I'm sitting in a tube station lined with red cream tile. The scene flickers back and forth, from vivid technicolor to grainy black and white, as if shot through the gritty lens of an arthouse film. It's oppressively silent, the stale underground air tensing for the arrival of a train. I'm completely alone, folded into a glazed plastic chair. Suddenly, across the tracks is seated a man in a tangerine suit, stiff-backed and expectant. He seems to have been waiting there for hours, yet a moment ago, I was solitary. The tangerine man begins screaming and gesticulating wildly, his face contorting grotesquely as spittle flies like bullets from his mouth. “You are worthless,” he shrieks, his sunken eyes smoldering like burnt marches in their sockets. I turn to answer, but see that he is speaking, not to me, but to the empty red seat beside him. “You are nothing,” he screams to the plastic chair. “You are nothing, nothing!”

The screech of the incoming train drowns out his hysteria. The train pulls into the station and I step on. The inside is an empty tube, painted blindingly white, and as I stand in the center of the carriage, sluggish, plaintive strains of music begin to play from tinny speakers. For a moment, amidst the rattle of the train, the eerie tune and the glaring white walls of the car, time seems to draw to a halt, and my breath crumples like paper in my throat.

The train grinds to a stop, and a deadpan female voice announces: "Move away from the doors." As I step out, the train and its tracks evaporate, and I am left standing in solitude, ankle-deep in a shallow lake, which extends unbroken to the darkening skyline. The lake is calm, like a silken robe embroidered with the silver light of the overhead moon. In the far distance, beyond the haze of the horizon, stands a murky silhouette, contours fuzzy, reality bleeding into mirrored reflection.

I know, at a glance, it is you.

Would you believe me if I told you my dream? Where I soar in the air, without a care. Just me flying so ever freely- not even realizing that it was only a Dream. Or maybe somehow I enjoyed being like a bird, or a plane. How strange to be in the air without any wings, but only moving with the breeze and gliding like a kite high above the ground. A wonderful dream.

Then all of a sudden I was at home, right in the kitchen. Laughing and having a great time with my family. My heart was filled with so much joy. We all had a grand feast. There was fried fish, vegetables & nshima. As I looked aorund the dining table, I felt like it was really happening. That moment didn’t feel like just a dream.

The sweet dreams I would not want to see them end. If they do, I wish to continue them again. But really can a dream be placed on pause to be resumed for another night? Sometimes I believe that if I think about the same dream right before I do to bed~ then maybe....the same dream might continue playing right where I left it.

#SweetDreamz

I peel back onion skin layers

to find a dream within a dream

within a dream.

I am on the outside looking in

stripped bare and floating on clouds.

I drink deeply the essence of stars

falling through the walls of life.

I am fusing into unsettled scraps

of yesterday’s broken dreams,

tiptoeing through life’s dunes.

Teardrops bathe me

in abrasive sea of salt.

Laughter climbs a ladder

seeking wafting breeze.

I chase the light,

swimming naked.

I paint my aura

with rainbows of pigment.

Streams run gently

down my face.

My fingerprints

dissolve and leave no mark

Sun kisses gold flecks,

simplicity of love,

its warmth chasing the pain

as I melt into nature,

dripping candle wax,

marking my path,

so I can find

my way home.

I am on a plane

I somehow know where I am going

Florida

My grandparent's house

My sister and mom sit next to me

I have the window seat

I close the screen

Motion sickness

It stops me from being able to enjoy the view

I took medicine

It isn’t enough

My head feels light as we land

I wait for my ears to pop, but it never happens

We are greeted by my grandfather

I smile big and fall into his arms

As we walk out of the airport, I am greeted by the warm air

It deeply contrasts that of the airport and my cool northern home

We jump in my grandmother's new car

The same kind she loved years ago

He bought her this one for her birthday

I marvel at their never-ending love for each other

They are best friends

She is the only one who has ever understood his unusual personality

They are the perfect opposites

She is outgoing and easy to talk to

He is guarded and awkward

I am told she is waiting at their house

I stare out the car window as the palm trees fly by

Finally, we reach their neighborhood

I smile upon seeing the pool I know I will soon find myself in

We pull into their driveway and I run into the house

She is waiting for me on the other side of the front door

I throw my arms around her and begin to cry

It’s been so long since I saw her last- too long

I can’t seem to remember why

She pulls back from our hug and places her hands on my shoulders

She looks into my eyes

I have never seen my grandmother cry, but I swear I see tears forming in her eyes

She speaks three words, “I love you.”

Then, before I can assure her I feel the same, I wake up and remember

My grandmother is dead.

Everything was going great,

I had what I wanted,

Love, happiness, success,

Then things fell apart.

My house was on fire.

I was tied to a tree forced to watch,

As my childhood burned,

My family burned,

And my happiness die.

Then the ocean dried up,

Boats, yachts, ships,

Hit the seafloor shattering.

Fish and sea creatures took their last breaths,

And piled up to the sky.

Next land nature died.

Trees, plants, water,

Withered and dried.

Animals cried out in defeat,

Before they turned to dust.

All that was left was humanity,

On this barren Earth.

How long we would last I did not know.

I was then forced to watch,

All my friends and extended family members,

Just fade out of existence.

My role models then followed.

I am now alone.

A few years ago, I woke up with a feeling I had never experienced before. I was happy and at peace. My heart was racing a million miles a minute, yet, I had never felt more calm.

