(no subject)
It used to be called the flying dream. The dream everyone has. The one where you are flying. About ten years ago, it was renamed. It's now the Superman dream.
Charlie used to have it when he was alive. The sensation of flight. And of being able to do anything. From what he read, it's considered a healthy dream, a dream of seeking to transcend boundaries and be better. Charlie never found it that pleasant. He liked being human.
That changed when he got to be Captain Atom for three days. Suddenly, he really could fly. He really had some amazing powers. At the time, he was sure that such powers weren't really something he wanted to have. It was just an experiment, one he was glad was ending quickly.
Since then? He has the dream. Two or three times a week. He is Captain Atom again, and he is soaring. He is happy.
And in most of the dreams, he is not alone. He is carrying a pretty, vivacious young woman named Sallie. She is enjoying the ride, but she is teasing and testing him all the way. He likes that. He likes her.
And that is confusing. Because he knows that isn't the Sallie he knows. She was like that once, but that's not her. And yet...when he sees Sallie in the waking life, he sees two faces, the older one and the younger one of his dreams. Very confusing indeed.
And so, on this night as on many others, he dreams of flight and power and friendship and...surely not love. That would be foolish. But not just lust. Or infatuation. But something pleasant and calming and good. And when he wakes up, he feels fine. And wonders about being Captain Atom again. And about Sallie. And about how, just this once, Superman has nothing on him.
Charlie used to have it when he was alive. The sensation of flight. And of being able to do anything. From what he read, it's considered a healthy dream, a dream of seeking to transcend boundaries and be better. Charlie never found it that pleasant. He liked being human.
That changed when he got to be Captain Atom for three days. Suddenly, he really could fly. He really had some amazing powers. At the time, he was sure that such powers weren't really something he wanted to have. It was just an experiment, one he was glad was ending quickly.
Since then? He has the dream. Two or three times a week. He is Captain Atom again, and he is soaring. He is happy.
And in most of the dreams, he is not alone. He is carrying a pretty, vivacious young woman named Sallie. She is enjoying the ride, but she is teasing and testing him all the way. He likes that. He likes her.
And that is confusing. Because he knows that isn't the Sallie he knows. She was like that once, but that's not her. And yet...when he sees Sallie in the waking life, he sees two faces, the older one and the younger one of his dreams. Very confusing indeed.
And so, on this night as on many others, he dreams of flight and power and friendship and...surely not love. That would be foolish. But not just lust. Or infatuation. But something pleasant and calming and good. And when he wakes up, he feels fine. And wonders about being Captain Atom again. And about Sallie. And about how, just this once, Superman has nothing on him.