DEJA VU

PROLOGUE

A bell is rung. “Breakfast in ten!” a loud rough voice announces through an intercom. Screaming, Chris Steventon wakes up, startled and drenched in sweat. He looks around the room at his prison cell. He gets out of bed and crosses off another day on the calendar. “Another day in paradise...” he whispers hopelessly to himself. In the bunk above him, Jason wakes up. “What the hell are you doing down there?” Jason asks, half awake. “I’m counting down the days until I get out of this shit hole.” Chris replies. Chris walks over to his bed and sits down. “Only forty-six more days to go… and i’m out of this bullshit.”. Jason sits up and rudely asks, “Why does it matter to you anyway? In or out, our lives will be hell.” Jason hops down from his bed. “Well at least we won’t have to wear these goddamn jumpsuits in the real world. I’m sick of seeing orange 24/7.” Chris replies in a joking manner. Chris gets up and goes over to the sink. He washes his hands and face. A security guard rattles on their cell door. “Breakfast is ready… I will escort you two down to the dining hall.”

Chris and Jason start making their way down to the dining hall. Jason turns and stares at Chris, with a look of annoyance. “Why the hell do you keep waking up screaming like you’re about to get murdered? It’s starting to piss me off. I’ve been in this cell for 4 years with you and almost everyday it’s the same wake up routine.” Chris, without turning to look at Jason, angrily says, “I told you. I have nightmares. Gross, disturbing nightmares.”.

They turn the corner of the prison hallway and enter the dining room. The guard, without saying anything, positions himself by the door and allows the two to find a seat. Their food arrives. It looks grey and brown and is slightly warm. “So tell me, Chris… What are these dreams you are having that are so intense that you have to wake me, and all the other inmates, up twice a night? I know you said last week that you didn’t feel comfortable sharing, but now I am requesting, once again, that you share with me your nightmares.” 

Chris looks down and mumbles something. “They are about the reason for why I am here.” Jason rolls his eyes. “Which is…?” he asks. “I accidentally hit a kid while driving. It was a young girl… maybe six or seven years old. It was all due to my stupidity. I went out drinking all night and decided to drive my drunk ass home by myself. Little did I know, that would be the biggest mistake of my life. I never got to meet the parents of the girl… but I know they were heartbroken. I was heartbroken…”. Jason just stares blankly into Chris’s eyes. After a long hesitation, Jason says, “I don't know what to say. I’m sorry to hear all this but it really is your fault. You made the choice and now you are paying the consequences.”. Chris looks away and says, “Yeah.” under his breath. 

They finish their meals and are escorted back to their room. The guards tell Jason they need a few minutes with him, leaving Chris alone, and depressed. He lays down on his bed and starts to read the only book in the room… The Bible. 

Thirty five minutes pass. Chris starts to wonder when Jason will be back. The guards said they just wanted a few minutes with him. An hour passes. Chris has fallen asleep. An hour and a half later, the prison’s sirens go off, waking Chris up startled. He covers his ears, trying to drown out the piercing noise coming through the speaker. He looks through the window of his cell. There is an officer dead on the ground. Panicked, Chris goes to find a hiding spot. He trys to fit under the bunk beds. Just as he is kneeling down… a bullet flies into the cell, hitting Chris in the side. Chris falls to the ground in pain. He is bleeding all over the prison floor. He tries to use his hand to stop the bleeding, but it is no use. He passes out. 

(FORTY YEARS LATER)

Chris Steventon is sitting in an office chair, fidgeting with a stress ball. Across from him a therapist sits with a clipboard and paper. The room is so quiet you can hear the clock ticking. After what feels like an hour of silence, the therapist says, “Chris… I understand you are upset by what happened. I know your wife is mad at you. I know she has bad impulses and a history of mental health issues that we cannot control. But I’d encourage you to look past your anger and find the strength to tell me why you came in today in such panic. Did something happen?”. Chris looks up at him with fear in his eyes. His eyes are swollen from crying and he looks like he hasn't slept in weeks.

“The dreams. They are coming back. It’s happening all over again.” Chris proclaimed, bursting into tears. “Do you remember…” Chris asks, hoping for some form of comfort. “I remember very well Chris, yes. The events that took place ten years ago were all over the news. I remember very clearly seeing what happened, and I remember the devastation people went through. I was devastated, for I understood their pain. Tell me, Chris, What did you dream of this time?” the therapist asks. He has a look of concern and fear on his face, as he recalls the incidents that took place. 

“It was the same dream I described to you three or four sessions ago… the one about the lady.” Chris explains. “I don’t exactly remember it…” the therapist says, shuffling through his notes. “Would you be comfortable describing it to me again, Chris?”. Chris looks down at his hands. He remembers the dreams all too well. 

