Jacquelyn's Dream

I had a dream that Kenny and I were exploring a skyscraper, running up staircases leading to balconies upon balconies and leaning over the edge. Looking over the last balcony, I saw Olivia below out-adventuring us by running and climbing along the stone outcroppings jutting out from the building. Kenny and I yelled and yelled for her to come back, to stop, but she didn't have to listen to us because she could turn into an earthworm and we couldn't.

We watched her crawl along, struggling up vertical sides and occassionaly dangling hundreds of feet in the air. When she fell, as we knew she would fall, I could only barely see the speck dropping when the sun glistened on her for a moment. We yelled her name, over and over, until a woman below leaned out a window, looking for the splotch on the sidewalk that might explain our screaming. We distractedly gave her excuses while desperately hoping to see Olivia crawling back up to us.

She was spotted slowly inching. She seemed older from the weariness of crawling up infinite stories. When I could finally reach her I picked her off and cradled her little worm body, crying to see the long white gaping burn from her attempt to grasp back on to the bricks. I don't think she was alive and woke up with the deepest sadness I've ever let myself feel.