Dreamer

Some dreams from my past...

BOUND
It was a party, and I was wheeled in on a vertical stretcher, bound to it, like Hanibal Lecter, yet the bindings were not visible. My whole body was paralyzed, I don't know why. Locked in my imobility I was even unable to blink; I had been this way for years. To my family and friends I was a vegetable, just a body, an empty husk, brain dead. But for me, I was completely awake. Able to see and hear all that was going on, but unable to connect, interact, give or receive acknowledgement. My family looked after me and made an effort to include me in their celebrations and occasions. But was the inclusion: a gesture for me, for who I used to be, for hope or for them. I don't know. Stood upright in the corner, barely noticed, I watched like a camera, recording.

WILD
I was just like a puppy, happy, innocent, human, but dancing around on all fours. Someone left the leash off, and I raced into the scrub land, behind our house. I rolled around in the dirt and smelt the flowers, what a wonderful world. My family came looking for me, calling out my name, there seemd to be some urgency, but I didn't listen, I was having too much fun. They left. Years past, I was a creature of the forest now, wild, but at home. Home... I seem to remember it, I decided to go back for a look. Suprise and joy from my family as they rushed around me, they were older now but still the same, a touch more grey. They wanted to get me in a bath and clean me up. Yuck. I dashed through their hands and back out to the fields, and into the forrest.

PAW
The warm sun shone brightly down on the desert road, as we all marched along in celebration. Jesus smiled as the band banged their tamborines, drums pounded and flutes fluttered. People were singing, chatting, spinning around, as we headed towards the town. I was exuberant and decided to run ahead to tell everyone that Jesus was comming. I sprinted over the hill and all the way into town. I ran to the hotel and around to the rear yard and looked around. There were a lot of people sunning themselves on deck chairs, and a huge pool stretched out accross from the hotel towards the back mountain. I started to tell people, "Jesus was comming, not far away now. Isn't it exciting, fantastic!" But there was no response, they didn't seem to notice me. I went to some others and told them too, but they kept reading their papers, snoozed, talked and laughed among themselves. Strange they were not interested, it was only the most exciting event about to happen, ever. I saw some guys splashing around out at the far end of the pool, I thought 'they will want to know, I'll go and tell them!' So I jumped in and started swimming. As I got there I started talking about the great news that Jesus would be arriving at any moment now, and it would be the biggest party ever. They listened, then laughed, and then started yelling abuse at me. One of the guys swam over and pushed me down. Under the water I could see the surface and tried to swim up, but every time I got near the guy would kick me in the face and push me back down. Soon the struggle was over, I drowned. No more breathing, I was suspended in the water, quiet and still, eyes open, looking up as my body slowly began to sink into the depths. The light, twinkling across the surface of the water, faded into darkness. As I drifted down I became aware of something stiring the water from below. Something very big was directly beneath me, and rising, fast. It slammed into me and kept rising, I was pinned down so tight, as the water rushed around me, that I was unable to move. As we neared the surface I saw that I was lying in the palm of a giant lion's paw! It was carrying me back to the surface. It was warm, I looked and I saw it's claws were long and sharp. We broke through the surface and I held on as it rose into the air. The guys in the pool were still laughing and splashing about, no one had seen them drown me, or no one had cared. Now I was angry and so was the paw. It swooped down and struck the men. They screamed. They died. People began to look up, but too late. I rode the paw of the Lion as its vengeance continued to strike down others. In the distance I could hear the music.

SOAR
I walked up the hill to where they were gathered. They stood at the top of the cliff, looking out over the lake, way down below. It was a group of about fifty people, they had been standing there for a long time, discussing how to fly. There were arguements about this method, that method, some dares to give it a go, but no one was willing to take the risk, after all, it had never been done, had it? I walked up and said "I'll show you how to do it..." and before they realized what I was doing I stepped straight off the cliff and started to fall. I knew it was not an act of science but an act of faith. You dont sit there forever thinking about how to do it, you step out and do it. As the wind rushed up by my face I stretched out my arms and began to glide. Out accross the water I smiled as I flew, just as I imagined, just as I knew. I banked to my right and circled around, in a wide arc, back up to the top of the cliff, I soared. I landed lightly at the back ot the crowd, with a big smile. They were buzzing and eager to talk to me about how I had done it. I was just about to explain about it when I noticed a friend at the edge of the cliff, and she stepped off. "No wait!" I hadn't told them how to do it yet! People stopped and starred in her direction and I rushed after her. Another man ran out infront of me and left straight over the edge, without hesitation I followed straight behind. The man infront stretched out his arms and began to glide. I stretched out mine and soared past him looking for the girl. She was further out in front barely keeping herself above the water as she glided towards the shore. I was exstatic! They had done it, they were flying, yes! She thudded down past the water and on to the grass. I landed beside her to check if she was alright. She was a bit ruffled but ok, suprised, shocked, but happy. Overhead the other man flew, fast and eratic. Something was wrong, he was out of control. I lept up and stretched out my arms to follow him. He went over the next hill and into a river with a splash. He didnt surface. I flew straight in and down into the dark and muddy water, looking for him, but I couldn't find him. Deeper I swam, this way then that, but to no avail. I was almost out of breath and I knew there were only moments left. I felt responsible, I had to find him. No time left, I twisted up and begant to surface. Just at that moment my wrist was grabbed by a hand of light. There was an Angel in front of me smiling, and she pulled me through the water with a great whoosh. She took me to where the man had sank and joined our hands, then was gone. I pulled up and we broke through the surface and onto the riverside. I turned him over and water poured out of his mouth. He started coughing. He was alive.