I wasn't supposed to be there, and I definitely wasn't supposed to be alive.
There were 4 quilted, big, magnificent beds sprawled out like they were one bed together. It was very messy, in a pleasantly welcoming way. Like the insides of a tent. There was a stretch of virgin wood in front of me, like the floorboards of a treehouse, and I was facing a somewhat-dining room.
It was the best dining room in the world: the ceilings were up high, masked lamps hanged about, there were trees drooping their branches down everywhere. There was a large coffee machine in the back of the room, near the counters with endless stocks of old books. There were two chummy sofas for morning reading, and there was a kaleidoscopic window-dome overhead that let you see the most mysterious clouds forming about. The view was quite ominous, like something you'd see from Solomon's tower (Lord of the Rings) But it was intriguing nevertheless.
I sensed someone coming, probably a grizzly bear or a man. He was coming from the corner, far far away, and made himself some coffee. He looked more like a grizzly bear. I had to stay still, slowly let a book droop out of my limp hand, and pretend I was asleep. Everything suggested that I wasn't supposed to meet this bearish person in full contact. I let the pages flutter and my breathing go heavy, and I was quite impressed with how good I can fake sleep.
Then the grizzly bear(I was right) came over on two legs, walking like a man(so I was half right). His coffee mug was small compared to his rugged body. He noticed me from three feet away, and kept distance. He sipped his coffee thoughtfully.
I switched over to playing dead.
He was satisfied.
He went away.
* * *
The next scene was in my "mother's room"--though I've never seen the room my whole life--and here I was free from bears and coffee, it seemed. It was cold. Outside it was snowing, reminding me of those anonymous snowy New York mornings I know so well. The room was still and lifeless, though the unmade beds indicated some form of life had been there.
It was a gorgeous room, and the scent was irresistably mesmerizing. It was, perhaps, a mix of cherry, rosewood, burned cinnamon, a whiff of smoke, rough honey, and something very exquisite. Nothing hit me as exotic, yet the combination was exotic as ever.
There were 7 beds in this one, the beds aligned like cots. The pillows were facing front but the bed itself was aligned sidewise...it was an odd sight. The pillows looked perfect and had interesting frills on them, reminding me of a ravioli. The beds were draped in magenta, rouge, dark chocolate/mahogany brown, and had a special aura not daring me to take one step closer.
Three of the beds were unmade, one of them just slightly messy.
It seems there were 2 people sleeping in this room--one of them first thought of sleeping 2 beds away from the other, but thought better, and slept 3 beds away.
An interesting relationship.