Dreaming?

By: Graham Winegarden

The flames dance along the log from one end to the other and hypnotized Ron with their swaying and gyrating. The image was both soothing and stimulating all at the same time. It soothed his soul while it stimulated his imagination.  The day had been a great one; hot and sunny, and the beach had not been too crowded.  Actually, the whole week had been great.  Camping was becoming his main summer time passion which added to his relaxed attitude.  He had just finished his second Spanish coffee and that also stimulated his imagination as he moved down onto the beach.

This camp site boarded on the beach, and so he set up his chair to watch the stars.  Looking out over the water he noticed what could have been a large star, except it was moving.  He thought maybe it was a plane heading towards him, but it moved off to the right and then dropped down.  As he watched it move, he could not believe the unusual pattern of it’s movement.  He thought, `how could a plane do that? Up one minute and down the next. The pilot must get motion sick.’ Then he noticed some lights that were definitely planes of some kind.  They had both the white and the red lights.  They seemed to be trying to surround the white light that Ron had been watching.  He knew they would not be able to catch it, it was too fast and maneuverable.  Watching the show of cat and mouse, where the mouse was faster and smarter was very amusing to Ron.

He was getting more tired but decided to have one more coffee before he went to bed.  Making it on his fire he was hypnotized by the flames for a few minutes and let his mind wander.  He thought `could the big light be a UFO and all the smaller lights Canadian and American military planes? Wouldn’t that be neat?’  His mind wandered, making up little stories of little green men.  Then his kettle whistled and brought him back to reality.

He made his Spanish coffee and went back to his spot on the beach.  Sitting down he lit a cigarette and leaned back in the chair.  He noticed the lights were still playing their games, but they were closer now.  As he watched, his eye lids became heavy.  He was very content and just sat there listening to the waves crashing on the beach.  He was just about to get up and go to bed when suddenly there was a light bright enough to blind him, even with his eyes closed.  He had to slam his already closed eyes to a more protective amount of coverage. Then slowly, he let his eyes adjust to the brightness that now surrounded him.  He opened his eyes.  He was still on the beach but a blinding white light with little twinkling stars, was shining down on him.  He could not see where it was coming from because when he looked up he was blinded again. The one thing he did notice was the complete silence that also surrounded him.  Trying to get up, he found he could not move. Ron was about to panic when he heard something.  At first he could not tell what it was, maybe just a breeze through the trees.  Then he started to notice words.  It did not make sense.  It sounded like his own voice talking. It said,

“Don’t worry, this must only be a dream.”  He thought, `yes, this has to be a dream’.  And he closed his eyes to block out the lights.  It only took a second and the light was gone and he was asleep.

Waking up Ron was confused.  He was on a raised stone bed and as far as he could see he was surrounded by a whitish pink mist.  It was eerie.  Almost like being in a mystery novel on the Scottish Moores in the morning.  He gave himself a shake to get rid of the gloom.  It only worked a little, but it was enough to make him want to get up.  He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, but looking down he did not know if it was three feet or three hundred.  He was about to jump off no matter what, when a light shone down on him.

He waited for a couple of minutes then thought, ‘This is getting just a little too weird for me. Maybe I should try and wake up because this has to be a dream.’ then a voice sounded in his head.  It was low and whispy, but he could definitely hear it.  It said,

“You are in no danger.  I just wanted to talk to someone.” Ron was both shocked and surprised, but he did not feel afraid.  Who or what ever was talking to him said he was in no danger and Ron felt deep in his bones that it was telling the truth.

They began talking and the exchange of ideas was like a dam being opened up.  They talked about art, music, philosophy, religion and many, many more things.  The voice in his head was confused about Ron’s thoughts on some subjects, but others seemed to be universal in the universe.  The thought conversation for Ron became very comfortable and he liked how ideas could be expressed much easier.  Ron thought they had been talking for hours when the voice suddenly said,

“I have enjoyed our exchange and I wish it could go on but your authorities are coming.”

The same blinding white light flashed and Ron clamped his eyes shut.  When the light was gone he opened his eyes to find himself back in his lawn chair on the beach.  His cigarette was still in his hand, and it didn’t even have a big long ash on it as he would have expected.  He reached down for his Spanish coffee and found the whip cream had not even melted yet.  How long had he been gone?  Or had it all really been a dream?  He took a long drag off his cigarette and then a drink of the coffee.  The liquor in it warmed his insides instantly, reminding him of how tired he was. 

