Dream People

Short story about a dreamy day....

 

Dream People

 

I love windless, sunny days around 70. Living near the top of a mountain in Alaska, these days are few and cherished. I use ‘em to get a tan.

So there I was, lounging in the sun, laptop at the ready, … and the usual blank screen. Who cares? It’s a Chamber of Commerce kind of day, and I’m absorbing the sun’s energy with a big s**t-eatin’ smile on my face. Life is good. No story comes to mind, so it’s naptime.

Yep, tough life.

…Mmmmm… Mnnnn

I’m entering a door. I see a sign on the wall that says: “Welcome to Dreamland” .. OK, this might be interesting? I walk in, and …Something changes. I’m aware of others in the room, lots of them. I seem to be the focus of their attention, although none of them are familiar. Let me restate that. Some seem strangly familiar, but I can’t place them. I don’t know anyone personally… I don’t think. My mind is a little blurred here. I look down and discover no floor, not actually wide open space, but just… there wasn’t a floor. We were all just sort of.. there. The crowd chuckled a bit as several approached me. I mean approached in the smoothest way. Kind of “zoomed” like a camera lens until they were, well, close. Suddenly I was sitting at a table, gravity and all, with those “approachers” seated around it. Everyone smiled, I felt no threats. In fact I was so comfortable… I just sat back and waited for the dream to happen.

It was obvious I was dreaming. I believe they call it a lucid dream in that situation. I’m not sure that’s what it was, but who cares. It’s a Chamber of Commerce afternoon, and I’m in dreamland and I know it. Cool. Here’s the plan: Sit back, see how this develops, try to get dream sex before it’s over.

Come on, tell me you wouldn’t be thinking the same thing.

So there I was…

…and one said: “Welcome to our universe, Dax, we hope you enjoy your stay.” Seeing I was not going to speak, (Come on, Dude, tell me whatever.) he continued. “Every so often we get a chance to, as you say, “screw with” one of you.”

“It’s your turn.” Said another. He tried to smile, but it didn’t work. I thought I saw some concern on his face.

What is this? I was thinking. Why would this guy give that look? Am I dead? This is crap. It’s a Chamber of Commerce day, and I’m stuck in a s**t lucid dream. The rest started laughing.

“He’s still here, let’s try telling him again.” Nods around. Hello, Dax, we are the inhabitants of a universe you visit in your dreams.” He hurridly continued, “Now don’t lose me now, you are aware of everything happening, so you understand that in your universe, it’s a Chamber of Commerce day, and you are asleep in your yard.” Again he hurridly added, “Now you know this is real, or at least try to accept it. You are in the dream universe. Can you understand that?... Dax? You are lucid dreaming, and we are here to talk to you…sort of.” He paused, again looking into my eyes like I had come back from the dead or something. I thought it again. Am I dead? Did a sniper take me out with one clean shot? Did a nuke go off in the Cook Inlet vaporizing me and a few hundred square miles? Was I having a heart…

“None of those things, I assure you, Dax. You are asleep, and that’s that. Now try to concentrate. Look at me, us, everything. See where you are. Please try to understand what is being offered here.”

Another voice chimed in, “This universe is where you go to dream. We are the players in those dreams. We can look like anyone you know, or play any role no matter how impossible…”

“in any situation you can dream.” Added a voice.

“That is what we do, where we live, how we spend our lives…”

“Being the inhabitants of your dreams.”

The voices stopped, paused, I could feel them waiting for reply, reaction, Hmmmm. What did they want? What could I do for them? …Or maybe what did they want to do to me? Something bad? Something psyco? Mental torture…in my dr…”

“Dax! Listen! We are friends. Just from another universe.”

“We just wanted to say Hi!”

“To thank you for dreaming stuff.”

“You are like a vacation spot in our universe!”

“Huh?”

“A fun place to visit.”

“A sought-after appearance.”

“You are, to our universe, what waterslide is to your universe.”
“A fast and fun ride!”

“We just wanted to meet you, in your conscious state of mind.”

“To talk to you, have a conversation”

“With you - as you are,… while awake!”

“Awake! Awake! Awake!” they chanted in harmony..sort of. Like a very large but quiet choir - whispering.

For some reason I instantly understood that “Awake” was a spiritual buzz-word in this place, this ‘universe’ if what they were saying were true.

I began looking at them, at their faces. They were all very interesting, and for the first time I realized they were not all human. In fact, several were not, a majority. They seemed friendly. Certainly not threatening.

“OK, I began, “Hello,.. I guess. I’m Dax, um, from Earth.”

Cheers. It seemed like an inappropriate amount considering I was in the presence of so few. I looked around and my surroundings had changed. It felt like outdoors, but more “open.” Although there were a lot of, I guess, “personalities” apparent in the space, it seemed nowhere near crowded. Comfortable in fact. Like a great big, huge-gantic living room… with a fireplace. Comfortable, you know? Friendly. I continued. “I guess you’re all wondering why I called you here…” It got a laugh from the crowd. (Good room.) “Can I ask Quest…” Instantly I was back at the table, with a few now familiar faces seated around, obviously to answer. “…ions?” Hmmm. “OK, Here goes; How is it that you all live in dreamland? Where do you go when I’m awake?”

Once again chuckles, if you can call them that. Merriment would be closer, amusement might work. Point is, when I asked logical questions they seemed, well,…entertained.

“Where do you go when you’re not sliding down a waterslide?”

“We live not just in your dreams,”

“We live in a universe of dreams!”

“Universe of Dreams!” the harmony chanted.

“Dreamers from all your universes!” Explained the now most familiar voice.

“We [pop] from one dream to another, much like you take one step forward at a time.”

“Sometimes you dream of the same people or places more than once.” Another voice.

“You, Dax, are very good at that.” Another.

“And continuation dreams are most desirable”

“Much like longer waterslides, or larger water parks.” More voices.

“Hold on,” I said. “This is getting out of hand. Let me think for a minute. I’m asleep in my front yard on…”

“A Chamber of Commerce day.” The harmony chanted.

“And I’m having a meeting with some of the consciousnesses of the dream universe?” I said, expecting the answer I was hoping for.

“That is correct.”

“And I am in control of this… dream universe? Is that correct?” again hoping for the affirmative.

“You alone control your dreams.”

“We are merely players of opportunity.”

“Then I decided to dream about meeting you, um, people?”

“With some encouragement from our side.”

“We may try to control your universe while you are conscious, but it seldom works…”

“Just like you try to control your dreams before falling asleep at night, but it seldom works.”

“You try to dream of sex.” said an especially randy voice. I thought about that. I’m in control of this dream, right?...

…and Sheri walks in wearing that thin gauze ankle-length white dress. As she passes the light it becomes transparent. Her outline relaxes every muscle in my body… well, almost every muscle. When she sits at her bureau combing her hair in front of the mirror, her dress falls open enough to reveal thigh-high ……..”

 

“Every time we mention sex…”

“We lose them.”

“Those Earthers are a horny bunch.” The harmony chanted.

 

 

Author's Note

this being my first submission, Please comment or suggest stuff. Be gentle.

Reviews

[bailish]

As you'll soon find out, everyone on this website is gentle. It's the ambiance of this place.

I liked the world you created, and how you slowly revealed it. It kept me guessing where you were going.
At first, I didn't like the Chamber of Commerce Day reference, but then I saw that it was your point of reference. Interesting way to do it.

I loved the ending! Just made it for me.

Thanks!