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Pod War

Dreamed 1979/10/14 by Wayan

THAT DAY

I drive up to Santa Rosa to see a play my godmother Joan-lee is directing--Edward Albee's "Bus Stop." Powerful.

Late that evening, I tell her about my frustration with the psychodrama troupe I'm involved in. "I've learned enough acting and psychodramatic technique to join its core group, but the director says I'm cold and standoffish and scared--unready to join."

Joan's opinion as a director: "Well, you're not cold. But you are frightened, therefore potentially frightening. From all you've said, you understand them pretty well; you have the potential to become a mover and shaker. But you must deal with the director's personal reality--feeling you're cold--for he IS the director. He sounds WORRIED about you."

Yes, he does. But about me as a lonely person wanting in, or as a powerful invader who doesn't share his values? I'm not sure.

THAT NIGHT

Spores from space grow into pods that people over. We fight, but the pod-people spread and we dwindle. Now humanity's down to three or four of us, beleagured upstairs in a house. Unemotional pod people outside.

I say to one of the wounded "why don't you kill yourself? It'd be the logical thing to do. You can't live like that." I feel cold saying it but there's a reason: I suspect this may be a pod person undercover. If so, I suspect it'll follow my logic without human feeling, just to be authentic and "do as a human would", figuring it's better to lose a spy than blow its cover. And if it kills itself, we'll have one less enemy. And if I'm wrong? What true human would listen to cold advice like that?

But that scene fades out, I don't know what the injured person does... A metal finger heated red-hot in a candle flame; dream sketch by Wayan

The pod people bring up a ring of armor around our house. I discuss it with another survivor, who's like my dad: warm, but unreliable. Waffling loyalties, weak commitment? I think he needs stiffening.

So I say "Based on that remark I just made, I wouldn't be surprised if you thought I was a pod person. So look..."

I put my hand over a candle. Slide my little finger into the flame till it glows red!

"I'm not human OR pod. I'm a Mechano. A synthetic human being. Logical, proud, emotional but restrained, unlike you meat people. I am not human--but I am on the human side. I have great strength and I'm nearly indestructible. I can shake the pod-spores right out of anyone! Though one-by-one that won't be enough to beat them, will it?"

The guy stops waffling and becomes a committed fighter. An uninjured woman with us is also determined. We three go on fighting. Surprisingly, we hold our own. Can't increase over all, but neither can they any more. I can revert anyone they send against us. Resistance a success.

So I start arguing with the pod people over the barrier. Point out they're wrong about their own nature. They've NOT more logical. Just unemotional. Not an INTELLIGENT group mind--all human prejudices and beliefs are being acted out calmly now, as common truths... unexamined! "You act like humanity but with even less self-awareness."

With rain, the essence of being human can re-spread to them, as the spores did to humans. Though it's not raining yet...

They do listen, though they don't believe yet. But they're thinking about it.

The struggle continues. I am legend.

NOTES

The dream has answered. Joan is right. Maybe I should start exploring other social circles. The director won't admit it but he fears me--and won't let another person of equal power into his clique. I won't fit anyway; I'm a different sort, a third sort, neither repressed nor dramatic. Just... strong.



LISTS AND LINKS: I'm Just Not Myself Today! - dreams of being non-organic - aliens - weird dream diseases - You Are Lunch - self-defense - robots & AIs - heat & fire - vampires - community - psychodrama - rejection & outsiders - three more dreams based on "The Body Snatchers": spore/pod plagues have varied results in Spore Count, Freeze!, and Hepburning - a dream by Joan-lee, of a dragon With Wild And Turquoise Eyes

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