Somebody’s Nightmare

We were having the most marvelous time. The party was a magnificent hit. Everyone who was anyone was there.

And then it all went to hell.

– “Don’t you just hate it when you’re stuck in somebody’s nightmare and can’t get out?” I ask my companion just as soon as my breath has settled enough to talk.

– “Yeah… tell me about it. Last week I lost a leg. Took hours to grow it back.”

– “Oh? What took it?”

– “Oh, you know, just your generic monster. Nothing quite as elaborate as this set up here.”

– “Urgh. I hate the vague threats and the generic monsters that abound. They’re so unimaginative! The least they could do is come up with something specific to be afraid of. Something original, but no! ‘Generic Fucking Monsters.’”

– “Yeah, I know,” my companion laughs. “Well, they’re certainly imaginative here. Whoever’s dreaming this is… I mean… Wow.”

– “Yeahhh,” I laugh. “Wow,” although I find I’m having trouble remembering just exactly what had happened, what it looked like.

The thing had eaten more than half the guests. But all I could really remember were its teeth and claws. All monsters have those, pretty much. Especially the generic ones.

– “Look out!” my companion yells.

There’s revolving blades coming down from the ceiling now. All surfaces have turned to glass. The walls are bending. I guess it’s time to run again.

My companion and I become separated as we run. The place has become a maze. A maze of bending walls and revolving blades.

I wonder whose nightmare this is. Just who the monsters and things are really after.

All that has to happen is for that person to die for the dream to end. Clearly they haven’t been killed yet.

Suddenly the gravity changes. I am slammed to what was the ceiling, and then thrown against a bending wall.

I’m glad I missed the blades. Those things would really hurt.

I don’t much like the wall, the way it’s bending. I’m almost glad when the gravity changes again and I am pulled into a freefall. No saying what awaits at its end.

I fall through nothing for what feels like eternity. I finally land, and find I’m up to my waist in some seriously sticky black goo. Up to my waist and sinking with every movement.

I decide to relax and see what happens. I’m hoping to float to the surface but instead, I sink to the bottom of the thing.

Not a winning strategy, relaxation. I feel I’m about to choke.

My feet find purchase on the bottom. I kick myself up, and out of the goo. Thank God. Now I can breathe again.

I float in empty darkness. The goo is gone.

When I focus, I find that I can swim in the air. Swim towards what, though? There’s nothing to be seen, so I just swim towards a randomly selected direction trusting that this nothing too shall change.

After what feels like the longest time, I find that I was right. This too does change.

There’s a small fleck of light in the distance before me. I swim towards it hoping it does not become a train.

The light keeps moving further and further away as I swim. That’s okay. I do not let it bother me. Just another standard feature of nightmares, not reaching where you want to go. I know this too shall pass, and do not panic.

There’s a world appears around me. Beautiful and green.

Is the nightmare over? No. I don’t believe for a minute that it is. Just trying to lull us to a momentary sense of security that is all.

These things never end until the dreamer is dead. When the dreamer is dead we all wake.

I wonder whose dream I am in.

I walk through a beautiful garden. Tempted to pick apples. No doubt those would be poison.

Then I see it. Then I know.

Seated at a picnic table underneath the most beautiful blossoming trees is a man that is a monster. He is wearing a cloak and mask.

Underneath them I know to be nothing but darkness. I know to be nothing but evil.

He was once a doll my grandmother owned.

Oh Jesus fucking Christ I have to die. Cause these things never end.