Merry was at a conference so I started to make myself dinner. I had been marinating a huge slab of pork to roast in the oven, but had some trouble deciding how much to cook, because I also had two "pig hands" (that really looked like arms with hands) and a medallion. I finally decided to leave those extras for tomorrow. So I went to put the tray into the oven, when I saw that it was full of stuff! Merry has a habit of storing things in the oven, but this time everything was wrapped in wax paper. I started pulling out several oven utensils, but then realized some of the wrapped things were books and stationery, so it took a while but I eventually got everything out. Right then I realized it wasn't the oven at all, but a storage cupboard - the oven was just to my left! (But it definitely started out as the oven, it just morphed). Anyway, suddenly I noticed that under my pork tray... was a still-steaming hot tray of leftover beef! Merry had already cooked me dinner.

So, I got frustrated and decided to just rewind everything. Focusing hard on the scene, I saw everything go backwards in rapid motion, with all the items flying back into the cupboard. I went back a little too far and some pencil shavings that I had cleaned up were back again. I sighed and brushed them off the desk. It was now my bedroom, and I decided to put away my laundry. I pulled out some of Merry's socks that had gotten tangled with mine and threw them on the bed (it looked like my sister's old room). I started sorting out my clothes and went to hang up a nice button-up shirt.

When I got to the darkened walk-in closet, all the hangers were exaggeratedly long. They would definitely stretch out my shirt, I thought. Finally at the end I saw a bunch of exaggeratedly short, slumped hangers. They looked silly, but I had other shirts on them so I figured it'd be fine. As I reached for one, I could see the door start to close out of the corner of my eye. I had a dark feeling and quickly turned to open it again. I froze, unable to move a muscle. In a flash, I was spun around and lifted in the air by my throat - I was choking! - and there was a phantasm, an arc of green light!

I woke up with a start. The covers were heavy and hot, and I thought "so that's why..." Merry woke up and looked at me. I mouthed "nightmare" and she nodded. She grabbed my hand and I felt relieved; feeling her real touch was very comforting.

Then I woke up for real.

posted by Larry at 6:04 AM