“There was a lady. She was having fights with her husband. I remember… It was my neighbor down the street. She ended up hanging herself out of frustration with her life.” Chris explained. The therapist looks at Chris, horrified, as he starts to remember the incident. Chris continued, “Two weeks later… I heard on the news a lady was found dead in my neighborhood. They didn’t say why… but I think we both know what happened.”

The therapist, concerned, asks “does your wife know about these dreams and events?”. Chris shook his head yes. “She knows about every dream I’ve had. I tell her everything.” The therapist writes on his clipboard. “You know, Chris, I have to report this to the police. It’s my job to report things like this. You are not in trouble, ok? Please understand that.” Chris nods his head in agreement. The therapist stands up. “That’s all the time we have for today, Chris. I have to report this once you leave. I will see you next week for our next session. Please call me if anything like that happens again.”. Chris stands up and shakes his hand. “Thank you Mr. Ramson. I will let you know.”

Chris leaves the building and drives home. Once home, he is greeted by his son, Daniel. “Hi dad!! Mom made pasta for dinner! Come join us… we’re about to eat!” Chris unloads his work briefcase and takes off his shoes. He joins Daniel and his wife Julie for dinner.

After Daniel finishes his dinner and goes upstairs, Chris tells Julie about his appointment. “I had my session today with Mr. Ramson. He is very concerned about my dreams. He reported one incident to the police today and told me to call him if there are any more.”. Julie stares at him with a blank expression. “I honestly don’t know how to help you. I can’t explain what’s going on. I don't know what's happening or how it’s happening.”. Chris just looks at her and then leaves to go get ready for bed. He brushes his teeth and gets into bed, but falls asleep before Julie enters the bedroom. 

There’s a man. He’s unrecognizable. His house is in flames. He’s trying to escape but debris has blocked the door. He can’t get out, leaving him to burn to death.

The morning comes and Chris wakes up feeling uneasy. He tries to contemplate his dream but can’t recognize the man. He gets ready for work. He drives to his workplace still thinking about his dream. His mind is almost obsessed. He feels like he needs to figure it out… and soon. 

He enters his workplace. He works for an audio mixing company. All the workers get along well and are really close. As Chris enters, he says good morning to their phone manager, Susan. He makes his way into his office and gets ready to prepare the CD’s for mixing. A co-worker steps into his office. “Morning, Chris!”. “Morning, Jacob!” Chris says enthusiastically. As he begins to work, he decides to write down his dream. He sketches it out on a notepad. His phone rings, startling him. “Hello Mr. Ramson! How can I help you?”. “I just am calling to check in on you. How has your sleep been?” Mr. Ramson says in a cheery voice. Chris tells him about how he feels that his wife is acting strange. He also tells him about his dream of the burning man. “I wouldn’t consider your wife as the person behind this. Not yet. But if anything happens, I need you to call me as soon as possible.” the therapist tells Chris. They hang up and Chris works the rest of the day.

Later that night, Chris tells Julie about the burning man. She listens, but doesnt say much. Chris gets ready for bed when Julie enters the room dressed in a hoodie and jeans. “I’m going out for a drive, honey.”. Chris just nods to her and goes to bed. Julie gets in the car and leaves.

Chris wakes up to a ringing phone. “Hello?” Chris answers, half asleep. “Chris… It’s Susan from work. Jacob’s dead. His house burned down last night. I just thought you should know.”. Susan hangs up. Chris is panicked. He looks behind him and Julie is asleep next to him. He checks his watch. It’s four in the morning. He calls Mr. Ramson and tells him what happens. Mr. Ramson gasps and and tells Chris to call the police. Chris tells him that Julie left last night… but she’s back now. Mr. Ramson says to tell the police that.

Chris calls the police and explains everything. They say they will be over to his house in ten minutes. Chris wakes Julie up and tells her what's going on, but she refuses to accept it. The police arrive and question Chris and then Julie. Julie would not say where she went last night. The police arrest her and drive her to the police station. Chris stays home. He can’t handle his emotions. He lays in bed and tries to fall asleep.

There’s a woman. She is strapped to a machine. The machine slowly lowers her into a big tub of black liquid. She screams for help. But there is no one to save her.

Chris wakes up, hoping everything that happened to him was a dream. He realizes it wasn’t and he starts to panic. He calls his therapist and gives him an update. “My wife… she's in… in jail… and I… I don’t know how I can… can help her.” Chris stutters over his words as he tries to explain to his therapist. Mr. Ramson, after getting slightly annoyed, interrupts Chris. “Ok. ok. ok. Breathe, Chris. Slow deep breaths. Now, if you can, tell me what’s going on and I’ll see how I can help.” A much calmer Chris tells the therapist what happened. He tells him about Julie and about the woman in oil and about his panic attack. The therapist says he will see what he can do to get Julie out of jail. He tells Chris that, in the meantime, he should try and get himself together and then meet the therapist at the police station later that week. Chris agrees and hangs up the phone. 

