“I only drew that because it had one.” I said.

I peered at the design and all the strapping.

“I think all these are to stop the shoulder straps being dropped.

It’d be too tight to pull off like a vest and you wouldn’t be able to pull it down over the waist and step out of it.”

“Possibly.” Mum said.

“Was it one of those really vivid dreams that you thought was real even after you woke up?” she asked.

“It was vivid but as soon as I woke up I knew it was just a dream…

a very

weird

dream.”

“You can say that again.” Mum replied.

“So how did it feel… in the dream?” she asked.

“And was it me that made you wear it?”

“I think so.” I replied.

“All I remember is how tight it felt… and that I shouldn’t be wearing it.”

“Even though I’d told you that you had to wear it?” she asked.

I nodded. “Weird huh?”

“It is very strange.” my mother agreed.

Thankfully, my mother left the topic alone for a while.

But that didn’t stop me from spending every moment thinking about it and, cursing myself for not refusing the hypnosis.

An hour or so later she told me that she’d called the school and told them that I wouldn’t be in today.

“Why?” I asked.

Apart from feeling a bit glum,

I’m fine.

“Because you’re down in the dumps.” she replied.

“And instead, I thought it might be nice to go and buy you the girl’s uniform…

then you can wear it tomorrow.”

“You are joking… right?”

“Of course I am.” she grinned.

“Phew.”

“But if your dreams are anything to go by… that could be exactly what you want.” she added.

Adopting my most serious tone,

I assured my mother that that’s the last thing I want.

“They’re more like nightmares than dreams.” I gulped.

“Yes I suppose they could be.” she replied.

Mum left me at home when she popped back into town.

She didn’t want me being seen since I’m supposedly ‘under the weather’ and off school.

I didn’t want to go anyway.

But when she returned I wished I had gone.

The diary she’d bought me is more suited to the person in my dreams than it is me.

“I’m sorry but I couldn’t resist it.” my mother said when I expressed my disapproval.

“It’s entirely appropriate when you think about it.” she grinned.

“I don’t want to think about that.” I moaned.

“Did you take the cassette with you?” I asked.

“Yes. I listened to it again in the car.” she told me, before asking I’d wanted to listen to it whilst she was gone.

“No… I wanted to destroy it.” I told her.

“Well it’s a good job I took it with me than isn’t it?” she said, before informing me that it’s just a copy and she could get another one from the doctor if need be.

I asked why she wanted to listen to it again.

She said she was looking for clues as to ‘why’ I keep having my very strange dreams.

The next day I didn’t have anything to write in my diary.

But I did go back to school.

By the end of the week I’d put two entries in it…

another school girl dream and. one about going on holiday and loosing my case.

“Can you remember what you wore on holiday?” Mum asked.

I vaguely could and she suggested I write down what I could recall.

I didn’t really want to but I did: