The Dream

Like many of us, my dreams and nightmares are never quite vivid after I awake. But this one was, but it wasn’t just one, it was a series. Like a limited series on Netflix. It progressed over a period of days. What I mean by progression I’ll get to in a bit. I live approximately 3 miles from the famed Devil’s Circle. Been by it more times that I can count. Been physically on it probably at least a dozen times since I was a kid (I’m 32 now). Uneventful. Nothing happened. Saw nothing. Felt nothing. Heard nothing. Completely unimpressed. I was a true skeptic.

But I would read about it quite a bit. Who doesn’t like eerie fables? You wish they were true, ignite the senses and grow those goosebumps. A few months ago, I came across an article by an author (name escapes me at the moment) that stood above the rest. In his writing, he outlined the ‘fact’ that ALL of the reported supernatural occurrences: The sightings of things not there, The Lydia stories (We all know Lydia!), the strange people, the dogs going bezerk and refusing to step foot on the grounds, the disappearances (Yes, people have been reported missing there)…all seemed to occur in blocks of time that spanned over a period of three or four years. The author coined this as The Circle’s Witching Hour, or…even more compelling, Quota Time! The underlying theme of The Devil’s Circle is that the Devil himself walks the circular diameter of the place seeking out ways to cause more calamity for mankind. Hmmm, intriguing nonetheless, but heck, to me, still remains in the BS category. But I loved his theories.

The dream went like this, nothing unaccounted for.

1. Night #1 – I was out on my front lawn, and the young girl, 10-13 range, was standing there only a few feet away from me. She had this odd grin, and was giggling. She looked dirty and unkept. I freaked and ran at the sight of her. Out onto the road. As fast as I could (And as I get older I don’t run as fast as I used to but hey…) Throwing my head back to look…….she was right there behind me. She didn’t run, only walked, and I couldn’t gain on any ground on her no matter how fast I ran. But she sure did smile and giggle! I awoke.

2. Night #2 – I recognized right where I was. A familiar road not too far from home, very rural, surrounded by tall trees. Looked back several times, and Little Girl was not letting me out of her sight. Her giggles echoed the entire valley, and even appeared to coincide with the blowing wind and the shaking trees. I awoke.

3. Night #3 – I’m still in a full sprint. Like the Devil itself is at my back doorstep. Maybe it was, in the form of this dirty wild little feral girl. I sprint like a track star, she only strolls, remaining no more than twenty feet behind me. And what is so funny, little girl? Dang! I awoke.

4. Night #4 -  This time I’m dodging oncoming traffic. First a beat up old pickup truck, the driver swerves to miss me, and I him. But I can’t stop running, and I can’t stay out of the middle of the road. Little girl is still there, keeping up, doesn’t even have to move for the oncoming traffic, they just go right through her. Of course. The second vehicle a hot rod from some overcompensating teenage punk. Our reflexes quick and we continue on our separate ways, avoiding any catastrophe. Every time I look back, the vehicles are gone. But Little girl…still there…still strolling. She’s having fun, based on her smiles and giggles. The next vehicle a school bus, Oh brother. I awoke.

5. Night# 5 – The buck stopped here. At the Devil’s Circle. Little girl led me here. As if drawn by a magnet, my sprint slows down to a jog, and I make my way towards the center of The Circle. ‘Here he is Daddy!’ The little girl finally spoke! Suddenly standing there in the center is this rather good size man with long gray hair and beard, kind of resembling that Grizzly Adams character. I continue to jog towards him. He smiles and gestures with his hands for me to continue towards him.  In the Circle’s center, at his feet, is a giant hole about the size of a grave. There I fall and fall, and fall. Into the infinite dark (Believe there were several horror movies like this).  I awake. Here.

 

County prison. Orange colored issued wardrobe. Visitor center. My attorney read all this aloud in front of me. My notes on The Dream. He didn’t read them too loud, there is a decibel limitation in here. See, I stand accused of homicide. The cops found me just sitting at the center of the Circle, my best friend Luke at my feet, half buried in the soil. Dead. If I did kill him, no idea how. I do not recall a single solitary moment of it. I really do not.

‘Think you can use that in an insanity defense?’ I ask him. He sighs, rubs his face, and says he doesn’t know. I understand. Said he would have to take this to a shrink.

 

My journey is not over. Must be this Quota Time junk! Well, what I used to think was junk anyway.