DREAM BABY

I had a dream…….I was crouched on a very hot, filthy, hard, stone floor in hell when a hard boot to my right buttock jarred me into painful awareness. I heard a thin, whiney voice call my name; the quality of it was sick and disturbing. I craned my neck around to see a disgusting figure that was either a demon or the devil himself.

The intense eyes of the beast bulged out at me, its mouth was hideous with grief and dry scales were flaking from its face and body as it moved and spoke to me, saying with derision, “It’s time to go, Jack, your new life awaits. Go down the cavern to the second red door on the right, to the RETURN CENTER, and pick out your next set of parents for your return to earth. But, before you go, I’m required to remind you that any time you’re ready to give up your ego fantasies you can go home to your creator”.

The memory of who and what I am began coming into focus and I uttered a deep groan of despair and my haunches were lifted from the floor by the boot that hit me square in my backside. Pitifully, I struggled to my feet knowing another boot would be at my ass soon. I stood on my feet a moment collecting myself, my heart was pounding and as my vision cleared I could see I was standing in front of a huge mirror and a small still voice in my head said, “That’s ego’s favorite world”.

The dark, creepy, terrifying interior of the cave began to fill with light and I could see two identical, gruesome figures glaring back from the mirror, He is me, I screamed!!! The truth hit me like both loads from a double-barrel shotgun blast….. I fell face down on the floor………….

Quietly, in my head, I could hear the beginning cries of a little baby; louder and louder the cries grew and I could just make out the bars of a baby bed. Louder and louder I cried as I kicked and flailed at the air until I felt a pair of warm, loving hands lifting me from the bed and holding me next to her……….

… And still, I cried and cried and cried.

Jack