The Curse Conduit
Chapter 3

Derek (an American modern day image of Declan and Danny) woke with a start, lying still while his breathing got under control. He looked around the room for a flicker of recognition realising where he was. Another hotel room, another city. Sitting up he ran his fingers through his sweat drenched hair. They had started again, the dreams, dreams that danced in his sleep. Dreams that he thought he had finished with so many years ago. Dreams that felt so very real.

Derek put it down to the gruelling schedule of the groups tour and lack of sleep for their re appearance. But for whatever reason they were back and he knew there was no point in fighting them, they would stay for as long as they liked.

As a child his parents had put it down to an over active imagination When they returned as a teenager, he rarely spoke of them. They had visited him a few more times over his life and now they had come back, always the same two dreams. The feeling was always the same. The feeling that he knew the people in the dreams, he had a connection to these people.

Derek shook his head making for the shower in the hopes that the calming fingers of the water would wash away his thoughts.

The four members of the popular singing group Synergy which included Derek, had a promotional meet and greet the fans at a large shopping centre that morning then the day was theirs until the a sound check and concert that night. Derek was in the hotel lobby having arrived a few moments before the others. As Uriah (a Swiss modern day copy of Uri and Urian), Casta of spanish decent and the Frenchman, Simian got out of the lift Derek smiled at them but Uriah picked up on his inner mood. As Casta and Simian got into the car Uriah held Derek back. “You okay Derek?”

Derek smiled weakly. “Rough night.”

“Those dreams?”

Derek nodded in silence and they all got in the car. He had told Uriah about his dreams one night while they were discussing some of the weirder things that had happened to them on the road and in their earlier years.

They arrived at the shopping centre and all thoughts of his dreams forgotten as they walked into the crowd to greet their fans.

Little did Derek know that his life would change very drastically and he would begin to wonder what was dream and what was real?

After singing a song, the group moved to a long table sitting and got down to the business of signing autographs and as always receiving gifts. Each member of Synergy had been overwhelmed by the response of fans from the very beginning. Many of the gifts they received were handmade and they knew they would have taken hours of tender preparation. Others where expensive.

Derek was happily signing away when a fan handed him a small book to sign. As he took it from her he smiled and touched one of her fingers. They both jumped as each received an electric shock. Derek looked up at her as she dropped the book. “Wow!!! You must be supercharged.”

Derek’s expression changed from one of surprise and cheek to concern and apprehension when he really looked at her face. He stood, gaining the attention of his fellow band members.

“Bethie?”

The woman looked at Derek a little puzzled.”

“Bethie, is your name Bethie?”

She was the spitting image of Beth-Elena.

Uriah had been sitting next to Derek and was concerned about the change in his friend.

“Derek sit down.” Uriah looked to the women who had gone a little pale. “I’m sorry are you okay?”

She turned her attention to Uriah and smiled. “Yes thank you.” Then looked back at Derek. “My name is Elizabeth. Only my Grandmother ever called me Bethie.”

Elizabeth was shuffled along the table by other fans and was gone. Derek continued to sign autographs but he did so in a daze, having no idea who was passing in front of him or what he had said.

Once they had finished and walking back the waiting people mover Uriah got hold of Derek’s arm. “What was that all about back there?”

“Uriah that was her.”

“Who was her?”

“That was the girl in my dreams. Beth- Elena, Bethie.”

“But I thought your dreams were about two different times, two different women.”

“They are; but it is the same face I see, she has that face. I have to find her.”

Uriah gave his friend a shocked look. “Derek listened to what you are saying. She’s a fan. You’ll probably never see her again.”

Derek smiled back at him and patted Uriah on the pack. “No. We will meet again I just know it.”

Elizabeth had organised to meet a friend at a café outside the shopping centre. They had both gone to see Synergy but had been separated. She ordered a latte just as her friend arrived. Kimberly smiled as she sat. “Did you get all their autographs?”

Elizabeth nodded remaining quiet, thinking about what Derek had called her.

Kimberly was a little worried about her friend. “Hey Lizzie, you okay? Did something happen?”

Again Elizabeth smiled weakly. “He called me Bethie.”

“Who? Why?”

“Derek called me Bethie. The only person in my life to ever call me Bethie was my Grandmother and she has been gone a long time.”

“Oh I wouldn’t worry Lizzie, You probably just remind him of someone. They must see heaps of people.”

“But that is just it Kimber. As I was standing there in line waiting, I expected him to say it. I knew he was going to say it.”

Kimberly had a puzzled look on her face. “Don’t tell me you think just because you have been dreaming of this guy you think you have some kind of celestial connection. God Lizzie, give me a break. You’re obsessed. I know you like these guys and we are all entitled to our fantasies but get a grip girl. It was just a coincidence, nothing more.”

Elizabeth took a sip of her coffee looking out the window. Kimberly was right. It was just all the emotion of getting to see them.

As the waitress took Kimberly’s order Elizabeth continued to stare out the window. Not watching anything or anyone in particular when she saw Derek and Uriah step onto the footpath followed by Simian and Casta. She just stared at Derek. What he had said had unnerved.. How had he known her Grandmother’s name for her? As she continued to watch a dark windowed people mover pulled up and they all started to get in. Just before he was about to Derek stopped, looked up and down the street and then across at the café. His eyes fixed on hers for a moment. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew her. Elizabeth dared not to move, they watched each other for a little longer when Simian pushed Derek from behind to hurry him up.

Kimberly clicked her fingers in front of Elizabeth’s face. “Hey, hey Lizzie. You day dreaming about your knight in shining armour again?”

Elizabeth pulled a face at her friend and their conversation turned to other things but her thoughts were still on Derek, her dreams and how he had called her Bethie.

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