The story begins when a man finds himself in the middle of a jihadi terrorist attack; a shooting on a bus, a massacre, an atrocity. Acting in self-defence he fires back and is one of the few survivors. He recovers in an atmosphere of reprisals and suspicion, where his account of events is questioned. However, unseen by everyone else he becomes the object of interest to some galactic spirits drawn from the varied sentient life to be found in the galaxy. They want to recruit him and begin to test him through a series of dreams. As these dreams become more complex, deadly and eventually off-world in nature, the man’s conscious behaviour becomes more erratic and paranoid. To the investigating officers and the attending Psychologist he appears to be spiralling into madness. But in his dreams he has to face up to the final test of his resolve before he can rest.
These are dangerous times. Terrorist attacks could come at any time. But Haydn Gerrard did not expect to be at the centre of an atrocity on his way to work. Forced to kill to survive, Haydn is barely alive when rushed to hospital. There are few witnesses to the events on a city bus; most are dead. While recovering in hospital Haydn is the only one aware of blurry shapes that are determined to see him survive. The dreams start. In an age where protecting yourself can land you in trouble, Haydn must be careful. As the investigation team close in on what really happened on the bus, Haydn seeks help. Under the huge attention of a largely grateful people and stained by an upsurge in western reprisals, Haydn feels the pressure. The blurry shapes are in his dreams. Will Haydn crack under the strain? The evidence is mounting. His behaviour is worrying the doctor and the psychologist. Is he retreating into a dream world? Are the blurs real? Will he pass their tests and join them? The galaxy beckons. Will he be charged by the investigation team? How will the public react? Is Haydn on the path to madness? Or is he a galactic hero in the making?