By Ohrkid

Dream: “Snake Dance River”

I want Andrés to kiss me. We’re journeying through a park. I’m building up to it in inadequate ways. It’s raining and flooding. The flood rivers are very muddy, full of debris. Andrés has made it over this bed, a big flower bed, (also deeply flooded with muddy water), and stands on the other side, beckoning me. I think to scramble across it fast and be on the other side with him. But when I place my hands on the soil, they are each (palms and fingers) filled with prickly pear needles or something similar—invisible plant piercers.

Someone else we’re with is very concerned—oh no! They’re going to panic, but I want them to be quiet so I can focus. As I wave my hands through the flood waters, (which I can reach without bending down), the prickly pear spines are being carried away by the current, dislodging from my hands.

I go around the block instead of over it.

Now the sun is coming out. Andrés points out a beautiful white screened-in wrap-around porch on the roof of one of the buildings. “Aw, beautiful,” I say. I tell him I’ve seen many similar things in cities like Paris and New York, but this place would be extra special to be in, because one would look over Berlin.

“And I love Berlin,” I say affectionately.

Next thing I remember we’re floating down a river close to the finish and we’ve drifted apart. There is a wet-looking green crocodile embedded in the sand at the bottom of the shallow flowing water (which is a bit sandy, but in general, much clearer than the muddy water before.) “Crocodile!” I say, and point him out (to Lauren?) Then, without much thinking, I propel myself over him. He doesn’t react. I am safe.

Now I’m on dry land. There is a crowd. People are watching fireworks. (A moment to explain these: while fireworks are normally launched from the earthly ground, and fly up into the sky, these fireworks are thrown from the top of a very high tower, and explode in the air before flying to the ground. It looks very dangerous.) I am watching and wondering how it’s done. I inch closer and closer to the sources during a pause. They boom and flash overhead again, and I want to be farther away. I’m afraid debris and fire will fall on me, and ash will get in my eyes.

Before I leave, I see, high up at the top of the tower from which the fireworks are launched, that people are also being thrown down off the tower. One girl’s body falls in silhouette. Like a soft, limp shadow doll, her silhouette is somehow upside down for someone falling; her hair hangs below her. I am horrified, thinking she must be landing on the concrete below and dying.

Now Libby and Tyson meet up with me father back. They think we need to pay for something. (Note: in the earthly world, we take out money from the bank when we need cash; in this world, we were putting it into the bank to get cash.) Tyson takes out a six hundred dollar bill and makes a big to-do about it being his last; we have to not overspend. He hands it to me, and I put it in my back pocket (it feels like I’m wearing corduroys with a belt). I look at him and Libby and say emphatically, ‘I live on this much per month.’ They are surprised.

I walk up to the bank teller while they sit on a couch behind her. (Note: this is an extremely fancy bank. It looks like a mansion in terms of extreme decoration. I think there is a candelabra near the teller.)

I take the cash out of my pocket and place it on the counter.

When I do, I feel an extremely strong sensation fill my back, tantalizing me, while two people behind me each play a recorder to the left or right side of my back, respectively.

The recorder music is enchanting at the very level of tissues. Movement is irresistible, and I’m not truly interested in resisting. As my back and arms unfold in sinuous, semi-orgasmic guided movement, I notice vaguely that I’m wearing a long-sleeved workout zip-up jacket and huge, round black sunglasses.

I dance, arms flowing, back waving.