The Patient (Part-3)

Liab stepped out of the elevator and started walking towards the lobby.

Even though it was midnight now, he was wearing a dark colored suit. Superstitions can be quite addictive sometimes and somehow Liab got caught in this addiction. He didn't care what hour of the day or night the clock was striking, he only wore suits to his sessions.

He had been sleeping since 5 pm but still his eyes were red as if he was sleep deprived.
He walked clumsily towards the coffee machine on the right of the lobby and poured a cup.


The lady was sitting on a sofa in the far corner of the room.
He took a sip of coffee and started walking towards her.

"Hello Mr.Liab" She said without getting up from the sofa.
"So, Are you ready for another session?"

Liab nodded and sat down in front of her.

Both sat there in an awkward silence for a while, before she said:
"You look upset today, What happened?"

"Hmm...?" Liab was thinking about something else.

"You can tell me if something is bothering you." She said in a sympathetic tone.

Liab had contacted Miss Grace Rose a few weeks ago. She was a therapist.It was only their third session and Liab hadn't really talked much about himself in the previous two.
Miss Rose was in her mid thirties and was wearing a burgundy blouse which most women wear in offices these days.
She had short and curly black hair. Her eyes were covered by a pair of spectacles although it seemed as she was wearing them just for the sake of looking professional.

Liab didn't even bother to look at her for once. His eyes were fixated on something outside in the street.

For a few moments both sat their silently.

"Purple Dream" Liab muttered

"I'm sorry, What?" Grace seemed confused.

"I've been having a recurring dream. I call it the Purple dream." Liab said in a low voice while looking out of the window.

"What's it about?" She inquired.

Liab took a sip of his coffee.

"Have you ever encountered fear?"
Liab looked at Grace and instead of answering her, he asked another question.

She hesitated for a moment.
"It depends, what type of fear you're talking about."

"I'm talking about the one which makes most of the people lose their senses.Their minds become numb and words get stuck in their throat.They become incapable of thinking straight.They become mortified." Liab was talking in a soft tone.
"They forget everything, their friends, family, job, money, house. Everything
They don't even care who they hate and who they love.
All they care about is this fear. They just want to get out of it."

A very long silence filled the room.
It felt as though the world had stopped moving.

"No, I haven't" Grace replied.
"Have you come across this sort of fear Mr.Liab?"

Liab was looking outside again.

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"Everyday" He said without turning his head.

"I come across it everyday in my dream. But the dream is so real that in that moment I'm unable to tell whether it's reality or a dream.
The same dream everyday. It feels like I'm stuck in an infinite loop of this dream, this fear.
You know how movies tell you that pinch yourself to know that whether you're in a dream or reality.
Well guess what, It doesn't work there.
The dream is real as anything else until the moment I open my eyes. And I can't force myself to open my eyes." Liab paused for a moment.

He reached for his coffee again and took another sip.
"They only open when the pain in the dream becomes unbearable. Just like death."

She adjusted her spectacles and asked
"What are you afraid of Mr.Liab?"
.
.
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TO BE CONTINUED