Face To Face.



The light here shines most brilliant, but it seems cold to him even though he is numb and has no feeling in his entire body. It is a vision that Daniel Vickers has become accustomed to. But he is no longer sure where the dream ends and his reality begins. The light slowly dims but he can still see his breath and then ever so slowly images through the light begin to take shape. There are the trees again and the very same stream or creek that travels slowly through the images without sound. It is then that he sees the visage of young Jennifer Watson standing before him . She is close enough that he can almost see a trail of breath emanating from her mouth. he is certain that he is dreaming. His hands and feet slowly dig into the wet grassy soil and Daniel struggles just to get to his knees.
“I know that this is a dream.” he tells her. “Tell me what you want of me!”
He can barely see her lips moving but there is again no sound. He lowers his head as the terrible cold begins to weave its way through every muscle in his body. Every movement becomes difficult . She suddenly appears at his side. Her words seem as crisp as the air around them, and resonate with a cold metallic ring.
“Daniel.. My life was not a dream.. I lived once.. Until the white hat took me.. Find me Daniel.. Please… Find Me.”
It is the first time that he hears her cold voice, and her words tear through his unconscious mind. He is no longer fearful as he looks into the eyes of the beautiful young girl..
“Tell me.. Please.. What do you want from me?”
She is almost touching him now, as he hears her words roll across his cheek in a cold whisper.
“Justice.”

Eye's Opening.



When he wakes up he is sitting in Sharon Milner’s car. It has stopped at a roadside gas station/diner. she appears at the passenger window and he rolls it down to see what she wants.
“Good your awake now. We’d best get something to eat here, and if you have to pee you’d better do that now too sweetie, the attendant tells me that there aren’t too many places to stop before we hit Pleasantville, and we’re still three hours away from that.”
He gets out of the car and pulls his jacket up and around his shoulders as his sleepy eyes slowly begin to move across the landscape. It is now late afternoon here, wherever here is. His eyes lock onto Sharon Milner’s.
“Cherry Creek is about two and a half hours from here, don’t ask me how I know that Sharon.. I just do.”
They sit in silence for what seems like forever to her. The waitress brings them hot coffee and takes their orders. Sharon holds the cup fully in her palm as though her hands needed the warmth. Her attention slowly moves back to Daniel Vickers, who is staring out the window at the cold wet scenery outside.
“I know what she wants from me now.” he tells Sharon Milner.
She leans towards the conversation almost wide eyed. He now has her full attention.
“What is it Danny?”
It is his turn to lean towards Sharon Milner.
“I think that she was murdered Shar. And she wants me to find whoever did it.”
“Why you Danny?”
“I.. I.. I.. Don’t know Shar.”

Signs.



She puts the car into drive and slowly pulls back out onto the wet asphalt of the interstate. The attendant tells her that they must go in the same direction for another thirty miles and then watch for the signs to take them to Pleasantville, after that they will need to head east. They drive on as Daniel fiddles with the radio stopping at the local weather report.
“Damn.. They’re calling for even more rain. It seems like that’s all that it ever does around here is rain. It’s like sunshine is a disease or something.”
They share an uncomfortable laugh as if trying to lighten the mood. But underneath, both of their thoughts return to the young girl Jennifer Watson.
“Danny.. If she was murdered, we could be stepping into some deep shit here.”
He nods in agreement.
“I know.”
“It could be big Danny.”
“I know.”
He turns to face Sharon Milner from the passenger seat.
“She chose me Sharon. For whatever reason she chose me. Maybe she needs someone outside of her circle to come in and find the truth, maybe she didn’t have anyone else. Maybe its all just a completely random thing. Maybe I’ll never know why she contacted me.. But she is trusting me to find the truth and reveal it.. And I know now that I have to at least try to help her.”
Sharon Milner smiles and puts her hand on Daniel Vickers.
“Well.. She picked the right guy for the job.”
Out of the corner of her eye she sees a streak flash across the window through the rain. And she slams on the brakes and the car slides to a stop across the wet asphalt. She concludes that it is dusk now, and the failing light is playing tricks with her eyes. Now he puts his hand on hers.
“No Shar.. There’s something else here.”
They get out of the car and slowly move towards the partially covered road sign.
Crows Crossing Road 3 miles.

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