In a dream

I was in a concrete jungle exploring with my sister-in-law and a friend.

As the night progressed, I discovered myself alone and unable to recall when I separated from the group. The streets I walked down were deserted and eerily quiet. Just as I was getting used to my surroundings a startling voice beside me calls out the name Jamie. I turn to face a strange man who’s features I can’t describe but his presence was unsettling. I took steps away from him but he pressed forward, continuing to call me Jamie. He was convinced that I was this person. I slowly raised both hands up and shook my head, hoping that he’d keep a distance as I tried telling him that he had it wrong. My rejection wasn’t taken well and I felt the mood darken.

My heart raced and at first I couldn’t move but then I ran, trying to escape. There was no where to go. The streets narrowed, turning into dark alleys. I couldn’t hear my own heartbeat or heavy breathing, all I could hear was, “Jamie...Jamie...Jamie!!” My pursuers voice was clear and I didn’t know how long I had before he’d catch up. I was terrified. I began to question this reality. Where were all the people? Why was I alone? Was I trapped in a maze? Who the fuck is Jamie? I rounded the corner, collapsed onto my knees and hunched over with my head in my hands. I stared into a dark puddle which I hovered over and desperately begged myself to wake up. I can still hear the man calling out Jamie and I wish to drown out his voice as I’m repeating the words, “Wake up, wake up, wake up.”

I vanished into darkness. I could still hear, “Jamie...Jamie...Jamie...” but there was something bizarre about it. Every other beat, the sounds made for Jamie turned into long metal scraping. My eyes were too heavy to fully open but they managed to slowly flutter. Still in a daze, they’d dart from left to right as I gazed through my lashes. My head was spinning and I couldn’t move my limbs but felt comfort once I recognizing my bed and the four walls of my room. I eventually stopped hearing the man calling for Jamie and only heard distant scraping noises coming from outside my window.

My eyes fell shut and I was pulled back in my dream. In the same dark alley, hunched over with my head still in my hands. I noticed the water rippling in the dark puddle below me and then to my surprise the ground began to dissolve. Concrete and brick were replaced with smooth pebbles of all shapes, sizes and colors. Crystal clean water began to bubble up and then rise through the cracks. Grass sprouted and this cold dark place transformed into a utopian wonderland. I sat up straight, realizing that I was now seated at the edge of a pond with lush greens beyond the waters. Letting out a sigh of relief, I threw my head up towards the bright blue sky and smiled as I felt the warmth of this world. Not bad.


_{P.s. this was a dream I actually had and yes, I’m familiar with lucid dreaming.
Photo shot by @kommienezuspadt and edited by yours truly.}

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Thanks for reading. 🦊