Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Curse of a Vivid Imagination

I'm downstairs talking to some people, who apparently are relatives but I can't remember who exactly was all there now, when I notice some smoke coming from the ceiling above the bay window in our kitchen. (Note: we are all in our pajamas as it's early on a Saturday morning)

"Oh Crap! There's a fire in the house!" yells my mind.

I run upstairs and look into my bedroom (which is partially over the bay window) and there are flames coming into my room from the attic.

Yelling downstairs, "HELP! The house is on fire!"



Then what do I do? I kneel down on the ground and crawl to my bookshelf and grab my photo albums. Going through my mind is the fact that I have to save my memories on what can never be replaced. After watching news and movies I know that the one thing people really miss once their homes get destroyed is their pictures and memories of their past that are now lost forever.

While I look around the room to make sure the flames are still not getting close to me, I run over to my bed and grab my childhood blanket kept on my bed between my pillows, and I see my jeans on the floor at my feet, not damaged yet, and grab them. I then think...where are my tennis shoes...cause I can't lose all my belongings and only have my slippers and pajamas to walk around in. The next thought running through my mind is, "I wish the fire wasn't by my dresser so I could also get a pair of socks." Weird thought.

Looking around the room I don't see anything else that I do not think I could stand losing and/or replace again later. There are soo many things there with fond memories, but they are only material things. My memories/pictures...and clothes to change into...are the only things really important to me at that moment. I quickly gather all those items together and throw them down the stairs, hopefully out of harms way and if not then at least closer to the door for when I make my escape.

Running to the hall closet I grab the fire extinguisher. Others are finally running up the stairs with the garden hose and other fire extinguishers. I yell out, "Has anyone called 911 yet?!"

Receiving no answer I go into my bedroom and start to put out the flames with the others. Which actually goes pretty quickly. I then run to my mother's room to see if the fire in the attic has spread to her room. The ceiling is starting to bubble down and a few small flames start in the walls. I keep dousing them with the fire extinguisher, but quickly run out of...whatever is in those things.

Yelling to the others that my room isn't the only thing on fire (trying to tell them it's obviously coming from the attic but they just won't listen) I begin running around the house like a crazy person looking for any other fire extinguishers we may have, also trying to find out if anyone ever called 911. As I remember one extinguisher is the basement I rush down the stairs...and see that the whole basement is gutted down to it's concrete walls and floor. And some firemen are finally arrived at the house.

The fire has finally been put out.

It had spread from the attic and mostly through the north side walls of my home. Mother and I start to walk through the home and see the extent of the damage.

My alarm then goes off. I turn it off and think to myself, "Oh thank goodness that is over!" Closing my eyes to concentrate on waking up my mind fully I fall back into the dream.

We are standing in my bathroom...which looks totally undamaged except that the ceiling is bubbling down. I take a fireplace poker and begin to poke the bubble...also to make sure in my mind that the fire in the attic is fully out. Devestation starts to invade my heart and mind. This is going to take forever to get our house back. Man, I hate fires.

I open my eyes and I force myself...keeping my eyes open...to fully regain consciouness...and get out of bed. I do NOT want to continue that dream.

This is the curse of a vivid imagination. Sometimes my dreams are SO REAL, I can get confused upon waking...or even later when I remember details about them. I honestly have to think about it to remember if it was real, or only a dream.

Now when I dream...I always dream of people I know. Either in real life...or from on TV (yes I do dream of TV characters come to life, or even Olympians have starred in some of my dreams). From every dream I can remember...if I dream of someone I don't currently know and have never met...I will met them in the future. Seriously. Every. Time.

Deja Vu has been a constant in my life. (Where I dream something and anywhere from the next day to a month later that dream happens to me in real life. Every detail.) I have honestly dreamed of every single roommate I ever had in college before I ever met them. Then within the first week of living together with them...my dream becomes a reality. It's kinda weird.

I had that fire dream last night...and it messed with my head all morning. So I had to share it...and hopefully be able to let my mind forget the details so it doesn't keep freaking me out because it did seem so real.

Have you ever had a deja vu experience? Or had a dream so real...you really have to debate with yourself over it's true validity? Or you know...just tell me I'm crazy. Whichever floats your boat. :)

2 comments:

da mmm said...

This better not come true or else we better get some more fire extinguishers. There is one in the kitchen and garage too.

Heather said...

Yikes! Yeah I hope that this one really doen't come true. Seriously though, you really dreamed about all your college roommates? That is some serious deja vu you have. I have been experiencing that a lot lately too, but not as vivid as yours. It is usually just flashes during the day. I can't say that I have had dreams like that.
Oh and one of those valuables that you should not forget while fleeing from your house would have to be that beautiful cross stitch you are working on. That will surely be a keepsake for many years. Keep up the hard work!! You can make your deadline!!