3 The Dreams of Colonel Lance Riva

A year ago, Colonel Lancelot Riva first went to Dr. Diego Molina for his first counseling. Crime-solving had not been particularly kind to the Colonel's mental health. There were at least three documented pieces of evidence where his superior noticed his odd behavior, so he was called at the headquarters where a committee on mental health that evaluated his mental status ordered him to go to a shrink for a check-up.

In his own personal observation, Colonel Riva thinks Dr. Diego Molina was just the right doctor for him, notwithstanding the fact they were childhood friends. He had a degree in medicine at a reputable university, and his post-graduate credential in Psychiatry made him the perfect referral doctor for mental health problems. The military has hired him on retainer to do exactly that.

On the first visit the Colonel made into his office, the good doctor ordered some blood tests to check traces of drugs that came out negative. He did the physical from head to toe, and there was nothing that could indicate any physiological changes that can point to possible stress. The colonel is fit as a bull.

Now that the doctor isolated any physical and physiological aspect of the Colonel visit, he laid down his cards well by stating two key issues: first, he needed his patient's utmost trust and confidence. Second, to make his management successful, he needed to put him in place of a patient and not a friend.

The Colonel agreed without hesitation and promised he would not tackle those in their one-on-one session. Further, he made it clear that everything will be purely a doctor-patient relation from then on. The doctor then made the colonel read some fine print of his treatment, which the Colonel barely understands. The doctor explained that the ongoing psychotherapy requirement would be tedious, and the Colonel needs to confide everything in his signed documents -if he wants those treatments. He was reading it line by line, and after careful thought, he went back to the doctor's office to submit them without reservations.

"You made the right decision, Colonel." Dr. Molina assured him. That first meeting was the start of a journey and, as the colonel would later reveal from his own written testimonies - was more of an echo from a distant memory.

"Why don't you take a seat in that comfortable chair and lie down for me. Your session is about to begin."

The Colonel can see the doctor brought some clear vial containing a liquid concoction.

"Entrust me with your being Colonel Lancelot Riva. Drink this."

The colonel took it without hesitation. It tasted fruity and sweet. The doctor placed the empty vial back on the tray. Then he chanted a mesmerizing mantra.

"You can feel it ran through your vein smoothly, makes you feel weightless, numb, but somehow free. Your thoughts will take you elsewhere, floating, until your seeking mind settles to an unresolved place where you want to be. "

Colonel Riva's eyes twitched as he lay back in the comfort of the psych chair. Slowly, he began to tell the stories in his troubled mind.

Colonel Lance Riva said he had recurring dreams and that his vision made him difficult to recognize if it transgresses in his wake-up state. The sedative was just effective enough, and as the colonel began the first of his many sessions, he can feel that light feathery sensation (to exaggerate it) as if he was suspended in the air.

"What vision do you have lately?" the doctor asked. He had plenty of dreams before. Some of his childhood memories he could recall in his dreams was not pretty. But ever since October of last year, he kept seeing a silhouette of a woman. More like a shadow hiding in the crevice of a dark crisscrossing alleyway.

"It's a young woman." The Colonel replied. He can recall he was sitting in front of the doctor instead of lying down. As if it was just a casual conversation. But he was compelled to tell his soul upfront from the vial he drank earlier like it was a truth serum.

"What about it, Lance?"

"I saw her walking. She came from her work, and she bid her friends at work goodbye."

"Do you know her?"

"I cannot see her shadowy face. It seems blurry. But I think I know her if I can see her face up close."

"Is it your girlfriend?"

"No."

"Is it a close friend?"

"No."

"Is it your wife?"

"Maybe. But I am not sure. She walks differently than my wife. I haven't seen my wife for a long time. We are separated. She cannot stand my work. My absence around the house."

"Why do you think you are seeing this woman in your dreams?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think she needs help?"

"Maybe. Yes. She was walking in an empty street. Oh, then this van stops near the intersection."

"What happened, Lance?"

"Four guys jumped out of the van and forcibly took her inside. She was screaming, but no one's there for her. I want to help her. But I can't seem to find the courage to run. My feet were like pressed firmly on the ground."

"Can you hear her? What is she saying?"

Colonel Riva curled up in his sleep as he cried like an abandoned child.

