An old friend?
"It was better received than I thought", Allison fold out the map while Joe was heaving the heavy baggage into the trunk. "I knew that Ariel would buck. She always pretends to be old enough to look after her sisters. Maybe next year we could arrange something but right now, I just don't think she is mature enough", Joe was worried. It was the first time that they left their children alone. They were not exactly alone since they could reside at his sister's flat but it was strange to go on a journey without Ariel, Bridgette and Marie.
"They will survive, besides, we also deserve a couple of days off", Allison searched after the building in which the conference would take place. "If nothing goes wrong we should arrive in one day and a few hours", she was already exhausted. It was long ago since she drove the last time such a long distance. "Can we spend the night at a mote?l", she asked. "I don't know. We could take turns by driving the car. I want to arrive as soon as possible, otherwise I could mess it up and say bye bye to my job", Joe didn't want to make the tiniest mistake. He could get fired, that was clear. "We could get involved in a car crash if we loose our concentration, let's take a rest in St. Louis", she begged him to agree. Allison was sure that she needed to dream again of this doctor, maybe this was the reason why she didn't want to drive non-stop to New Jersey.
"For all I care", Joe sat behind the steering wheel and started the engine.
The sky above them turned darker and darker. It seemed that a tempest was coming up. There were absolutely no stars, everything was cloudy. Allison fought against her tiredness. She was teetering from one side of her seat to the other. Joe had to smile from time to time seeing his wife so done in. Allison too a look in to the rear-view mirror and appalled. For a little instant she thought having seen an old acquaintance. She rubbed her eyes and turned around. "Something wrong?" Joe asked and put a hand on her thigh. "I've thought that I've seen someone", she murmured. "A ghost? A dead person?" her husband wondered. "Very funny. You'd better drive carefully", she answered and fell asleep.
It was uncomfortable and she tried hard to find a likeable position to get some rest but after a few minutes she was drowsing. In her dream Allison saw again this doctor with the disgusting wound on his right leg. The pills were still lying on the floor but the insects had gone.
"Look at this", the man said to her.
Allison wanted finally to see his face. She hoped that he would take off the mask and disclose himself. Then the woman came again. He looked at her and a tear ran down his cheek.
"Lucas has gone", she whispered and smiled. He requited the gesture. Allison didn't want to believe her eyes but the wound on his leg seemed to disappear and the doctor showed his face.
He had shiny blue eyes but the destroyed leg did make a mark on his expression.
Suddenly another man came to the two people, who were now in a delighted mood. Allison made a step back and wanted to shout but her voice broke down.
The new protagonist of her dream was no one else than Dr. Charles Walker, the man she had seen on the backseat of the car just moments ago.
He was back.