His dream from earlier that morning was beginning to coalesce. Staring into the meditation pool, his concentration was broken. Expecting to see a fish, instead, he saw a water snake poke its head out of the water. He stared at his hand with a faint and frightening realization. The umbrella by the door and the distant hoot of an owl confirmed his suspicions, either he was going insane or taking control of his reality. Maybe both.…but ultimate clarity eluded him. Racing thoughts and unsettled emotions occluded his path…