Once in a Dark Dream

By Willow Love

This book is a dark dream that Willow Love conceived or wrote at her beloved husbands request. Her beloved told her about his time as a prisoner of war and all about his unknown past. The following is Willows own statement: All dark dreams and nightmares have their beginnings in the cold world of truth. Willows beloved gently told her their romance, their love was only once in a dark dream.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781490801469

Willow Love

Willow Love continues the story of the Zeiglar group seeking their “promised land” in this book. Willow has used the names and temperament of the real animals who lived through the flood of her home in 2010. Leo, Rhianna, Rio, and Lilly are just as they were written. Willow’s daughter has looked forward to this story being published and has drawn courage and laughter from the story. Willow hopes for her readers to understand this is pure fantasy and a way to retell biblical stories.

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Copyright © 2013 Willow Love.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1-[phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture taken from KJV

Scripture marked NLV taken from the New Life Version

cultural references taken from DK: Eyewitness Books: Vietnam War published by DK Children in 2005

ISBN: 978-1-4908-0147-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-0146-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013912774

WestBow Press rev. date: 7/23/2013

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

About the Author

I am dedicating this story to my lost love, who was a wonderful man, and who lived through the cruel hardships in the Vietnam War. I am stating for the record, that none of the characters in the story are real and that the story is not based on anyone living or dead. Any of the places in this story are used fictitiously. This story was a dark dream my beloved husband had. He had always wished he could have met me when I was younger. I can not reveal what character he played in the story, because that also was his request. Beware that in all dark dreams and nightmares have beginnings in the world of truth, so the truth lies somewhere within this story’s pages. I prayed for a very long time before I sat down and wrote our story. I hope you find laughter, enjoyment, and hope within.

Chapter 1

The strangely well dressed man had chosen the absolutely worst section of harsh city of Chicago to stay in; the slums. He angrily stepped over the large amount of trash of that included broken wild turkey bottles, Jim Dean bottles and cheap wine bottles that littered the street. He could merely smile, as he watched young street punks who wanted to be gangsters walking the streets in search of their next wild adventure. These juvenile hoods didn’t worry him in the least bit, because he chose to wear his large caliber hand gun in full view. He would not mind in the slightest if he had to get rid of a few of them. Fact is that he hoped he could get rid of some of these dim witted teenagers. His fingers itched to pull his gun’s trigger. As he came to the door of his chosen hotel, the man frowned. He actually shook his head in unadulterated anger, because no one had dared to cross his path. As he finally reached his room, he could only shake his head in total frustration.

He unlocked the door to his cheap, sleazy, and rundown hotel room. He sighed and walked in. After locking his door, removing his jacket; he began getting comfortable. The man pulled a can of soup out of his cabinet and started fixing his meal. The man sat down, turned on the set and began watching his absolutely most favorite television program, The World’s Most Hunted Criminals hosted by Don Malsh.

The man’s recently dyed mousey brown hair was sleeked back with hair crème. His extremely lean face was fixed on the opening segment of the program. Don Malsh was showing pictures of villains the F.B.I. and the C.I.A. were looking for. The first criminal on the show, Brandon Clark, had actually been a friend long ago.

Clark was known as a rather cool headed criminal who never used excess to commit crimes. He was wanted for bank robbery in Tuscan, Arizona. Clark was also being sought for money laundering and for passing out multiple counterfeit twenty dollar bills. There was a twenty thousand dollar award offered for any information leading to the capture and the conviction of Brandon Clark. The man watching the program was one Douglas Miller, who cackled happily, knowing full well Brandon Clark was actually dead. Doug had actually been responsible for the man’s death. Doug sneered with knowledge he could never control his temper very well. Clark’s life was quickly over in a matter of minutes and by Doug’s hand. An argument had occurred during a high stakes card game the two men were playing inside Clark’s motel room. He had not only caught Brandon cheating, but the man had been trying to pay him off with some of the personally made phony bills.

The fools are hunting a dead man. He states happily.

Suddenly a commercial for known laundry soap came on. Doug used the time to think over his latest job. He didn’t have enough time, because the commercial was quickly over and the known program was back on.

The second criminal being search for by the Feds was a merciless hunter of women, who had just recently crossed over to murder. Carl Williams was known to be an excellent looking thirty two year old man who liked hunting women who were well known runaways. In the last two months Carl not only hunted his chosen prey, but destroyed them and left laughing clues for the police in a residential trash cans. Don gave out a complete description of Carl Williams, which included his almost movie star face, his athletic build, his sleek black colored foreign car and his fake Australian accent. The man knew exactly what to say to a woman to gain her confidence and trust. Doug had heard through the grapevine of other criminals that if a woman trusted Williams enough to go to a motel room with him; she was never seen alive again. Williams chose to hunt women who were in their late twenties. Williams had one distinguishing mark on his body that he was extremely proud of and was known to even brag about it. The criminal had, during his teenage years, gone to a local body art salon and had a full features of a roaring lion tattooed upon his left shoulder. There was also a twenty thousand dollar award offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Carl Williams.

Doug privately hoped the police captured Williams. Doug didn’t like fools who hunted women. He hated having to choose from among a dwindling amount of dirty females. Doug allowed the corners of his mouth to curve upwards again. He was rather choosey in his type of women. He cleared his mind with the return of his program. The show’s phone number was displayed on the screen for calling in any information or tips on these highly wanted men.

As his own name came across the television screen, Doug almost dropped his bowl of clam chowder. He really could not believe it at all. He literally broke out in cold laughter, as an early version of his old, but beloved face was shown. He stroked his recently grown and lately colored goatee with no real pleasure. He now wore tinted contacts that made his blue eyes look green. He had paid dearly to have his finger prints burned off painfully with acid long ago, so he never worried over wearing any type of gloves. As the program began, he grew completely silent.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I am your host, Don Malsh and you are watching World’s Most Hunted criminals. I chose to close today’s program with the absolutely most horrific tale of cold blooded murder. Our criminal, one Douglas Miller was a normal, average child and a good natured, respected teenager. His family’s neighbors all stated that he was a quiet child. Every one of his high school teachers and his few friends had nothing, but praise for him. He even served his country in Vietnam, but he changed when he returned back home from the Vietnam War. No one that was a member of his army unit could give the police any ideas on what happened over seas to make someone who had been a decent kid go so bad. His commander had nothing bad to say about Miller. The Sergeant merely stated that Miller never disobeyed orders, but also stated that Miller never showed any ambition to gain a higher rank. The sergeant stated for the record, Miller believed he did not have to work hard to go up in rank, but felt he merely deserved the higher rank."

Now because he hates America so absolutely much, he became a highly paid professional hunter of humans. We have information from a highly reliable source that Douglas Miller was the master mind behind the ending of Tim Hutton’s life. Hutton was a thirty two year old male. Hutton was a well liked high school history teacher in Houston, Texas. Tim Hutton had no known enemies. He died in an unexplained car crash and Miller maybe responsible also for the cruel and undeserved murder of Sally Poe, who was a quiet and well liked, middle aged waitress at Griswold’s Bar and grill in Dallas, Texas. Sally Poe, unfortunately reminded Doug of his late wife. He took pleasure in devising her final day on earth. Doug simply arrived at her front door as a flower deliverer with a vase of roses. Sally let Miller inside. Once inside Doug easily bound and gagged Sally. He quickly set fire to the inside of her small duplex. Sally’s life, along with her innocent college aged neighbors, was quickly over. She was merely identifiable by her teeth. Doug could not help, but smile a little as an extremely dated picture of old self was visible. His beloved, yet lost face was now flashed onto the television screen. Ladies and gentlemen, of our extensive viewing audience, I beg you to please take a minute to view a picture of this vicious, cold blooded master mind: Douglas Miller.

He stands exactly six foot tall with bright red hair and blue eyes. He has a thin, almost gaunt build and wears older, highly expensive period clothes. Viewers this villain loves very expensive clothes from the nineteen fifties. If you happen to actually see this man; I beg all the members of our program’s viewing audience to Stop! I beg anyone who sees this man to STOP! Please do not attempt to approach him! Miller is known to be trigger happy and is extremely dangerous! Miller is known to carry several types of weapon with him at all times. This villain has no real regard for human life. So I repeat do not approach Miller for any reason. The man is dangerous and extremely clever! So viewers take a minute and look at the villain’s last known photograph. Again let me repeat myself in saying do not approach Miller.