Four days later, Chris gets ready to drive to the police station. On the way there, he notices a crime scene. It is in an industrial junk yard. He gets out of his car and goes to observe. There is a crowd of people watching in shock. He looks up in horror at the body. There is a body, covered in black oil, strapped to a forklift. He starts to panic again, when he sees something familiar. He sees a man in the crowd. He has his hood up and is wearing an orange jumpsuit. Chris tries to remember where he’s seen that before. He leaves the crime scene and drives to the police station. 

Upon arrival, he sees Mr. Ramson talking to an officer. He gets out of the car to join the conversation. “I don’t believe it was Mr. Steventon’s wife who did this, sir.” The police officer told Mr. Ramson. “Mr. Ramson agreed. During the conversation, a police bus pulled up. Chris watched as fourteen inmates were escorted from the bus into the police station. They were all wearing orange jumpsuits. Chris immediately told the cop and Mr. Ramson about his prison sentence… forty years ago. He told them about Nathan and the crime scene and the orange jumpsuits. The three of them immediately drove over to the oil crime scene. There were still tons of people crowded around, but Nathan had fled.

Chris, Mr. Ramson, and the state police officer drove back to the station. They go to find an update on Julie. The police officer who interrogated Julie told the three that she was clear.

“So, then where did she go that night?” Chris asked. “She went to visit another man. She was cheating on you Chris. She had been for months. I’m sorry.” The officer said. Chris, puzzled and saddened, looks down at his feet. Chris, Mr. Ramson, and the officer go to search Nathan’s files. They find his address, license plate number, and state I.D. 

The officer grabs his gun and they all drive to Nathan’s house. They kick in the door and search the house. They find a drawer full of illegal guns and drugs, but no Nathan. Tired… Chris asks if he can go home. The officer drives Chris home and Mr. Ramson stays to bring the illegal items back to the station. 

Chris arrives at home. His son, Daniel is asleep upstairs. Chris lays on his couch and falls asleep.

Two weeks later they still couldn't locate Nathan. Chris had basically moved on as much as he could, Mr. Ramson went back to doing weekly sessions with patients. It was morning time and winter was coming. Chris got out of bed and realized for the first time in months he slept well. He went down stairs and had breakfast with Daniel. He then left for work. On the way to work he got a call. He answered it with enthusiasm. “Hello! This is Chris. How can I help you?”. The voice that came through the other end… wasn’t as cheery. “Hello Chris, this is officer Thompson. You worked with me on the Nathan case. I have bad news. Mr. Ramson is dead. He was found this morning, lying behind the industrial factory building, he was face down and bloody. I’m assuming Nathan was responsible. We will find him… I promise. I’m so sorry to tell you that, though, but I knew it was for the better that you knew as soon as possible. Stay safe and let me know if there is anything I can do.”

Chris, shocked and enraged, drives to Mr. Ramsons office to talk to the secretary. He enters the building and runs to his office. The office is closed. Chris furiously bangs on the door in defeat and devastation. The door is unlocked. He walks into Mr. Ramson’s office and notices a clipboard on the chair Chris usually sat in. He picks it up and reads the note.

“HELLO, CHRIS. IF YOU ARE READING THIS… IT IS TOO LATE. I AM DEAD. FORTY YEARS AGO YOU HIT MY DAUGHTER WITH YOUR VEHICLE DUE TO YOUR CARELESS DRUNK DRIVING. I WAS NEVER ABLE TO FORGIVE YOU. I WANTED REVENGE. SO I TOOK THE DREAMS YOU SHARED WITH ME AND MADE THEM REAL. I HAVE THE ORANGE JUMPSUIT BECAUSE I WAS IN PRISON ONCE TOO, JUST LIKE YOU. REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE SHOT… FORTY YEARS AGO. I USED THE PRESENCE OF NATHAN SIMPLY AS A DISTRACTION. HE PASSED AWAY MANY YEARS AGO. BUT NOW I AM GONE AS WELL. GONE BECAUSE OF FEAR. FEAR THAT I WOULD GET CAUGHT. FEAR THAT I WOULD CONTINUE THE KILLINGS.  FEAR SO GREAT, I EVENTUALLY KILLED MYSELF. BUT I KNOW I LEARNED MY LESSON… AND I HOPE YOU DID TOO.”

END