The beckoning
I found myself inside a living room full of people. The walls were an off-white color with stripes of green wallpaper running from floor to ceiling. Gold trim bordered each strip, adding a sense of subdued elegance. I was leaning against a doorway as I noticed that I knew all of these people. Friends and family were all gathered, chatting softly and exchanging pleasantries. The faint smell of food filled the room.
I turned around and noticed another room framed by a large square wall. In it was my mother, sister and close friends. Next to them was a tall man whose face seemed blurred from afar. Standing in a circle, they all had their backs towards me as if they were looking down at a table. The man was the only one facing me. He too, was looking down.
As I walked towards the room an unnerving feeling came over me. It wasn't my house, nor had I ever been in one like it. Yet everyone I knew was there. As I approached the room my family turned around and smiled, but said nothing. Their faces were filled with a mixture of pity and resignation. It was then that I realized that everyone was dressed as for a wedding. Men in sharp tuxedos with classy overcoats and women in sleek black dresses.
The hand of my mother guided me to where the group of family and friends were. As I walked closer they each turned and acknowledged me with that same look on their faces. Momentarily they cleared the way for me to see what they were all looking at.
A short, stocky and well dressed young man was lying on the table face up. His eyes were closed and he had the complexion of a corpse gone done over with a funeral director's make-up. A thought crossed my mind... "No," I thought to myself. I looked up and across the table at the tall man standing on the other side. He had a black shadowy face and reddish-orange eyes.
He lifted up his index finger, pointed at me and smiled.
I woke up right after that.
I turned around and noticed another room framed by a large square wall. In it was my mother, sister and close friends. Next to them was a tall man whose face seemed blurred from afar. Standing in a circle, they all had their backs towards me as if they were looking down at a table. The man was the only one facing me. He too, was looking down.
As I walked towards the room an unnerving feeling came over me. It wasn't my house, nor had I ever been in one like it. Yet everyone I knew was there. As I approached the room my family turned around and smiled, but said nothing. Their faces were filled with a mixture of pity and resignation. It was then that I realized that everyone was dressed as for a wedding. Men in sharp tuxedos with classy overcoats and women in sleek black dresses.
The hand of my mother guided me to where the group of family and friends were. As I walked closer they each turned and acknowledged me with that same look on their faces. Momentarily they cleared the way for me to see what they were all looking at.
A short, stocky and well dressed young man was lying on the table face up. His eyes were closed and he had the complexion of a corpse gone done over with a funeral director's make-up. A thought crossed my mind... "No," I thought to myself. I looked up and across the table at the tall man standing on the other side. He had a black shadowy face and reddish-orange eyes.
He lifted up his index finger, pointed at me and smiled.
I woke up right after that.