passing through danger

I was driving a sturdy white van down a steep mountain. The winding road narrowed as I traced the cliff's edge, until the road became a snaking path, barely wide enough to allow passage. The path twisted and kinked around sharp rocks and the traffic slowed to walking pace; some cars turned back. Two people appeared - a man and a woman - at the most perilous point, carefully directing people around a hairpin bend. I drove tentatively onward, listening to the instructions and following them carefully. As I passed the man, I looked in his eyes and thanked him. Again, as I passed the woman, I made eye contact and thanked her. In both their eyes, I saw light reflected and something more - spirit, energy, soul.

shark

I was walking on the shore of a shallow sea and my brother was swimming, not too far out. I saw a fin curve through the blue, and then another. I called out, hopeful he could hear me; hopeful they were dolphin. He swam back toward the shore as more and more black fins appeared. I saw they were sharks and one rushed at him as he climbed out of the water and stepped onto the shore. I screamed and he turned in time to wrestle it, casting it back into the sea. He was alright, but his hands and arms were cut from the sharp teeth of the shark.

bus crash

I was in a bus, sitting in the middle of the back seat at the end of the aisle. There were only about six people on board, sitting alone in various seats. A young man of about eighteen also sat on the back seat, on my right, looking out the window. The bus driver steered the bus around golden cliffs - the road curving and precarious - and, as we entered a canyon, the driver sped up, driving too fast and too recklessly. We drove off the road and across the rocks, the bus bouncing and out of control. We hit a rock and the bus spun around, now airborne and sailing down a cavern, tail first. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. The bus was certain to crash and, being in the back, we would receive maximum impact. I looked out the back window and saw the rocks, closer and closer. I said and prayer and thought of my family. The boy turned from the window and looked at me, his blue eyes frightened. I had time to take his hand.

rising up

Two dreams:
I was rising in the air, flying or floating upward, away from the Earth, towards the stars and planets. I experienced a knowledge that I was about to disperse, the atoms of my body and the energy that makes up me were about to scatter and converge with the energy of the universe. Still rising, and regretfully, I remembered the many things I had to complete, the things I had to do, and so I turned and headed back to Earth.
I was in the back yard, clearing green rubbish, banana leaves and such things, with the help of a couple of  others. It crossed my mind there may be a snake hidden in the waste pile, but we continued gathering armfuls of debris. One of my friends walked quickly to the bottom of the yard and threw something long over the fence - a brown snake. I was amazed at her calm. Another snake, a giant python, came out of the pile and weaved its way across the yard. My friends retreated and I, instead, floated upward, above the scene. I was aware of the concentration required to remain in the air, knowing that if I ceased to believe, I would fall down into the yard with the snakes.

music in the rain

I was in the suburb of my childhood, staying in the house of a friend. The garden sloped away from the house, merging with a park. In the early morning I went outside in the rain to brush my teeth at the tap. The man next door was in his garden, eyes closed, playing a violin. I leaned into a shrub, hoping to remain unseen, so as to listen. I could only just hear the beautiful music over the rain and I realised this was why he was out here: playing his violin, the sound masked by rainfall, so as not to disturb his wife or the neighbours. I felt both joy and sadness, witnessing an old man delight in his passion, but having to be so discreet.

theatre and grandmother

I entered a theatre and found a seat towards the back. The worn russet leather chairs had wooden arms and fold-down seats, like those in old cinemas. The theatre appeared to have capacity for three hundred or so people and it was near full. We excitedly waited for the show to begin. I was there alone. The curtain was raised and three women appeared on stage, singing an electric, almost eccentric, song with great mastery. My dear friend was one of the performers and, I realised, I had come this night to watch her perform. While they sang, the audience began to leave. At first, I was appalled, but it became apparent that the audience had already seen the matinee performance, that they were lingering in the theatre and the night-time show had started too early. The curtain was lowered and the show stopped. Soon the theatre was almost cleared. I took the opportunity to search for a better seat, closer to the front, so that I would have a clear view of my friend. A new audience began to fill theatre and, among them, my grandmother sat down next to me. I was overjoyed and yet perplexed, as I have not seen her since her death some years ago. I felt somewhat neglectful, as though I had forgotten her and not visited her for years. She was wearing a mustard jumper and had a few bags about her. Together, we waited for the show to begin again. It started and, while my eyes were on my friend on stage, my grandmother disappeared. I turned around to glance at her, but she'd gone. Worried, I crept out of the theatre, sorry to miss the performance, to find her. She was in the foyer, sorting through her bags, preparing to go home. All kinds of personal items were strewn across a table. I helped her sort out her washing, including two blue towels, and repack her other bags. I noticed that the contents of her handbag were lying on another table nearby, and I took particular note of the bright red lipstick in a gold case - Chanel No 13.

lost friend

I was dressing for a night out, but I was tired and late. I sat  - half-dressed - and hurriedly ate a meal, knowing I would be even later. My friend rang to find out where I was; I could somehow see her waiting, standing on a hill, dressed in dark red, the wind blowing her hair. We arranged to meet here instead and, even so, I knew I hadn't enough time. Sure enough, she arrived at the front door well before I was ready - a glamorous figure. We hugged and she looked into my face; she could see that I was tired. I finished dressing, though not well; my clothes were ill-fitting and drab. I had no time to shower or groom, and we left. Arriving at a large concert hall, we were ushered to our seats toward the front of the theatre. Once seated, the usher returned and pointed out a better vantage - seats up toward the back. My friend followed the usher to inspect the seats, while I minded our spot. I lost sight of my friend int he crowd and, knowing the show was soon to start, I went to find her. I couldn't see her anywhere but heard that she was in the foyer, talking with friends. I thought it best to sit down as the curtains were opening. I shuffled through the legs of the seated audience until I reached the two vacant seats, still distracted by the absence of my friend. I was not at all comfortable; in fact, the seat had now elevated so that I was blocking the view of the person behind. I tried to lower it, disrupting the people around me. A couple of people moved and I was somewhat embarrassed. The show began and it was awful: bad acting, dreadful singing and of terrible taste. Someone came to tell me that there had been an accident in the foyer, so - relieved that I could abandon the show - I raced out, thinking my friend had fallen or some such thing.
There had been an accident at sea. I peered out to the horizon and could see ships bottom up and sinking. Ships nose-down, black in a grey ocean. The water had risen and my friend was swept away. She and the others in the foyer were now dragged by a swift current south. About seven people were struggling to stay afloat, powerless against the pull as they rushed through the water, desperately grabbing at anything to aide their plight. I ran along the shore, following them, my friend ever in view. I shouted to her, words of encouragement to buoy her. I followed for miles, running apace, keeping track of her. I thought she was lost.