Monday 23 February 2009

time to go

I was in the neighbourhood of my teenage years, trying to go somewhere. A huge swimming pool covered at least a block of the usually quiet street. It was dug out of the ground and was so deep that it was likely it was linked to the ocean. I was in the pool, swimming to the edge as fast as I possibly could, so as to climb up the ladder and out of the pool. A great sense of urgency rose within me, though I was not sure why. Once I was out of the water, I was able to replay the scene from a different viewpoint: as though I had an underwater camera trained on my body. I saw that I had been terrifyingly close to danger; that a big black book was swimming behind me, hunting me under the water, and honing in on me ready to attack just as I made it out of the pool.
Next, there was a huge group of people on the street. They seemed to be divided into two or more teams, playing a kind of game. I could sense danger. The people were volatile, egging each other on. I wanted to escape the people, feeling that the street game might erupt into a violent and aggressive fight.
Next, I found my car and knew it was time to move as the meter had run out. I started the engine and moved the car a short distance down the road, parking in a shady spot under a tree. I emptied all of the change from my wallet onto a table, searching for $2 coins to feed the meter. I found a couple, paid and turned back to my pile of change. A relative was there, sifting through the coins. I shooed him away, gathering up my money, hoping that he hadn't taken any.

living in a cage

I was living in an enclosed space with a few other people. We were there temporarily; weeks, months or years, I am not sure. The space was caged and we had various belongings with us. We could see out of the cage - the walls themselves were only about six foot or so high - but we were resigned to remaining in the enclosure until it was time to leave. Through one side side of the cage, we could see into the neighbouring yard where a huge black and orange rottweiler lived. The dog's yard was downhill from our space, so I thought it unlikely that the dog would be able to jump the fence; the fence would have been at least ten foot from the other side. The rottweiler, however, determinedly hunched down, focused and sprang into the air, clearing the fence and landing among us. He immediately came to sit beside me. I was nervous, sure the dog was dangerous, and cowered, not wanting to aggravate him in any way. He sat even closer and nudged me with his paw. Eventually, I offered the dog my hand and he placed his paw in it, confirming his intention to be friends. When I had relaxed and he and I were acquainted, he jumped back over the fence into his own yard. Not long after, some old friends delivered presents for each of the people living inside the enclosure. We were very excited. I opened packages containing various cards and items of clothing. I was thrilled to unwrap a dress that I had owned when I was young. I checked with my sister (who was also living inside the cage) and she verified that that was the same dress I used to wear. Somehow the act of receiving the gifts and resurrecting the past, readied us to leave the enclosed space. We were freed.

Tuesday 10 February 2009

red hair

I had a best friend with long red curling hair. We had travelled together and faced many experiences, good and bad. We were allies. We had encountered a couple of women who carried a grudge and sought ways in which to attack us. Once, we saw one of them stub out her cigarette on her friend's skin. I was horrified; they were rough and cruel. One night, as we were crossing a large field, I saw a dear friend approaching. I was delighted to see her and we embraced for a moment. When I turned back around, I realised that the two women had grabbed my ally and had cut off most of her beautiful hair while I was distracted. She was extremely put out and I felt as though I had let her down.

getting ready

I was in a large living room which was in need of a clean. I was aware that my friend was due to arrive, so I was hastily rearranging and cleaning things to make the room more attractive. I had very little time so the things I chose to do were all designed to have the most impact with the least effort. I lit a fistful of incense sticks and arranged them in a clay pot. The aromatic smoke billowed through the room and out the window, masking the dusty smell. I tidied random items and arranged a vase of dark green and crimson silverbeet leaves on a table to provide colour. I knew that the room was still very dusty and untidy, but it would have to do. I went outside and around a corner to find the bathroom. I closed the door but could still see people through the door although they couldn't see me. I washed my face and freshened up, similarly giving myself a quick once over before my friend arrived. My friend appeared in the bathroom, surprising me somewhat. She had brought with her various bottles of expensive fragrances and skin care products. She told me that I was now ready for the most beautiful of the products.

brown attack

I was travelling through the city in a cart pulled by a brown horse. We passed another horse-drawn cart and the second horse, also brown, turned and bit my horse. I was surprised as my horse seemed so passive; indeed, he withdrew and hurried on his way. We passed more horses, all similar shades of brown, and each one attacked my horse in some way. My horse did not fight back, rather he appeared increasingly apprehensive and frightened. I could also see other horses fighting. They were bucking, kicking out and biting one another viciously. All of them were brown. We arrived at a building and I alighted the cart. I could see crowds of people carrying brown wooden chairs above their heads, threatening one another and then building barricades with the chairs. The city felt dangerous and on the edge of disaster.

Thursday 5 February 2009

werewolf

I was lying in bed in an old apartment with my partner. The wind was blowing and I could see some old floral curtains flapping wildly in the wind, but they were hanging from a curtain rod outside on the balcony rather than inside the room. It seemed as though we had been cleaning or renovating and had left the job half-done. A small fluffy dog chained up outside on the balcony began barking madly. I wrapped a white towel around myself and walked over to the wooden-framed glass doors that led out to the balcony. I remember finding a silver key and turning it in the lock; the lock was somewhat loose in the door. I stepped onto the balcony, patted the dog, and looked down into the next-door neighbour's yard, trying to see what was worrying the dog. There was nothing there. I turned slightly so that I was looking down into our own yard. I could see a naked man, crouched down, patting a huge grey dog. The man was enormous, thick set, tall and grossly muscular. He had white hair covering his body, particularly on his chest and his face. I realised he was a werewolf. He looked up and saw that I had seen him. I immediately became aware of the white towel that was now draped around my head, like the depictions of Mary. I went inside and walked around the apartment, locking the doors leading to the outside, certain that he would come after me. Each door had the same loose lock and the doors were old and rickety. I had the dog with me and we stood behind the closed doors, listening to the wind. I knew that the doors and the little dog were not match enough for such a powerful predator and I decided that everything should change. I willed the doors to be strong metal doors like bank safe doors and they were. I willed the dog to become two dogs, both large, and it occurred. I then stood in the kitchen, hidden around a corner, as I still felt as though he might be strong enough to enter. Indeed, he did. I did not see how he came in or hear what happened but soon he prowled around the corner, now clothed, looking less like a werewolf and more like a man. He was wearing a tight white t-shirt with some sort of wording on the chest but I could still see his over-developed muscles as he towered above me. I drew an invisible, possibly imaginary, knife and stabbed him straight through the heart. I thrust the knife with all the force I could muster and said, "Do you know who I am?" He looked completely surprised, taken aback, and stepped away from me. A few times I asked him, "Do you know who I am?" He stared at me a moment and then collapsed, face down on the floor, and died.

cats

I was visiting a friend at his parents' home. Their home was nothing like their real house. This was a one-level mansion spread across vast grounds. It was immaculately tidy and clean, so much so that I was amazed they could keep it this pristine. I waited for my friend in the long living room; no one else was in this part of the house. I had the sense that they were all sleeping. I sat back on the opulent lounge and stroked their cat. The cat was remarkably similar to a cat I had several years ago, Felicity. She was grey with a white belly and paws. The cat laid on her back, stretched out, and I tentatively ran my fingers across her belly, wondering if she would bite. She was very gentle and even patted at my hand with her paw. Suddenly, a black and white kitten ran through the room and the grey cat roused herself and ran after the kitten. I stood and walked across to the windows, wondering what drew them outside. I could see two other cats, both very big but one particularly enormous (the size of a large dog), mating with the cats.