The Afterlife-side Diner

This is another dream I had. December 31, 2008. It was one of those dreams that stick with you.

I had a weird dream...

There were many things in my dream that were similar to my existing life. I was a college student, for one thing. I lived at home and studied to become an Archaeologist (which is actually something I've considered being, but I prefer musicianship.) I knew a few friends from school and we hung out a lot. Usually at night when none of us had class and we would all be out. Anywhere you could find one of us, you were bound to find a few of us. 

There was this friend I had, I called him Piano Man. He was HUGE! Seriously, his index fingernail was half the size of my hand. He was who I hung out with most often. He was really cool and often funny. But he was kinda stubborn. Amanda (the one I know in real life) was yelling at him for giving some bad advice to a friend and he was just being stubborn about it. 

So one evening (this is the good part), Piano Man and I went drinking. We were walking around to friend's houses in our drunken stupor. Well, in my defense, I was buzzed, he was drunk. We finally settled on a place and I decided to go to the gas station for some smokes. He decided to stay and drink.

The walk wasn't far. I remember noticing the sky. It was dark, and the rusted skyline resonated the remnants of a retreating sunlight. I got to the gas station but it was closed. There were three guys there before me and were just about to leave when James, David's little brother, came up and asked them if they had any weed. I had one cigarette left. I decided to stay and smoke it while James was here. I had a half used book of matches, but it was breezy and they would go out before I could light up. I managed to light it with the last match. James was already done smoking and decided to go across the street to the other gas station for cigarettes. I decided to go with him because I was over 18, and he wasn't.

As we started walking, the wind was blowing strong, but it was a warm wind. There was enough sunlight from the horizon that I could see well enough across the valley that our city was built on. I looked out at the horizon, and suddenly I saw a huge half circle sonic boom explode out of the middle of the valley. I knew what it was before the fire ball erupted into the sky with the sun's intensity. The sonic boom hit us first. I remember being scared, knowing what was coming. James knew as well and he stared yelling, "No, not now!" I braced myself as the explosion engulfed us. I became lucid for a moment, and I remembered thinking this wasn't real, I was going to wake up at any moment.

But I never did. I burned to death for a good minute before everything went black. 

I could hear myself breathing. I saw a window flash in front of me, like a computer screen window, and it flashed a message. It said, "You Have Failed Life. Please wait to be reborn." I saw a pile of what looked like yellow clay forming into the shape of a fetus, and then into the shape of a baby. Then I blacked out again.

When I woke up, I was outside, the sun was high in the sky. I wasn't in the valley where I lived anymore. I was in the front yard of a house. It looked like my Mom's old place in San Bernardino actually. Except the grass was green, healthy and soft. I got up on my knees before deciding to stand. I was shaken, weak, and reluctant to explore my new surroundings. I was pretty sure I was dead.

When I got up, I walked around the building and found the front door. It looked like a diner from this side. As I did, I was remembering my life. Bit's and pieces. Small fragments of what I could actually recall. I don't remember why, I was kind of disorientated, but I said, to no one in particular, "I want to remember... everything." I stumbled into the diner, and I did. I remembered everything. My most recent past life, and all my past lives before. Hundreds.

It was an entirely different environment inside of the diner. It was just a building from the outside, but it was a bustling world from the inside. Seriously. An entire world. I assumed this was Heaven. I really didn't know what else to call it. It sure wasn't hell. I saw my sister and I asked if her name was Vicky. She said, "Of course," like it's something I should have already known. Then I saw my grandmother. I told her that I died and she said, "Well that's too bad." I guess she was dead already by the time I had died, she seemed used to this place.

There were about 6 people where I was. I felt like I knew all of them. Everyone seemed to know each other. Maybe from life, or from our encounters from any of our past lives, or maybe in heaven, everyone just simply knows each other. There are no strangers in heaven.

This is about where I woke up.

It was one of those awakenings where you just lie there in bed, not sure of where you were. I wasn't tired anymore, so I got up to make some coffee.

Author's Note

I copied and pasted this out of my myspace blog from when I wrote it. I spent a whole week after this dream thinking of the journey my character would have taken in this place. Was it the only one? Was he the only one to remember his past lives? Was the whole world dead? Where would he go, what would he look for? What would he learn about this place? I may actually write it someday, I'm curious to see what happens.