Instead; please just call your local police station and they will go through the proper channels necessary to notify the F.B.I.. There is now posted a fifty thousand dollar reward for any information that leads to the capture, or arrest and conviction of Douglas Miller. Now, please pay close attention; ladies and gentlemen, again this is Don Malsh and the program will be back in a few minutes after a commercial with the telephone number to the program called The World’s Most Hunted Criminals. " A commercial for a known men’s aftershave blasted onto the television screen. Doug got up slowly, carefully placed his empty soup bowl on the nightstand, turned off the television set, and looked at his recently purchased new clothes with nothing but complete disgust.

I in truth don’t care for these new threads, but no one would ever think I would wear something that is so new or in fashion. he stated laughingly, Unfortunately I hate how I had to add shoulder pads to my suit jackets to help make me look more muscular and less gaunt. He sits momentarily to survey his new clothes with something close to complete disgust.

Douglas stands one time more and walks over to the bathroom mirror to stare admiringly at his new looks. He slowly begins his own adoration for himself.

In the time of villains: cold blooded, serial, mass murderers, organized or those stupid disorganized villains, and even the completely unscrupulous villains who listed for hire; The Great Douglas Miller stands out as one, who is at the absolutely at the top of his game and is now hunted relentlessly for it! Doug says decisively.

Although Miller is only fifty-five years old; he has already got rid of far too many people or maybe not enough! Douglas Miller is no ordinary garden variety of a sociopath. He states confidently into the small bathroom mirror, Miller can recall the first time he was behind the telescopic sight of a rifle. He had to be in complete silence for hours just waiting on that lonely store’s roof with his index finger just sitting on the trigger. Miller was frozen there, just peering through that telescopic site and calmly waiting for the arrival of his chosen prey. Miller knew precisely he had found his chosen profession. Luckily, today he no longer has to wait; for Miller is an extremely angry, completely calculating, wealthy, purposely cruel and cold murderer. He said almost jauntily, …and now a word for my next fatality.

Beware! I said beware for I am now taking time out and actually warning any and all of my future patsies, my poor, and unfortunate prey that everything I’ve said is completely and utterly true. Be warned, all you naively normal people. I am out there in the real world! I might be watching you! You might be my next target!

Douglas laughed knowing he had gone back to where he had attended high school. He had been nothing more than a team player on the football team. He frowned then recalling how joining the guys on the football team had been his own father’s cruel and self fulfilling idea. His father had been a football hero and star athlete. He wanted the same for his son. He enjoyed bragging just how good Doug was. Doug played, but purposely made sure he wasn’t good enough to be the star of the team. He realized at the time he had to do what his father wanted, but that didn’t mean Doug had to actually be any good.

No one remembers the average players on a team. He said coldly, My dear super star father had to be satisfied just with the fact his son was merely on the local football team and nothing more.

Doug recalled how often his father, who had been a leading quarter back for a national team, actually hated his son’s lack of desire to excel on the high school team. Doug’s father had made the football hall of fame. He proudly wore his super bowl ring.

It was little surprise that the tensions and arguments at home were rather high. Doug had the appearance of deep pleasure on his face. He knew how both of his parents had died rather abrupt and cruel deaths. Doug took great pains in making sure if anyone actually did remember him; they had not lived to tell about it. He had the expression of pure joy on his face; for he had personally removed anything or anyone who had ever known him. There was absolutely nothing out there in the world that even hinted to his ever being a real living, breathing person.

Let the fools from the F.B.I. or C.I.A. try to find me, he cackled, I made completely sure that I don’t even exist.

Douglas Miller had no morality. True to form, he had completely made up his own code of right and eternally wrong. He had no desire to care about anyone. He did not want love or even want any type of real companionship from anyone or anything. He knew for sure that he was to live for now and planned to have a great time on the way out. No, Douglas Miller loved only himself; first, last, and foremost.

After all I am the very best any one could possibly get. What else can one person possibly ask for out of life? he thought rather coldly and vastly happy, what outside my own idea of perfection even exists in the world?

Douglas Miller frowned unhappily in acknowledgement of the fact his old face was plastered on the walls of post offices and large police departments. Momentarily Doug ran his right hand over his face trying to recall precisely how he had appeared before the change. He hated having to change his looks, because above all else he had loved his old looks. Unfortunately, he could not even produce a small smile over the fact that now there was no cop, no real government agent, and in fact there was no one who was actually looking for this hated new face given to him by a recently and extremely deceased plastic surgeon.

"The doctor was a fool to believe I would actually pay him anything at all. He was counting on all the precious money I had promised to give him for giving me a new face. The plastic surgeon should have realized I