Page 43 of Don’t Open Your Eyes

“No, get him now. It’s an emergency. Interrupt him.”

“Hold please.”

Annabelle groaned as the hold music came on. Her eyes darted to the clock on the dash. Eleven-forty. She had twenty minutes. She honked her horn at the person in front of her doing twenty miles an hour. “Come on. I’m going to miss the light!”

The light changed and she floored it, narrowly avoiding a collision. Horns blared and her heart hammered in her chest as she changed lanes again, doing well over the speed limit. “Dammit.” Why was she still on hold? A click then a dial tone. What the…she’d been disconnected. She called again and it went straight to a hold message. The minutes were flying by. It was eleven forty-five now. She cursed again and disconnected the call. Then called again. “Neurology Associates.”

“You cut me off. Get my husband on the phone, now!”

“I’m sorry. Please hold.”

More music. This was ridiculous. It was 11:49 now. She disconnected again then dialed 911.

“I need to report a gas leak. Please hurry!”

She pulled up to the office building right at noon and ran inside. The office closed for lunch from twelve to one so no one was in the waiting room. She ran to the kitchen. Everyone was standing around ready to light the cake just like in her dream.

“Stop!” Annabelle yelled, watching in horror as the nurse pulled the lighter from her pocket.

“Annabelle, what are you doing?” James cried.

“Everyone has to get out now! It’s not safe.”

James looked horrified. “Please excuse us.” He put his arm around her and tried to lead her out of the room.

“No, you don’t understand, there’s a gas—”

She heard the click of the lighter before she could finish. And then nothing. No boom. No explosion. Everyone was staring at her now.

“I’m sorry. I don’t—”

James shook his head. “Sorry, everyone. I’ll be back.”

They began singing “Happy Birthday,” and then the shrill wail of a siren made them stop.

Next came the sound of heavy footsteps running in the building. The firefighters had arrived.

James looked at her in horror. “Oh my God, Annabelle. What did you do?”

Annabelle

James insisted that Annabelle go home. Hours later she was making dinner when he walked in.

“Where are the girls?” he asked.

“In their rooms.”

“We need to talk. Let’s go in my study. I don’t want them overhearing.”

She turned the stove off and covered the pasta, then followed him down the hallway. She sat, and he shut the door.

He paced a few minutes, wringing his hands, then finally took a seat in a chair across from her.

“What happened today was unacceptable. We had to cancel all our afternoon patients, the fire department wasted hours on nothing, and you humiliated me in front of my staff. And all because you had a dream. Do you realize how insane that is?”

She swallowed and fought back tears. “I’m sorry. I really thought you were all in danger. I was right about the accident, and the balance beam, and—”

“Annabelle! People have dreams all the time. I can’t explain why some of the things you dreamed have come true, but that doesn’t mean all your dreams will. And most important, you can’t go around doing things like this!”