Friday, August 10, 2012

Deriving from Nightmares


Ideally, the word 'scared' shouldn't feature in the dictionary of adventure, yet, I did start with bits of it in my psyche as I left for my latest adventure. However, that which just happened - even before the adventure could begin - to leave me shaking, was outside my expectations.

It is a dream nightmare I talk about - In my hours of wakeful dreaming, I have been 'dreaming big' (as they teach you to), and trying to represent myself in guidance of this (juvenile) framework as well, but in my hours under free reign of the subconscious - where there are no boundaries - the plot twists and constructs itself as one of the most detailed an saddening experience I've ever "felt". For one brief moment, I was convinced I was staring into the real face of humanity.

Interpret me the dream that goes like this.

I was in this expansive hill town (Manali itself?), and out to see a friend, who arrives in a Jeep to pick me up, alongwith a handful of other buddies of his. As we drive across the town, I meet eyes with one of my newer acquaintances; we wave to each other silently.

Soon our jeep stops somewhere - but its not where it was supposed to. I get a hunch that there's something wrong. I try to flee, but face resistance. A cop arrives with an electric baton and starts at me; the hits are painful, as electricity numbs my feet. I don't give up and fight hard, but ultimately am overpowered and taken a captive.

Next I wake up in a private estate of sorts. I'm told that there's no way to escape.
I'm also told that I will have to fight for survival - there will be one challenge after another. However, there's a creative twist - that failing to win my challenges will lead me to a life like "this"... my eyes come to stop at a sprawling garden, reminding me of Eden, and inside there are a lot of people, in their abandon, naked, living a life of luxury, sipping beverage from their colorful glasses, enjoying saunas, swimming pools.
If I continue fighting and winning my challenges, I'm told, I don't get any of this. But there was no further explanation of this road forward. No ultimate destiny of a winner was explained.

So I'm locked in these confines forever - a kind of everted Battle Royale format.

All I could comment is, that nearing Manali, at the gates of the big adventure, I met my demons.

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