Slowly, images of my dream flashed into my mind forming a tear that slipped down my cheek and onto my blanket. As I sat still, I held on to things I had seen when I was asleep. In my dream:

I stood on a beach in the south of france at the crack of dawn. A few feet away from the water, my feet were planted on the warm sand that smelled of sweet cinnamon. I bent down to scoop the sand as then let it fall from my finger tips like liquid gold.

I stood back up as I watched the sun rise from the horizon, casting its ember rays onto the water that danced to the elegant melody of the breeze. Tall waves, taller than I, began to gracfully meet the shore. As if the waves were my emotions, they were synced to my breathing. The deeper the breath, the larger the wave. Piercing through the blue glassed water, the sunlight carassed my skin and beckond me closer to the sea. I walked forward till I felt the soft foam reach for me.

Blending into colors I never knew existed, the sky held the sun as I stood frozen and enchnated by the beauty of a moment so precious, I forgot how to breath. Knowing that I had to leave, I stepped into the sea and tilted my head up to witness a wave so great, it challneged to touch the stars.

I spoke of this dream to my mother, but I could not contol the tears that fell so easily.

To this day, I have never seen a sight so memorable of felt such pure bliss as I did in that dream. This place has become my get away, it is a mental escape because the waves have always seemed to help me find my peace.

At one time, I'm sure the world had been happy.

Now, people walk with their heads down; everything is coated in grey. We walk with no direction, but we always have somewhere to be.

At one time, I'm sure children had played in the streets.

Now, they hide their tears in front of their parents; they can't risk the punishment. They see their futures falling down, and are found motionless in their beds.

At one time, I'm sure the flowers grew.

Now, wilted ghosts of the old plants line the streets; no one thinks to water them. They're slowly dying off, and the air is growing thicker.

At one time, I'm sure this felt more like a dream.

Now, it just sits, motone before me; every step feels more and more like reality. I'm afraid that if I wake, the new world will be worse, so I stay with my head down, going nowhere.

At times, I'm sure this is a nightmare.

Everyone at the airport is in a rush. Hurrying and hoping to get a place in the plane. The end of the outside world is near. Every radio, every tv is tuned in on the disaster. World War 3 has broke out and along with global climate change, extreme and deadly weather. The world seems to be ending, to be in calamity. However, there is a hidden peaceful santuary island everyone wants to go to. Despite government efforts to make many safe places, only the island was sought through. Only a small portion of the best kind of people can retreat to the paradise. The criteria are as follows; must have something to offer (i.e. artistic talent, scientific research, constuction, math, etc....), must be kind, hopeful, innovative, motivated, and above all peaceful. While these specifications seem quite broad, it is much more complicated than I know. What I do know is that I got in! Along with my direct family and dog. It breaks my heart knowing I am leaving behind everyone, everything. My home town, family, friends, school. But it is the opportunity to live and survive that I look to. Currently, my grandma, puppy, and I are rushing to the gate. We arrive just on time and climb into the back of a small outdated plane.

"This cannot be right!" my grandma said, irriated with the quality of the plane.

Before she could complain more a flight attendant cuts in,"I assure you ma'am, this is the right plane but due to the circumstances, we decided a small plane is more..." the attendant whispers "discreet."

Hesitantly, my grandma passes through. When we got to the plane, the pilot came bearing more bad news, "Hello ladies! I am sooo sorry but we have run out of seats... If you want, we can sit you back with the animals."

"This is ridiculous" said my grandma hysterically as she flailed her arms in the air.

"Ma'am I apologize and to make it up we will provide you with complimentary drinks!"

At this she setteled and reluctantly got on board.

The plane ride was worse than we could have previously imagined. Thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tidal waves all threatened our measly plane and our existence. Due to the extreme weather, the flight attendants were calming passengers and helping the pilots rather than bringing us free drinks. To make it even worse, we got assigned to watch the animals. Every single one. What was described as a seemingly easy task turned out to be frusterating and difficult. During the ride a monkey escaped and let every single animal free. My dog went berserk knocking over empty cages. The cold temperature of the plane had successfully frozen a green chameleon, a black cat, and a few small bats. While struggling to put the pigs, rats, and mice back in their rightful places, my dog escaped and began running to the front of the plane. I dropped what I was doing, knowing Chip was going to attack the pilot. Grabbing Chip in a split second I ran back to the animals. When I got back my grandma had finally gotten most of them back. Accidently stepping on the frozen chameleon it shattered. I didn't have time to cry about murdering the reptile so I kept going. We stored Chip and the other animals safely and by that time we noticed that our destination was in sight. A high tech protective shield protected the island from the storms and enormous tidal waves. Crashing against the shield, the tidal waves would disperse one after another. Despite the apparent solidity of the islands shield, our plane passed through with relative ease. Giving us a smooth and angst free landing.

#fiction

#feedback

This is a real dream I had a while back but only about half of the story. I plan on writing part 2 sometime soon. I really like writing about my dreams because I remember a grand portion of them quite vividly. Hope you all like it!

It is like seeing a ghost

walking through the door

from but a dusty corner

of my memory

The stature of a giant

with eyes of summers

long past and I reach towards

bliss but a moment

Then I wake up

and the truth is

Here you no longer exist

In the darkness, there's a sense of danger. I don't know who or what is after me, but I know that they plan on harming me. I open my mouth to scream. No sound comes out.

It's the worst when I'm aware that I'm dreaming and I try to scream, hoping that I'm actually screaming in my sleep so that someone could come wake me up. This hope is always dashed and I'm left waiting until I wake up to be freed from the nightmare.