Dreaming in Digital

I was in a gymnasium, and I'd just returned from an adventure. Everyone around me were in my class. Even after I'd returned from being away so long, no one cared I'd disappeared.

In the gym, black, folding chairs were arranged in rows of ten. Most of the seats were taken so I sat in the back. My crush sat third row from the front, and on the far left - he and his best friend with red hair. Beside me was an empty seat. It belonged to a girl I was jealous of because she also liked my crush. She was skinny with long, dark hair and dark skin. She wore mini skirts and denim shirts.

It was party time in class, and there were two students in the front making flavoured iced teas for everyone. I tried two flavours; I wanted to try one more. Getting out of my seat, I got in line. Behind the girl. I didn't want to hate her, but I did. So I asked if she tried the flavour I wanted. She said yes. She's tried all and wanted them to make a new drink.

As the line advanced, my crush and his friend were beckoning me from their seat. I left my spot and when I was in front of them, they pulled me down to sit between them. There wasn't an extra chair there, but somehow they squashed me between them. I noted that my crush was wearing the same pants as me. As I pointed this out, I stuck my legs out in front to show the my red, corduroy pants. He stuck his legs out too, then his friend followed suit. I couldn't decide if I wanted to take a picture of this happy moment or not. 

The boys wanted information on the girl because, as it turns out, his friend had a crush on her.

At home, Cookie needed help with work so he brought in two technicians. I don't remember the first one well. The first technician was tall and in his late 20s.

The second tech came in after the first left. He was young, in his high school or middle school years. I could tell he had a major crush on me. Instead of work, we'd play [Pokémon GO] together.

We lived in a large house, like a step down from a mansion. There was a time when Cookie brought out rollerblades and I tried but I could only stand in them. 

When work was done and it was time to go to dinner, I was getting ready. I knew younger was going through my laptop and stuff as I showered. I left the door open too. After he saw me, he told me to close my eyes and trust him. He blew out a breath. I wore a long, red dress and hat with gloves. 

Cookie and I lived in a house with a large backyard. It was still a townhouse. We knew our weekend employer was visiting, so I was inside cleaning. It was cloudy outside and raining on and off, but the neighbours were having a little party outside on the front lawn.

I had the backyard doors open and Cookie was home with me. We saw our boss pass by the backyard door and we went to say hi. He was working on a project on our property. He commented on all the junk and papers I had strewed across our living room floor, and I told him I was cleaning up.

.-.-.-.

I was at my home, but it didn't look the same. It was a much larger, detached house. Cookie was moving things with someone, but eventually I noticed as time passed that family members which I have seen in years were appearing. Cousins and aunts and uncles had plates of food in their hands. Most of them ignored my presence, (after greetings, this was kind of normal in my family gatherings) even without saying hello. They were interested in getting food, and finding a place to sit in our furnished house. I spoke to one of my cousins, who at the last time I've seen had two children, in awkward formality.

As I went through my home, I noted there were definitely more than ten people in the house -- about twenty.¹ I found my mother and expressed my concern about how this was a health violation and we can be harshly fined if caught, but she brushed my words away.

.-.-.-.

I was outdoors in the city, which I had an inkling was in Hamilton, Ontario. I sat in a paved, pedestrian location, looking at (what I imagine, since I've never been in this area) [Tea Hut's] storefront selling bubble tea. Turning to my sister, I told her I wanted bubble tea, but she said 'no'.

"But we get it every Saturday!" I frowned. I really wanted my taro soy milk with tapioca, since I can't have regular milk.

---------------

¹ Right now, because of the Coronavirus 19 Pandemic, on Ontario, Canada's second-wave, our premier stated are restricted to spending Thanksgiving with our immediate families/up to ten individuals.

I was sent to live in a foreign country in Asia, in a large, three story house with four cute and handsome Korean young men from different families. The eldest dressed clean cut with a white collared shirt and suit vest, and when needed, he could be serious in a snap. The two youngest were very playful, dressed with a stylish fashion reminiscent of school uniforms. They were very close to each other; they were best friends. The middle one was dressed casually in loose olive shorts and an orange hoodie with shoulder length hair held back by sunglasses. He was carefree and laid back, but he was down-to-earth.

The middle one took my suitcase and led me to a room they prepared for me. It was very large in he shape of a triangle, with the largest side being about 20-ft. In one corner of the room, there was a bath tub, and one wall was all windows. He was sweet and shy, and treated me with gentleness. He told me to call him if he ever needed help.

The next morning, I exited my room to the common area, where three of the boys had cleared out the furniture and were rolling the walls with paint. One of the youngest asked me if I wanted to help him paint the staircase wall, and of course, I said yes. As we rolled, I asked him where his friend was. Behind me, the eldest overheard. He stopped and said, "Oi, your boyfriend's missing."

"Is he trying to skip duties?" Asked the middle one.

The youngest put down his roller. "He went to find [something]. I'll find him!"

"It's about time for a break anyway." The eldest followed suit, wiping his hands on a rag before leaving the room. 

The middle one and I were alone. He asked me to come follow him, to show me something, and we climbed the stairs until we reached the roof. The view was beautiful. The horizon was a gradient of pink to sky blue with sparse, bluish-purple clouds. It was a warm, sunny day. By the door was a hammock which he lazily flopped on as I laid down on a lawn chair beside him. We laid there in silence, enjoying the weather and sounds of suburban life. Even though I couldn't see his eyes because of his sunglasses, I could tell he was watching me. He had a smile in his face.

My parents owned a little business or shop with a living area on the same floor. Sometimes my sister and I would help out at the front with customers. 

Honeycrisp had come back from his trip to the Yukon, and on his trip, he realized he was in love with me. He called me before coming to the shop. I dressed up in a short, black, a-lined skirt and a small, white, long sleeved sweater. He showed up neatly dressed, in a casual suit. He was different. His movement flowed like water. He was confident. I was nervous to see him again. My heart fluttered lightly. He greeted me sweetly and warmly.

My sister's boyfriend also stopped by. He was a business student with dark features and a beard. He spoke confidently, wore a suit, but he made me uneasy, like a salesman trying to sell junk persistently. He followed my parents to their office, which was full of records, and important information.

My parents were playing a game. They were looking for a number in their files. I don't know what the number was for. I saw Honeycrisp follow boyfriend into the office. From the hallway, I overheard him make arguments that I recognized from Tangerine Banking, about identify safety. I went in to see what was going on.

I pulled him into the hallway. He was frantic when we spoke to me. "I gotta go in there. He's after something. Do you know what your parents are sifting through? That he could see? Bank statements, card numbers, SIN numbers... He's looking for something. You have to get him out of there."

I thought carefully. My parents were acting quite gullably, more than usual. I told my sister what he said, repeating her boyfriend had to leave the office.

I was on a small cruise ship with at least two other female friends and Cookie. I don't remember much of the dream except three events. 

We'd docked and the sun was setting. I left the ship to explore and came across some grassy hills with dusty paths across it and into its valleys. There were people playing there, and I wanted to see what they were playing. As they were running and climbing the slopes, the sun began fading and fog drew up from the ground. The only lights around us were from our cellphones and the moon. It was very eerie, like being in a horror film. I took my phone out to help find a way back up the hill, but the battery was running out.

We stood at the ship's rails, looking down at a view like Niagara Falls. Some of the ship's guests and our adventurous friends went down closer, maybe to put their feet in or swim. I sat on the floor by a young woman in her bathing suit. She started talking to us. In her hand was an emerald-coloured drink, and when I inquired about it, she said it's called the "Cat's Call". I got up, because I wanted one.

It was sweet, alcoholic and fruity, I was sure there was peach schnapps in its recipe. I took it to Cookie who said it was tasty. So I gave it to him. He asked what it was, and I replied, "Pussy's Call".

I was told of a story of finding a young woman sleeping on a platform attached to the ship and was floating just above water level. The ship was sinking, but she was fast asleep. One of the crew members was trying to wake her, but when she wouldn't, he slung her over his shoulder and carried her away.