise not to laugh?" Confused, Audrey assured him she wouldn't. Slowly, as if it pained him, he began, "I think I'm in love." Audrey took a mental step back, not expecting this turn of events. She could not believe that this was the problem.

"Why would I laugh at that?" she asked. He gave her a dark look and continued, "I see her every night… in my dreams." He waited, watching her out of the corner of his eye. Audrey paused, taking this in. He was serious, and distraught.

"You're telling me you're in love with a woman in a dream." He nodded with a sigh, looking at the ground. Thinking furiously, trying to get a better grip on this, she asked, "How long have you been… seeing her?"

"It started a couple of weeks ago. I had this dream… it was so real. I can't explain it… he trailed off.

Try, she pressed

Do you think I'm troubled he blurted out abruptly

She hesitated not willing to admit it had crossed her mind

"Just start with telling me about the dreams. Do you remember the first one?"

"Of course I remember it. It was when I first met her." He paused realizing how odd that sounded. "I was walking along one of the bayside trails. I rounded a corner, and she was up ahead of me, standing on the bluffs, looking out at sea. In the dream I almost turned around, but then she turned to me and said hello…" He trailed off. Audrey looked expectantly at him, and he continued "She was so beautiful. It was a foggy day, and her hair was pulled up on top of her head. When she looked at me, she had these piercing blue eyes – the most amazing shade of blue."

"Is it someone you know, or have met before? Do you know her name?"

"No, I've never seen her before in my life. She is tall, about five-nine. Athletic build; long, wavy blond hair to her waist. We just started talking. I don't even really remember what we talked about. And talking is not really right either: it wasn't just words, but pictures and ideas, concepts."

Audrey frowned. This was certainly an odd development. And out of the ordinary for Duke. "How about the next dream, was it the very next night?"

"Yeah. We met on the bluff again, then walked down to the beach – although I don't really remember the walking part. We were just… there, all of a sudden, like a channel changed. The dreams are so real though: full color, sound, smell. I hear the gulls, and smell her shampoo. The sand is warm, the water cold. And we are not always here, in Haven. I've been other places with her – places I don't recognize."

"Do you know anyone who might have a Trouble like this?" Audrey asked.

"No, no one. Audrey… if these are just dreams, why do I wake up feeling like I did walk miles? Why does my face hurt from laughing and smiling? I feel like I never slept at all." He was distraught. "And now, she's gone. I haven't seen her in three nights. But still I don't sleep. Instead, I search for her, everywhere, in my dreams." His exhaustion became more apparent the longer he spoke. "I… I miss her."

His words rang true, and she didn't doubt him. But she felt there must be some explanation for all this. It had Trouble written all over it. Whether it was a Trouble or not, Duke was going to need some help before he got any worse. He needed sleep, and she was going to take him to the doctor in cuffs if necessary.

As Audrey drove him to the clinic in town, he thought about the woman in his dreams. The last encounter had been so much fun. They had been at a lake he was not familiar with. They'd laughed so hard. He had chased her around a thicket of white birch trees, and once she let him catch her, he had tickled her until she couldn't take anymore. Collapsing in a heap on a blanket, she had wiped the tears from her eyes, playfully pitching sticks at him when he tried to get close. Later, they sat there on the blanket, talking, sharing. He had explained to her about his father, his childhood. He knew her parents were dead, no siblings or immediate family.

She'd had on a dark blue sweater that made her eyes sparkle, and her hair fell over her shoulders in waves. She was a very striking woman, and he was sure that, had he ever met her in real life, he would never have forgotten her. Closing his eyes, he traced the curve of her cheek in his mind. Her shampoo was something soft, and despite trips to the store, he had still not figured out which brand. He could recall the scent at will, just as he could conjure up her smile.

They arrived at the clinic all too soon, where he was prescribed sleeping pills and sent home to rest. It was mid afternoon, and Audrey drove him back. He crashed into a deep, dreamless sleep, not waking until late the next morning. He felt better, but his thoughts went immediately to the dream girl, and he found himself missing her once again. He felt like he had lost a real person, a real relationship. For the next couple of days, he took his pills to sleep and kept himself busy during the day. He did not have any more encounters, and started to resign himself to the fact that he might not see her again. He couldn't decide which was worse.