Reviews

[Elvina CZq]

There are no strangers in heaven. - Very true, indeed, whether it'd be the heaven describes by people or written by writers or spiritually speaking. I must say this was a interesting dream you had, and I think everyone has that kind of dream where he/she couldn't remember exactly having such dream, yet it feels too surreal.

As for the very last line, I will do exactly what you did - coffee; at least to bring myself back to reality from the dream and dizziness. Interesting. Thanks for sharing :)

[JENY]

Transcendental experiences…can visit one in dreams….
Yours seem to be one like that…
It is quiet interesting….
Such things will deepen your insight into meaning of life…

Nice read…

[These Haunted Hallways]

Wow, this was pretty fascinating! Amazing stuff!! I usually have nightmares about my horrible job lol.

M.

[WriterSki7]

Lol. A most interesting story to say the least.
(gonig along with this) I'm guessing you were either a Jap or a Russian in the previous life; and died to a nuclear explosion. Albeit the blank computer screen of unreality was most entertaining. Thanks for the humorous read; a small bit of treasure inside the buried heap that is my Read Request Inbox*

[Natalie]

Sounds like a very interesting dream. I'm glad I'm not the only one who dream long detailed scenerios (complete with back story). Do you ever see credits go up at the end? People think I'm crazy when I tell them that.

You have a very different voice in your "blog" than in your poetry. I'd like to see you entwine the two in story form. For instance, the line "the rusted skyline resonated the remnants of a retreating sunlight." is beautiful, but it stands out in this otherwise casual speech. I've read enough of your work to know that you can turn a curious thought into a deep emotional connection.

[Rory CJ Frankson]

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Ya man all the same friends that give reviews: Romon In Review; Romonx.com
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[ cool descriptive ] I remember noticing the sky. It was dark, and the rusted skyline resonated the remnants of a retreating sunlight.

I told her that I died and she said, "Well that's too bad." I guess she was dead already by the time I had died, she seemed used to this place. [ made me grin, bet she was a straight up Old Lady ]
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A Cool Grandma... that'll kick yr. a*s an not blink. Well laughin at'chya
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Man had my share of dream world an Imagine every body has! Me, I'm an Empath, I can feel your musician vibe through your site. Piano bud... was? Good buds are hard to count with no hands lol. Explosions an all. I had a similar end of the world dream and about an adopted twin Randy. He play a Gibson Les Paul an we jam a lot I played mostly harp then an lead vocals. anyway its' your review. I was wiped out watchin Missiles an remember it was like getting pelted with salt crystals... end ah story. Found out that most people like your dream have the Apocalyptic dream. Some of it is like fear. End ah the real world. Mostly it's about dying to your self... changes man.

The new you coming out of metamorphism. Did your play improve. Did your ancestors re-visit ya in dreams. Man could ask ya a zillion things and would have nothin to do with how you write.

It's straight up Bro.. you shared your dream with us in a short an that is a hard thing to do really. I've been working on a one sentence short. Its like the cat that came back. I got a shirt for Christmas. The next year playin Xbox said to my bud "hey got a shirt for you!" "Ya", he said lookin at it. "I gave it to you.!" "Oh", says I, an he laugh. "Ya an my buddy, gave it to me!" Well that next year he gave it back to the original guy. He said, "hey far-out", & still has never wore it! ha ha ha. Well still workin hard to do one sentence...

end ah review Bro... be cool an Dream. Music man... tha'ts the gig...
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andistarr.com my pal in LA we did her video for her next album Andi Starr on youtube and 'Little Bird' her newest video... check it out.

Write On / Right On! >>>Ro... 05/23/10. 2:53. Quesnel BC Canada. Notation for:
Creative Standard Productions; On-line Magazine, with Andi coming soon.Linked with site gave you... The Eternal Poet. Chosen from these records. Later Bro!
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[Chloe..Across the Unive..]

Fantastic reading i can only imagine dreaming this ... it would be good book material..
Coffee.. sounds good.
Lovely dream!

Chloe

[A.Lee]

What an interesting dream! I agree, it brings up a lot to think about! I bet it would make an interesting book though.

[deeps]

This is amazing really, I could feel this one. Gripping and full of tension.
I like this alot, thought it was very well written.

[zombiikillah666]

this was really good. especially the ending. (:
nice write. (: