This is a story about a dream I had last night. Bare with me, because I'm not sure if I can accurately describe it. Dreams are difficult to describe, and this one meets that expectation perfectly.
I'm driving through the streets of East Portland on my scooter (no I don't actually own a scooter, but apparently I do in dreamland...it's blue and white), and I'm followed by my friend of 10 years, Rob, on his.
It must have just rained because it was crisp outside, and the roads were slick. In the dream I feel like I'm being perfectly safe, but the me outside my dream, the me watching my dream, that me...she disagrees. I am zig-zagging back and forth in the lane. It's so extreme that I'm nearly horizontal every time I shift my weight to alter the lean. I'm darting in and out of traffic, and Dream Mindy is having the time of her life. Dreaming me is petrified that she's going to die, and Rob agrees with her.
He's shouting at me, "slow down Mindy! Be careful!" He's (rightfully) worried I'm going to crash.
That's when I crossed over I-84. In this world, the road just ends after you do that. I reached the end of the road, and slide-stop my scooter (you know hockey style). A couple of minutes later, Rob stops besides me. He begins to berate me for my reckless driving.
"Rob, calm down," I say. "I got us here didn't I?"
Just then, the perspective pans up to capture what can only be described as a Wildlife Safari style Rain Forest Attraction. It's set up like a tree house, and I'm unclear if it's a hotel, or just a tourist attraction thing. Whatever it is, (whether it's overnight or not) we're going there.
When we cross the threshold, we are immediately immersed in an actual Tropical rain forest tree house. It is at this point that the real me (who is asleep and watching this whole experience) realizes that this is not just regular Rob and Mindy. We're kids; somewhere between 8 and 10 years old. Apparently, we have chosen to spend the day darting around East Portland on our scooters, and then experiencing a genuine tropical rain forest that appears with no adult supervision.
After I realize that the juvenile Rob and Mindy are not simply exploring this habitat, I begin to fear for the outcome of this dream.
The tree house we have entered is loosely made of bamboo, and every room is open to the environment. Each room, or pod, is connected by a low hanging flimsy rope bridge. Most rooms are low and only inches above a bog which is infested with malicious swamp creatures.
The animals are not caged as you would imagine. In fact, they can (and typically do) come right up into the tree house. Nefarious looking simians swing on vines in and out of each pod taking what they will, and throwing what they won't. There is some kind of anaconda/alligator/shark type animal that lives in the bog below. Not only does this creature appear smart, but it seems to be aware that it is in an artificial habitat and is not happy about it. It begins to express it's anger by snapping at the children as they cross the bridge. It even gobbles up a couple.
Some monkeys swing into one of the rooms, and start physically attacking the children in there. I'm talking hair pulling, biting, eye-gouging, the works.
Rob and I look at each other. We then immediately scan as much of this environment as we can see (it appears to be an entire world now) for adults. We do see two employees in an adjacent room, but they are fending off some strange dream rain forest animals similar to hyenas. The hyena-things have worked as a team to disassemble some of the rope structure, and wrap it around the only adults. They are now attempting to force them into the bog where a giant piranha type animal is licking it's lips in anticipation.
Dream Mindy is terrified. Dreaming Mindy is trying to wake up. We both look to Rob for protection. Good thing too. Apparently he has a solution up his sleeve.
We're both huddled in a bedroom corner. Rob turns to me and says, "Don't worry. I know just who to call." Seconds later who appears but..........
Underdog and Quail Dog. They scare off the animals momentarily. Underdog screams "There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!"
At this moment everyone, (Rob, Dream Mindy, Dreaming Mindy, and the asinine canine saviors) realizes that we have not actually been saved. We have only angered the swamp thing below.
This is when I wake up.
