Soundly Dreaming

Everything was dark, disoriented, nothing.

Then the feeling of wind blowing on your face, then the feeling of earth under your naked feet, then the chirping and croaking of different animals in the forest, yet still completely disoriented.

Then, finally, sight.

I open my eyes, my vision foggy, not being able to focus on anything, but yet I know that from the sounds and the smells I am somewhere both moist and grassy. Then, slowly, gradually it returns and I am able to see where I am for the first time.

I gasp in what could be horror, awe or shock, but is more likely a mixture of all three. My eyes land on a great tree that stands before me, its trunk nearly as thick as a small house, giving the impression of great age. The branches stretch high, high, higher than I could ever hope to see, not even tilting my head back to an uncomfortable angle helps to see the branches. Everything is covered in soft green moss, red buds, orchids and other flowers barely identifiable bloom from the trunk, vines twist and twine from branch to branch. The leaves shine with a healthy green color. Its twisting roots thick enough to have someone snugly sleep in them.

After taking in the great sight, my eyes travel to the ground and around to identify where I am. Grass pokes from the earth and leaves occasionally cover patches of the ground. Other trees begin around thirty feet from that great tree, some of them being large and impressive but overshadowed by the great tree that stands before me. They too seem to be covered in vines and flowers and I even spot a bird or two quietly perched on their branches. I’m in a forest that has been made completely clear in my mind, everything carrying that greenish hue that only forests posses.

My eyes travel back to this enormous tree. I am eager, excited for some odd reason, but confusion and caution seems to overtake my other emotions so I remain still, looking over the tree.

Birds continue chirping, animals dart here and there, the leaves and branches rustle in a gentle breeze that seems out of place in such a thick forest and the occasionally loud, startling squawk from a bird I fail to identify.

There seems to be movement and I turn my head to try to see the topmost branches, there they are rustling wildly, leaves are falling. I spot something moving, no sliding like a snake down the trunk of the great tree. Yet I can’t seem to locate it, only see the tell tale signs of movement here and there. Nearly touching the earth a reptile-like head emerges. It’s pale in color and all I can catch of it is a long, bony snout and golden seemingly sightless eyes. Its body is thick but shows no apparent sign of extremities, covered in vines, moss and fungus. I am too scared to move, so I just watch as it blinks slowly and tilts its head to the side.

“It’s dying,” it says, in a hoarse voice.

The great tree starts to pale, flowers wilt and die, branches crack and fall, leaves darken and die, it all happens so suddenly I barely have time to blink.

Then it’s all darkness once more.

- - -

Weird dream I had, very odd, odd dream.

- P&U