Part I

Grave of Dream

Synopsis

Annotation: The main character brings up his single son alone. He is suffering a deep internal crisis. His intrapersonal conflict has reached such a scale that it is beginning to shape events in the real world. At the end of the story the character finds himself faced with a difficult choice.

         The main character, Peter Jackson, a loving single father, works as a railroad drawbridge operator, and raises eight years old son.

         Peter Jackson wakes up early in the morning from the  nightmare. One and the same dream has been haunting him for a week now. He sees fog and a train, scorching along at a high speed. A bad feeling is pursuing him everywhere.

         Frightened by his nightmares the character makes two phone calls. First, he asks his workmate to substitute him, then arranges a meeting with his friend, psychotherapist. At the therapy session Peter shares his problem with the doctor. The latter prescribes him pills.

         Peter Jackson takes the pills. Visions and nightmares stop haunting him. But anxious feelings continue to tore Peter. From various sources (radio, television, friends, car accidents), he receives negative information, which further heightens his anxiety. Jackson cannot understand why this is happening to him.

         A broken cup at work reminds him of the past events. Four years ago, Peter Jackson also had nightmares: the airport, the plane crash and his wife's funeral. Nightmares were prophetic. His wife soon died.

         Reflecting on his bad dreams, he realizes that the pills prevent him from sorting out the problem. His internal contradictions and doubts exhaust him.

         Peter visits the next session of psychoanalysis. A doctor holds a hypnotic session. The character finds himself in his inner world. There he sees the two parts of his personality that have long been in conflict with each other. Peter learns that one of the parts creates his nightmares. Jackson is struck by the extent and depth of the problem. He realizes that his internal contradictions have reached its peak, and it is high time to take urgent measures. The therapist advised to stop consuming the pills.

         His workfellow reminds Peter of the service rendered. Peter has to come to work for him on Sunday 26 September.

         After some hesitation, Peter stops taking the pills, the nightmares and visions recrudesce, he continues receiving information related to his nightmares.

         In the following dreams and visions Jackson learns what's inside his world, he reveals the cause of his intrapersonal conflict, and is offered the way to solve the problem. He categorically rejects the proposed methods, because he considers them unrealistic.

         Peter's conflicting parties declare a temporary truce, and arrange a trial to him in his visions, and lead him to making a difficult decision. Torn by doubt Peter flatly refuses.

        The night before the accident, he sees a nightmare with three different developments. And comes to consciousness at work. Peter Jackson is horrified to realize that the nightmare is real. He finds himself in a difficult situation. He must make a terrible choice: a choice between the life of his son and the lives of the passengers.

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