"Help me! Please help me! She cried. But I couldn't help her because I am frozen stiff, and it was so quick and fast, and the van just took off."

"Can you see the license plate and the color of the van?"

"No. I cannot see clearly. It's blurry. The color is…. dark…I don't know."

"What happened next, Lance?"

"Then I woke up again in the dark alleyways. No one there. Did I say I was chasing her shadow?"

"No, Lance. Why do you think you are having these dreams?"

"I don't know. I must have missed my wife. She is not calling."

"Do you think she is that woman? The woman in the dark?"

"No. It cannot be. Why would she do that?"

"Do you think your wife will come back to you?"

"Yes, If I have the time for her. But work made me sacrifice the time I should be with her."

"How much do you love your wife, Lance?"

"Very much. She completes me."

"What does "complete" mean to you?"

"She took good care of me. She was there when I am so tired, and she caressed me good. But she left. All of a sudden."

"Why do you think she left you all of a sudden?"

"I don't know. I should have known better. I should have talked to her."

"Do you remember her name?"

"I…El…. I don't know why I cannot remember her name. But her face was so clear to me."

"Do you know when you got married?" Colonel Lance was writhing in place.

"It is August the 15th.

"And the year?"

"2012."

"Are you sure of the date, Lance?"

Lance was back seeing things in his dream. The woman in the van. She was gagged and tied up. He can see the fear in her eyes.

"Why do I see it again?"

"What are you seeing?"

"Again, the woman in the van. "

"Tell me what is happening in the van?"

"She was in pain. Oh, dear God. Someone's hitting her. Please stop!" Lance was visibly crying. His dream is taking him the farthest of his imagination.

"Are you in the van? Lance?"

"I am seeing through someone's eyes. There were three women…" then he shouted…" there is another one and they were all tied up. They were beaten whenever they tried moving. Oh God, please help them! They were in severe agony."

"Do you know where they are being taken?" Dr. Molina was taking notes.

"I don't know."

"Do you hear your wife in there? Crying?"

"No. My wife is gone. She left me, remember?"

The doctor sat there for a moment. It was too much to handle for one session.

"Okay, Lance. If I count into three, you will wake up. One…two…three!" The doctor snapped his finger, and Colonel Lance woke up from his sleep.

He grabbed his face with his palm as if he just went for a short nap.

"When are we starting?"

The doctor replied, "You just finished the first session."

"But I just closed my eyes for a second. I'm pretty sure we have not started yet."

But it was the doctor's longest session with a patient in a while. Doctor Molina was observing the Colonel stretch his arms and body as he tried to regain his composure.

"How do you feel now?"

"Great. Feeling better, I guess," Said Colonel Lance as he looked on his watch.

"Tell me, what is wrong with my dream? I can't recall anything if I dream aloud, to be honest."

"Frankly, you must be in a great deal of stress lately, Colonel?"

"I am because I wouldn't be here if my superior didn't think so."

"You might consider adjusting your schedule."

"Why?"

"Because I am increasing your session to three times a month, Colonel."

"That I can manage. But is there something that I should worry about?"

"I don't think so, but the deeper the analysis, the better. I can decide your treatment's appropriateness that is best suited for you if we adjust our session. I am giving you some medicine to correct your sleep pattern. Drink one tablet of this in the evening before going to sleep and one in the morning. Your next schedule is on Thursday next week at 10 in the morning. "

"I have a schedule at that time."

"Call them to make it in the afternoon. My consent can override their schedule. Just show them this note."

"Thanks." Colonel Riva took the prescription pad to adjust the time at the patient's request.

The doctor stopped him. "By the way. You aren't married? Right."

"Yes. Never had the time, Doctor." Colonel Riva replied.

"That's all."

Doctor Diego Molina wrote the words" grand delusion" and "flight of ideas" in his notebook. He has also written under treatment the word "Given Placebo drugs twice a day." He watched Colonel Lance walked towards his car from his office window.

Dr. Molina went back to his table and made some calls. "Uh, hello. This is Dr. Molina. I want to make some request for the service records of a patient of mine."

You can hear the tiny voice of the female speaker on the other line. "Doctor, what's the name of the personnel?"

"Colonel Lancelot Riva."