He looked up into the sky and was surprised to find the large white light was gone.  The smaller lights from the planes he had been watching were moving towards him.  He thought, ‘Good.  Maybe now I will be able to see what they are.’  He took another drag from his cigarette and then put it out in the ashtray.  Blowing the smoke out, he then took a long sip of his coffee.  The lights got closer and Ron started to identify them as helicopters.  The funny thing was they made no noise.  They seemed to be hideous black bugs coming to get him, and so he decided to go to bed.

Getting up from his chair he made his way to the tent.  This had been a little more difficult than it should have been.  The coffees were definitely having their desired effect.  He unzipped the tent and almost fell inside.  Getting into bed he was almost asleep when the tent filled with light. Ron got up and made his way out of the tent.  The light was shining down from the sky.  He looked up, but all he could see was a spot light shining down on him from above the trees.  He watched for a minute trying to figure out what was going on.  Then two figures came running up from the beach.  They had on black military fatigues and were carrying weapons.  One secured the area, while the other walked up to Ron.  The man was about 35 years old and had a look that said, don’t even think about not doing exactly what I say.  He grabbed Ron by the elbow and started escorting him back to the beach.  About half way to the weird looking helicopter, that Ron could now see, Ron stopped and said,

“What is going on?  Where are you taking me?”

The man did not answer, he just continued escorting Ron to the helicopter.  Ron said,

“I am not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on.”  And this time he could not be pushed any farther.  The solider who had been walking Ron turned and nodded to the other who had followed up behind them.  Ron then felt a small prick at the base of his neck.  He at once felt very sleepy and would have fallen to the ground if the two men had not grabbed him.  He remembered being loaded onto the helicopter, but that was all.

Ron woke to the sound of voices.  They were saying he was clean, but there was faint residual signature from transport.  Ron did not understand what he was hearing so he spoke up.

“What are you talking about?”  He was looking around to find he was in what appeared to be an airplane hanger.  This hanger was probably very unique though.  It was full of computers and other technical equipment Ron couldn’t name.  A voice from behind him spoke.

“Ah, Mr. Lock, you are awake.  Good.”  He paused as he walked into Ron’s sight.  Then continued, “We have just examined you to make sure you are all right after your encounter with the alien ship.”  Ron at once did not trust this man.  He looked like an overly slick politician who could talk out of both sides of his mouth at the same time.  Ron looked at him with disbelief and said,

“You must be kidding.  You think I talk to aliens?  I think you were out in the sun too long today.”

“That is very amusing Mr. Lock, or should I call you Ron?”

“Call me what ever you want as long as it gets me out of here.”

“You may leave as soon as I am happy with your answers.  So let’s get back to the alien ship.  Tell me all you can remember.”

Ron thought for a second.  ‘What would it hurt?  It’s not like we talked about planetary defenses or anything.’ He then looked up at the man in front of him, but for some reason his face had changed.  He now looked like a large insect in a cheap suit.  Ron almost laughed out loud, but at the last second looked away and instead began talking about the conversation he and the alien had telepathically had. This took up the better part of two hours, with Ron telling them and answering any questions they posed.  It asked Ron a couple of times if anything had been said about the “Manipulators”.  Ron answered no and after a while his interrogator must have believed him.

Ron was very confused and he felt after what he had gone through he deserved some answers.  He then asked,

“Who are the Manipulators and what do they have to do with me?” The man who Ron had seen as a giant insect or may be not, Ron now thought it was just all the Spanish coffees said,

“The alien you talked to was to get the common man’s perception of our society.  You see, they have infiltrated the highest levels of our world’s government.  If you had given any impression of this you probably would not be here now.  You would be off world and there would be an alien in your place”.  Ron would have laughed at such a statement an hour ago, but now he was not so sure of his beliefs. Then he felt the small prick to his neck again and out he went.  Ron woke up and was not sure of anything.  He was back in the familiar lawn chair on the beach again.  Looking down, he had a cigarette but with a long trail of ash on it.  It was in his hand, and he automatically put it into the ashtray. He leaned back in the chair.  He looked up into the infinity of space and thought, ‘What a weird dream.’  Then a blinding white light flashed across the sky.

 The End.