Vince unhooked his key from the stand next to his door, stepped outside in the bright day pulling his dark brown windbreaker to shield him from the cold autumn breeze. The trees, leaves, and ground still damp from the rain shower early that morning. The earthy smell made him satisfyingly wiggle his nose. Petrichor is what the odor was called after the rain. A word he could not forget. He looked at his Tag Heuer watch, which Vickie on his last birthday, it said a quarter to seven in the morning. Ashley mentioned that the place is an hour's drive from where he was staying.

He hopped on his sky blue, old 1967 Ford pick up, turned the ignition, and GPS on to Charlesbourg. Her text message stated that the address is near Rue du Marigot. She even gave him a coordinate 46°53" N 71°18'23" W. With the information he had, Vince was confident he can find the place considering his experience in the military.

He drove along the highway humming along to the Queen song played on the radio. He sped his way through the road. When the radio hit "Don't Stop Me Now," blasting the radio singing his heart out as the landscape changed from houses to trees revealing the vibrant color of autumn. Vince opened his window as he let the October wind inside his car in the hope that it blew away the scent of alcohol. And let the cold wind wake his nerves up.

Rue du Marigot. "You have reached your destination," announced google map. He stopped right at the intersection, utterly confused as the place was empty except for the highway and rows of trees with no building in sight. He turned right, but the map was redirecting him to the intersection where he stopped.

"Hello, Ashley, where are you?"

"Hey Vince, I am along Autoroute Laurientenne. I should be there any minute now.," she answered as she looked left and right for her next turn.

"Yea, but I have been going around in circles here. I can't find the house you were talking about. Google map kept redirecting me back to the intersection," Vince scratched his head as he checked on his GPS one more time.

If you are at the intersection, turn left and then right. You will see a huge parking lot on your right, you can wait for me there," she replied.

"Okay. see you."

Vince followed Ashley's instruction until he reached the abandoned parking lot. He shook his head as if there was nothing within the perimeter, seemed like they were walking into an area full of zombies. He nodded, realizing there's nothing normal either on this trip since they were meeting a paranormal/oneirocritical.

A few minutes later, Ashley joined in and signaled him to follow her red chevy. They turned right and into rows of trees until there were no buildings in sight. The road was unpaved as their cars jumped on each uneven ground. Old rusted barrels were stacked along the roadway until they saw a house with a blue-painted roof and chipping white paint. Ashely stopped her car, turned off the ignition, and stepped out her car in full denim ensemble. When Vince saw her, he stepped out of his car too. Usually, in these situations, he would not let someone come out without checking the premise first. But, Ashley looked confident as if it wasn't the first time that she has been there.

"We're here," she said as she breathed in the fresh air, turning to Vince, "Let's go."

"Honestly, this looked so creepy," his eyes wandered as there's not a sign of personal insight.

"Hello!" she knocked on the door, a sudden gust of wind passed by, making the chimes play beautiful music.

Vince wrapped his hands around his arms as tiny hairs stood up, and his heart raced. The place sent off an eerie feeling he cannot explain Ashley turned on the knob, which was left open. As they stepped in, Vince felt like they entered a space warp. The interior of the house was in no way a reflection of its facade. The entire house was made of maple wood from the ceiling to the floor. A beaded curtain greeted them as they enter another room. Incense and lavender-scented candles were lit up in the middle of the room, next to a wall with a painting, which is a replica of the Sistine Chapel's mural. The scent of incense and candles filled the air as their eyes grazed to the circular table covered with velvet cloth with star accents. On top of the table were tarot cards and a ball crystal. Various sizes of dream catchers adorn the ceiling. It felt like they were in a different realm as they listened to chantings of perhaps religious monks.

Ashley sat down next to the circular table and asked Vince to join in. They were silent the whole time as if the place in itself had numbed their tongue.

Good morning, both turned around to where the voice originated.

There she was a lady, who's in her 40s with long black curly hair wearing a black blouse and trousers. She pulled her black veil over his head as she glanced over at Vince, then Ashley.

Ashley approached her first, stretching her hand, "I'm sorry to bother you, Madam Rose."

The lady called Madam Rose reached out her hand, curled her red lip in a smile as her light brown eyes peered behind her glasses, scrutinizing the lad she was with.

"This is Vince, my friend," Ashely stepped back as she introduced Vince.

He stepped forward and stretched his arms, meeting Madam Rose's outstretched hands, "Nice to meet you, Madam."

"I see you have come a long way," her eyes wandered as if there were several people in the room," Please sit down for a minute as I bring out some tea."

"No. We are good," said Vince.

"Don't worry; it's on the house. And it will make you calm," she peered again between her glasses, "I am sure you will thank me later." She was gone before Vince can say another word.

Ashley looked at Vince tapping his thigh, "You will be alright," she smiled.

The smell of chamomile filled the air as Madam Rose emerged with a teapot set. She set them on the round table and poured tea on each cup, handing one each to Vince and Ashley. "I believe you got lost on your way here?" she spoke.

"yes," Vince replied.

She peered again behind her glass, reaching out to the tarot cards on her table, "I know this place is hard to find, but it is easy for those who are dying to find answers. Those who have second thoughts or non-believers easily get lost."

"I am sorry," Vince whispered.

"You have the answers all along. You are just stubborn to listen and follow what you are being asked to do," she spoke, shuffling her cards and laying them on the table.

"Do you know what my dreams are?"

"Not exactly. But I can sense your aura."

She flipped one card after another, "Fire, house and a lady," she looked up, "and a ghost," she added.

Vince's eyes and mouth widened as he gawked in utter disbelief as he had never mentioned any of those details except for the ghost part to anyone. "Yes. But how?"

"I saw you in my dreams before you both arrived at my premise. I never thought you would be bringing someone along," she looked at the back and glanced back at Vince. Both of them sat there in silence as they turned at their end but did not see anything. They gulped as they nudged and stared at each other.

Vince and Ashley stayed for another 20 minutes as he relayed his dreams, and Madam Rose explained what each dream meant. It was quarter to 10 when they stood up and thank the oneirocritic.

As they step out into the yard and into their cars, Madame Rose called out, "if you visit next time, please bring some incense."

"Will do," Ashley replied while Vince hopped on his car and tipped off his hat as a sign of respect.

The oneirocritic waved her hand as they departed and turned towards her house, "are you not leaving?" But she just stood there.

Ten minutes later, 2 new clients arrived to consult the oneirocritic. "Are you waiting for them?" she asked, glancing outside the window. Those 2 clients were Angie and Lindsey.