This gives the doctor reason to pause and mull things over for a time, tapping a fingernail on the polished surface of his desk as he thinks.

"While it may seem unprofessional on my part," he eventually begins, "I have seen things that do not rule out the existence of forces beyond our understanding. I will always gladly try to determine a more benign and worldly source to issues, but I also do not consider it outside the realm of possibility.

"Fragments. Figments. Sometimes our very own inner workings, our turmoil or emotions, will give birth to things of this nature. There is a reason most stories about ghosts include them having unfinished business or vendettas, after all. And things like this that cling to a single person, well.

"Your dreamer may have some very questionable skeletons in his closet."