Journey's Beginning, Part 2: Convergence of Fate

Author's note: Looking for Part 1?  Read it here.
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Feeling his heart racing, David took a moment to collect himself.  

"David?" a soft woman's voice asked, concerned.  "Are you ok?"

"Just the dream again, Ellie," he sighed.  "I wish I knew what it meant." David had been having the same dream for several months.  As time past, the dream felt more and more urgent... more real that anything he'd ever experienced before.  The faces felt more familiar than they should.  Even the little girl's eyes and features reminded him of his wife, Ellie.  He couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than just his subconscious mind playing tricks.  What kind of dream could make him feel such fear and anguish?  It felt like a memory...and every night since May, he relived it.  

Ellie kissed him on the cheek tenderly.  "Don't look so serious, lovebug," she whispered.  "It's just a dream."

Little did she know how long this dream had been disturbing her husband.  David was able to hide it fairly in the beginning, but lately it hadn't been so easy.  I need to know why this is happening or I am going to go crazy.

Turning to his wife, he caressed her cheek and kissed her on the lips.  "Of course, dear," he said, trying his best to hide what he was thinking.  "How did you sleep?"

Ellie smiled.  "Like a log who needs more sleep."

He laughed.  "That's my girl."  He crawled out of bed and headed to the master bathroom.  "I'm going to get ready - have to take in your car to get a tune up."

"And that is why you're the best husband in the world," she giggled and snuggled back under the covers.  "You always let your wife sleep in on the weekends."

David closed the door behind him and turned on the shower.  He stared at himself in the mirror, hoping that the intensity of his glare would somehow force some sense into his mind.  All it did was make his head start to hurt - mildly at first but then even looking away didn't stop it.  His skin felt warm, uncomfortably so, then it gave way to extremely hot and sharp pain.  He turned back to the mirror and his face, arms and chest - were black like ash... breaking open and giving way to red hot tears as if he was being burned from the inside, ... just like the boy's father in his dream.  He tried to scream, or cry out, but he had no voice.

Just when he was about to pass out from the pain, it stopped.  He heard a woman's voice - eerily familiar to him.  Yes, he'd just heard it a moment ago before the alarm woke him.

Mother?  The voice was soft but pleading.  He could only make out one word.  

Verra.