Semi-Daily Scribbles

The man across the aisle smelled of boiled asparagus. It was not a good sign. I was in fear of the journey before the train pulled out of the station. Once we'd gotten underway, the stench, combined with constant motion, jogged images hidden at the back of my brain. It was the dream from the night before. My heart pounded in my ears, and my breath came in labored bursts. I ran with all the speed I could muster. Decay blew in on the wind, and then I saw the women. They wore diaphanous silver gowns. Their long hair was the color of day-old blood. The women were 10 feet tall. They flew above my head. Some circled me, which threw off my balance. Others nipped at the heels of my bare feet. Their yellow teeth were long and pointed. The ringleader dropped down in front of me and I staggered backwards. She had to be the boss. Slashes and gouges across her forehead spelled out the word Queen.

"You thought it was seasonal affective disorder, didn't you?" The Queen of the Unseen asked the question in a basso profundo that made my skeleton vibrate.

"It's what the doctor told me. I stick my head in a box every day."

"Does it help?" I didn't know how to answer. I hopped around to keep the biters off my tired dogs.

"It's a living," I replied.

"It's a living what? Oh dear, we expected so much more from you. Do stop fidgeting. My trainees will not get their pound of flesh if you continue with that ridiculous dance."

"Ah, that's the other thing the doctor told me."

"What would that be?" The Queen was restless. She bit her fingers and spat them on the ground. My gut knew she would hate what I had to say, but truth likes to make unannounced house calls. I cleared my throat.

"She told me demons would come to collect my bones if I didn't do this ridiculous dance." I quickened my step. I jumped. I kicked. I clicked my heels in quick succession.

"Stop!" The Queen of the Unseen screamed her demand two full octaves above high C. It hurt. It also had the nippers on the run. I stomped, I strutted, I cartwheeled my way out of a sticky situation. As I put distance between me and sheer lunacy, I doubted the need to keep my head boxed up any longer. I could dance. That much was true. As long as I moved my body, my mind would stay out of trouble. I got up from my seat after the dream faded, and I walked from car to car on the westbound train for home.