Pernita Russell – Thursday Morning
On the other side of town, Pernita Russell awoke with a terrible fright on Thursday morning. She had dreamt of a boy being abducted from a park. In her dream, she watched as a man ran toward the abductor who was escaping in a white panel van. She saw the look of horror on his face, didn't need to hear his voice to know he was screaming in anguish. As the van drove off, the man, whom she assumed was the child's father, arrived at the spot of the abduction. She woke up, feeling sorrow for him and terrified for the little boy, convinced that her dream had become a horrifying reality, leaving her feeling helpless.
Unable to return to sleep, Pernita sought a distraction from this haunting dream. She sat at her dining room table and began to jot down every detail she could recall. She described the park, the boy's appearance, his clothing, and even his bike. She then detailed the "father" in her dream, followed by what she remembered about the abductor and their van. Her dream didn't reveal the license plate. While she'd had normal dreams like everybody else, this was far from ordinary. She had dreams that came true before, but they had never felt so vivid or disturbing. She didn't know what to make of it, and she wasn't sure if she should share it with anyone.
After finishing her account, Pernita turned on the television, hoping to find any mention or semblance of her dream on the local news channel. However, there was no news about a local abduction. She considered the possibility that it might not be local, though she had never dreamt of events outside her city. The only other option was that it was just a dream, but it felt too vivid and surreal to dismiss.
It was Thursday, and Pernita wondered if she should wait until Monday. But she disliked the idea of waiting in uncertainty. At this point, it was only a dream, albeit a distressing one. Little did she know that it would soon become much more than that and that she would become more than just the dreamer.
Pernita wasn't sure if she could go to work and function properly. She called Trevor, her boss, and requested two personal days, assuring him that she was fine but needed time to sort things out. Although Trevor was not entirely convinced, he granted her the personal days. He had known Pernita for a few years and sensed that something was wrong, but he respected her need for space. He knew that if she wanted to talk, she would reach out.
However, Pernita was not content to merely wait and see. She stayed in her pajamas and watched the news for any developments resembling her dream. She found distractions in her apartment but kept the news channel on. Thursday passed without any news that matched her dream, but at least her apartment had never been cleaner or more organized. Frustrated by the lack of news, she went to bed feeling that the day had not been a total waste.
She had the same dream again. This time, when she awoke, she recalled a new detail: as the abductor entered the park, she saw a sign that read "Central Park." She now had a location. Pernita eventually drifted back to sleep and experienced one of the best nights' rest in a long time.
On Friday morning, she woke up half-expecting to hear news of an abduction. She spent the first hour of her day watching the local news but found nothing related to her dream. She decided to plan an outing to Central Park, hoping to trigger more revelations from her dream. After a quick breakfast and getting dressed, she researched how to get to Central Park and which bus routes would take her there. With the location in hand and bus routes mapped out, she left her apartment.
Pernita hated new places and felt uncomfortable with them. She had no familiarity with this part of town, but if what she saw in her dream was real, she would do everything in her power to prevent it. If that meant going to the location, so be it.
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