By: LaDonna Humphrey
Over the years, I've had a recurring dream... In my dream, something or someone awakens me from a deep sleep. As I walk across my house and open the front door, I am instantly in a dark and densely populated forest. It is difficult to see. The forest is enveloped in a thick fog. I am overcome with fear and I immediately turn to go back into the house -- but the house is gone. I am alone in the forest. I begin to shiver from the cold and I realize that I am barefoot. This realization is frightening to me. I begin to sob. As I look up, I can see someone in the distance. Someone in white. The white figure motions me toward them. With only the warmth of the hot tears that are streaming down my face, I take reluctant steps in their direction. The figure in white suddenly becomes frantic and they begin to motion for me to hurry. I begin to run. Pain shoots through my feet as I run across the rough terrain that makes up the frozen forest floor. Despite the pain, I run faster and faster. I am determined to catch up to the figure in white. Just as the cold air begins to burn my lungs and my legs feel like they might give out, the figure in white abruptly stops and points into the abyss of the dark forest.
I strain to see what is ahead as my heart beats faster and faster.
I instinctively know what the figure in white is pointing at. It's the rock formation where Melissa Witt's body was found.
Without hesitation, I begin to climb the slight incline to get a closer look. I find that the entire area is littered with papers.
I begin to quickly pick them up.
The task is overwhelming. The forest floor is literally covered in a thick blanket of paper.
At some point, I realize that each piece of paper has the same name written on it. I try to read the name but the dark and foggy night make it impossible.
My body begins to shake from exhaustion, cold, and fear.
I begin to work faster -- desperately trying to pick up each and every piece of paper.
Suddenly, a twig snaps behind me. I slowly turn around to see that he's standing there... just feet away. It's the man whose name is written on the papers... I know it is him. I immediately realize that this is the man who murdered Melissa Witt.
He begins to speak.
I scream.
And then... I jolt awake.
It takes me days to shake the feeling those horrible dreams create in my heart... that feeling of being so close and yet.... so far away from knowing the identity of Melissa Witt's killer.
He's out there.
And I am determined to find out who he is.
