Anna O

Content Warning: The source material features discussions of psychosomatic disorders, trauma, and death by suicide.

In the present, Dr. Benedict Prince, a sleep expert, is on a dinner date. He explains many facts, such as how the average human spends 33 years of their life asleep and how sleepwalkers do things like drive while asleep. His date is intrigued that people can’t recall what they do while sleepwalking. She makes the connection that he is the famous psychologist who awakened Anna O. His date asks if Anna O was guilty of stabbing two people while asleep. Ben has remade himself since Anna, so he doesn’t respond.

The narrative flashes back to a year prior to Ben’s date, where most of the story takes place. At this time, he’s in his London apartment. His boss Virginia Bloom calls him from the Abbey Sleep Clinic. Though it’s late at night, Bloom insists Ben must come to the Abbey for a special client. She’s been told not to discuss too much on an open line. The Abbey gets many high-end clients, such as politicians and celebrities, but it’s rare Bloom can’t discuss a patient. Ben is intrigued and confused; he pleads for some information.