From a Dream 10/9/10

“They’re coming,” the man said.

“Who?” Someone asked in the darkness.

“Nobody.”

Everything went even blacker; and even though the man was still standing there in his suit, in the darkness, the room seemed empty. Who was nobody? And why was the man so serious?  And who dared to ask such a silly question?

The warning came without explanation. And it was not until days later it was understood that “Nobody” meant the people who aren’t people. How obvious. And hadn’t we known that all along – that they were coming?

But the days before would be remembered as “pre-end” – much like other sweet memories of 2005 and 2001 were called “pre-Katrina” and pre-911.”  They were kind days – warm and sunny; and everyone would return to those days in their minds when the “New Time” became an agony. 

Sometimes I would sneak back there, when I wanted to remember love and laughs and conversations and friendships – without the color of survival and strategy – an escape from being prey – if only for a few precious minutes.  Now that we had become animals, I understood how it felt to be always aware of every sound and flash of light. For humans that’s not so easy.