Dream State - The Second World

I couldn't choose my path. This was the first warning that my dream was about to become a nightmare. Accustomed to lucid dreaming, I find dreams I cannot control incredibly unnerving, making last night's dream absolutely terrifying.

It had started out as a friendly dream. I was riding a bicycle down a wooded hill, and the road was smoothly paved. Sunlight flickered through the trees, and though the breeze was cool the day was warm. I could hear birds singing, the rustle of leaves as the wind moved, and tiny animals scurrying through the underbrush. I felt at peace, more relaxed than I have been in a long time.

And then it happened. My bike swerved to follow an unpaved trail leading off to the right side of the road, and I could do nothing. My sweaty hands gripped the handles tightly and I tried to brake. Nothing happened. I could only move forward with the bike. I could not slow, I could not swerve, I had no control. I felt some alarm, still alert enough to recognize that I was in a dream state but unable to pull myself out of it. My bike bounced over ruts in the dusty road, and I could feel the handle bars twisting as I jolted over rocks exposed by watershed.

Suddenly I was standing beside my bicycle, pushing it down the road. The front tire was flat, and my bike felt heavy. In front of me was a farm house, white paint peeling from the wooden siding. The road ran between the house and an old barn, and as I pushed my bike forward, creatures began to appear.

I am accustomed to seeing animals in my dreams, but these creatures were odd. It seemed that every animal from the woods had gathered there on the flat lawn of the farmhouse. Bears, skunks, bobcats, foxes, even the squirrels and possums were in attendance. All were aimlessly shuffling around the yard, and all were watching me. I sensed that something was wrong with their behavior, but I could do nothing. I kept pushing my bike forward, hoping my mind would be kind enough to let me continue down the road without incident.

No such luck. As I passed the house everything grew dark, as if I had suddenly entered the inkiest of nights. I could not see the road, nor could I continue moving forward. The only light came from a light bulb high above the back steps of the old farm house. As I watched, lights came on in the farmhouse and I could hear a TV playing. My mind screamed at me to leave, but my dream self set aside my bike, dragged me up the steps to the door, and knocked.

The door swung open, and I could hear a voice calling from somewhere inside the house. "Come on in!" My feet refused to listen to my frantic pleas to walk away, and stepped over the threshold. The air inside the house felt warm and smelled of fresh baked bread. I scanned the kitchen and living room, and saw no one.

As I stood in the kitchen, my legs suddenly became very weak. My entire body grew tired and achy, and I found myself sitting at the kitchen table. As I sat there, feeling a fog pressing into my mind, I realized two things. First, the television was playing on a loop. Second, there was a scent of old, damp wood beneath the warm scent of baking bread. My mind began to race, and the panic I had been trying to suppress took over.

Perhaps the panic made me see clearly. In a flash, the glamour covering the house was gone. It was dark, dusty, and cold. I was seated on an old wooden chair, and I was unable to move. I could feel another presence inside the house, not necessarily wicked, but definitely not warm and friendly. They were a trickster, whoever they were, and it was because of them my body had been lured into the house.

It was at this point my mind must have decided it was time to release me. I awoke to the sounds of my cat, Bleu, frantically scratching at my door, crying to be let in. I was cold and stiff, my joints still achy as if they, too, had just exited the dream. I rolled out of bed and let Bleu in. Her yellow-green eyes were the size of saucers, and she continue to mew as she sniffed at me, butting me with her head as she convinced herself all was well.

I may never really understand the reason for this dream, but one thing I am convinced of; last night I escaped something. Whether it was my mind working through a real-life problem, my over-active imagination simply running wild, or the fae playing tricks on me, I do not know. I do know, however, that I am grateful for the oppportunity to dream, and for the marvel that is the human mind. How fortunate am I, to be able to live in two worlds!