By ladyumbra

There had been rumours about Professor Duvert circulating the campus for the past several years. Some were the typical sorts of things one heard , little quirks or eccentric traits that made them a memorable teacher. One rumour however had been out of the ordinary and was seemingly confirmed and added to each year. It was perhaps the most well known and still mysterious rumour that surrounded the Professor of Anthropology.

It was said that anyone who fell asleep during Professors Duvert's class after his initial warning woke screaming , terrified and scarred for life. Those victims guilty of the offense always failed to explain exactly what scared them only that they were left feeling deeply afraid and powerless.

Like many before her who'd attempted to unravel to mystery of the nightmares Cass was a stubborn girl who refused to believe that there wasn't a logical explanation for it all. However unlike the others she would not be falling asleep herself, no she'd roped a friend into being the bait with the promise of a shared byline in the paper. Cass needed to be able to monitor the Professor while Jen slept, there had to be some sort of noticeable signal he gave that cause something that caused nightmares in students.

Class began and Cass settled down, Jen wasn't due to fall asleep from the pills for at least a half hour so she'd be able to dedicate her complete focus to the lesson, for the first part of the class anyways. Opening her notebook she idely tapped a ball point pen on the paper. Professor Duvert tended to move too quickly for accurate note taking and most of the class relied on tape recorders; The notepad was so she could observe the professor at work and jot down if any of his behaviour seemed any different than normal, if he seemed to have caught onto the girls plan.

Twenty minutes passed and everything seemed normal so far. In the first few weeks of class Cass had closely watched the Professsor and kept track of his unique quirks and habits so she'd know if he deviated from then on the chosen date of the experiment. She knew how he tended to pace when under pressure and how his fists clenched and jaw locked when students tried to talk him into a corner and illicit the response they believed he should give. she knew that when he was in a melancholy mood he'd spin his wedding band until he was better.

Cass watched as Jen's head began to droop and how she saw just the slightest gleam in the professors bluey gray eyes. Keeping the other girl in her perpherial vision she tried to focus on the day's topic. A few minutes passed before Cass's attention was drawn back to Jen, the sleeping girl was shifting apparently uncomfortable in her seat. Her contented grin morphing into a frown . Dividing her attention between the still lecturing Professor and Jen, Cass could see nothing, Jen was becoming increasingly more upset but there was no more signs from the Professor that anything was going on.

"Nooo" Jen howled as if the word was being ripped from her throat as she jerked awake. Cass stared at her friend who's breathing was rapid and shallow and who's violet eyes were filled with fear and torment. Jen, fair skinned to begin with had gone pale and the washed out look made her appearance that much more disturbing. Whatever she had been thinking and feeling in that dream had shaken her to the core.

" Is there a problem" The professor asked arching an aristocratic white brow. He casually brushed off imaginary dust from his left pant leg before crossing his arms and waiting for an answer. An almost imperceptible smirk graced his lips as he stood there staring at the unfortunate girl.

There was something cold about him now something Cass couldn't quite explain but reminded her of a predator stalking it's prey. There was for a breif moment as Jen tried to explain an intense look to his eyes that had not been there before. There was something going on there and she knew it she just had to figure out what.Cass just couldn't believe it, Jen was trembling and stammering and Professor Duvert was just standing there as if nothing had happened. He wasn't even showing the remotest sign of concern for an obviously ill student

" If you are finished dozing off in my class only to interrupt us when you care to grace us with your awakened presence may we continue?" he inquired in a droll tone eye returning to their normal shade . There were various murmurs from the rest of the student body but if he heard anything in specific he showed no signs of caring. He simply walked back to the front of the class and flicked the power button on the projector before resuming the day's lesson.

Cass had wanted to say something to stand up and demand to know what the hell he had done to Jen but as she'd started to rise those eyes of blue steal had landed on her for just the briefest of moments and she found herself unable to move or to be honest unwilling to do anything that might warrant their attention again.


Hours later Cass sat at home on her bed, her laptop rested on a pillow supported by her knees. she had an article to write even if she was unsure of what should go in it the experiment had been a failure that much was a given but how to explain everything else. How could she convey to readers who hadn't been there how truly disabled Jen was afterwards

She's tried for over an hour after class had let out to calm the other girl down and get a story out of her. It had been in vain however since she reported the same things all the others had. Fear and the feeling of being utterly helpless. When Cass has asked why she was helped what situation she'd been in she'd received only unintelligible word and the sight of one of her friends in obvious pain. Unwilling to force Jen to suffer through attempting to relive the nightmare Cass had given in and sent her friend home telling her to avoid any other stress as long as she could



With a sigh she placed her fingers on the home row and wrote what would be another short article in the history of short articles surrounding Professor Duvert. Another year another victim, Cass typed, once again the mystery of Professor Duvert's sleep haunting classroom remains intact. After this investigation I have come to this conclusion, abandon hope all ye dare who dream there.