Lone Man

This was my dream:

The place is a group of wooden chalets, somewhere in the hillside. I'm thinking it's north Sweden or Norway, maybe even Alaska or North Canada. The chalets are owned by the local airline. It's a trek to any suburb even, and the town is mostly miners, mushers and workers in the mills and local airport. It's dark most of the year.

There has been a virus, an epidemic, in recent years. Though scientists are working round the clock for a vaccine, the death tolls are high and population is starting to thin out in the cities at a noticeable rate. It is thought that living in the countryside is a healthy alternative. Only major corporations and employees live in the cities. The virus is moving to the suburbs though and there is intense screening required to move there and further out.

The main dream people:

They are a couple. Not entirely a happy couple. In fact, they fight a lot.

Probably me, but for arguments' sake, his name is Erik Richter. He's a writer who dreams of a better life, better things. In fact he's a dreamer who writes of a better life and he wants to live his dreams and that is not happening at all. He writes for a popular magazine. His articles inspire the sick and mostly sell in the cities. His editor thinks he's a hack. He is.  Just about earns more than basic survival. He is average looking. Could get what he wants if he had confidence, but he doesn't have any. Never believed in his abilities and has lots of inner monologues of self doubt. Own worst enemy. Thinks he's worse-off than he is. Stays at home mostly, trying to write. Almost always fails and ends up procrastinating. Doesn't sleep well or eat as well as he should.

She is Nadia Sullivan. She has dark skin but is not black; may be Hispanic, possibly even just a tanned natural beauty. She is an air-hostess for the local airline. Very beautiful and very smart. Is over-worked lately, but die to declining use of the airways, is taking leave. Doesn't stay home longer than she aught. Loves Erik, fights for her needs, but also needs to fight. Always dreams of studying law. Strong personality though she cries a lot lately.

The next door chalet houses two happy blonde twenty-something air hostesses. They have just recently interviewed another attractive, blonde, twenty-something air-hostess and Erik knows her well, from school or something. Down the platform, is another chalet and a pilot lives there who mostly keeps to himself. His name is Jared Hoffman. Erik is suspicious of Jared since an older lady, also an air hostess came to visit and was reported missing a week and a half later. Jared owns a vicious bulldog, killed by Erik because he once came in through an open window in Erik and Nadia's chalet while Nadia was sleeping.

The plot I can remember is that on top of the usual trouble, Nadia has come home and is in the room crying by herself. She is wearing a red top as far as I can remember. Erik is next door, talking with the girl he knows and the other two hostesses about whether they find Jared strange. One girl confirms this, but the other two think he's "sweet" and "maybe a little strange, but who isn't?" Only Erik is suspicious of Jared's  involvement of the older lady who went missing. He has been writing about crime in the local area, maybe an offset of a few viral patients who were quarantined recently. He is also hinting that police should be investigating this more and considering her "colleagues" as being involved. Police consider it a cold-case, however, as not enough evidence has been found to highlight a particular suspect. The lady lived alone and no-one knew her very well. Her husband died of the virus on the way from the city. Erik goes back to his room, hears that Nadia is sobbing, goes into the room and it is dark on entry. He clicks on a light and notices Nadia's face has a visible lesion similar to that of the virus.  Because of this, the airline has put her on leave and she must find a doctor to diagnose the mark as whether it belongs to the virus or not. Erik agrees that they should venture towards the city, but they realise the risk involved. He also noticably says "Things are always better when we can agree".

Next vision is of the couple trying to make their way through the desolate cityscape. Nadia is feeling nauseous and looks visibly tired. Erik is tired but determined. In the outskirts, bandit activity is becoming popular and virus sufferers, doomsday zealots and rioters have occupied "The Gate" of the city. Police checks and medical quarantines have been set up. Those diagnosed in the city are sent to the outskirts to be quarantined and it is to the city's diagnosis center where they must travel, having been told that medical staff is too far thinly spread to help Nadia at The Gate. There is a buffer zone between The Gate and the city, old run down industrial complexes and abandoned office blocks are common. Anarchy is rife. "Wagons" are used to transport people to and from The Gate. These are expensive and either covered by corporate insurance or by the wealthy so Erik and Nadia can not afford to use it. They must shelter in the buffer zone on their way to the city. Nadia must also confirm with the airline while there, whether she is a sufferer or not.

There is an epic tune playing at the end. It's called Lone Man. Not sure whether it refers to Erik's lonely despondent nature or whether it was a prediction of Nadia's health. Either way, I ended up humming it into my phone so I could remember it!

That's everything I dreamed in an hour's power nap!