It’s not that the Overherd isn’t enough; they reduce nightmares but they can’t stop all of them. I’ve also been isolated due to illness, which never makes things better. It’s not like I’m social, but it’s nice to go out and see that the world isn’t occupied my parents. Locally, at least. That I know of.

This was a pretty… strong nightmare, I suppose. It took place during the Years of Zorn and Tharn. My parents had found me and were chasing me. It wasn’t a simple thing in the dream, nor in the past. Think of trying to live life to make enough money for a plane ticket to elsewhere; lying to people you know to keep everyone off the track of what you’re doing or where you might go, because somewhere, somewhere there was at least one mole; planning your escape; thinking (trying not to) of what you’ll leave behind and who you have to be next.

And all the while you’re watching over your shoulder for your parents, whom you see in stores when you’re buying food, trying to corner you on the way to work, who know your phone number and keep calling in the night, who’ve called up work and your landlord to dig up more information by sheer annoyance….

And it’s only a matter of time before they catch you. Can you even get away fast enough? You’re going to have to buy two plane tickets at least, at that: one to leave behind as evidence, and the one you’re really going to use. And you’re going to need enough money and a line of credit to get into a long-term motel wherever you’re going.

And just how good (or diligent) is the P.I. your parents hired?

Have they gotten the police on their side yet? In which case you’re fucked….

(Is it any wonder I fear airports? If my parents ever managed to track me down at one….)

It helps that, to a lot of people, all Asians look alike. Of course, this means some other poor gal gets harrassed.

So anyways. Dreams like that leave me breathless.

This one was a little different though. Some of you were there. And you were sympathetic and you helped me. I think someone threw a clandestine going-away party, and there was ice cream (it got a bit sploodgy, but it’s still ice cream), and someone gave me an autographed book with a poem written inside with red ink.

I don’t know what y’all look like. But I was never good at faces.

I woke up before I got away. And gods. It still hasn’t left me. If only I weren’t still sick and needed to rest up for a company function on Friday….

I’m not missing it. I’m pretty sure I’m not contagious, and I needed the sanity yesterday.