Marginal Man

I woke up at 6 a.m. after this dream. I put on a pot of coffee and wrote this out by hand in the dim light of my desk light soon after to record as much detail as I could remember. 

I was in college yet, the evening before graduation I believe. I was driving home from some activity with a friend (Graham). I could feel myself getting lazy on the turns, and on one curve, I could not control the car. As it flew off into the ditch I blacked out pleading for my life.

I woke up in a field. It was boggy and full of grazing cows. I could see the road to the south and wondered if I was still alive. I walked to an embankment and could see the mangled red car surrounded by flashing lights.

A group of friends was suddenly around me, among them Bri. I became aware by watching the scene that Graham was okay. I saw them pulling him from the car, injured, but okay.

Bri then told me that they had made the decision to kill me because the injuries were too extensive. Bri held my hands and prayed. When she finished we heard a noise come from the car. She broke into a smile and commented on how prayer changes things, squeezed my hand, and she and the rest walked past me and were gone.

I understood that they had then moved my body to a hospital, but I did not know how long I had. It was starting to get dark. I walked from the swampy, boggy area towards the wrecked car. As I did, the area changed.

I was walking towards a lake beach that somehow transitioned into a house, right into the living room. It became apparent that I had lived here for a spell, though in the past or present I don't know.

I had many belongings and I began going through them. On the beach I had a treasure chest full of memories. I picked out a medallion that Matt had given me and held it in my hand.

I eventually walked up the beach to the living room. I found a shirt and tie that I had picked out with my mother and she had bought for me to wear for graduation. I put it on a hanger and put it on the door. I wanted them to have me wear it for my funeral.

My mood was somber as I continued to sift through my belongings. I was attempting to get them gathered and moved out of the house, which seemed to be a small cottage in a rural area, homey and comfortable.

I was going through clothes when I heard a key jingle in the locked door. I walked to the front room and saw Shin-Hee walk through.

I was surprised to see her and we exchanged conversation. I explained that I had used the house for two weeks over interterm, had brought more stuff than was needed for that time and had never cleared it out, which is what I had been doing.

I followed her to the kitchen. I walked past several glass cabinets, and as we passed each one I saw Shin-Hee's reflection pass, then I saw spirits, ghosts, something of the sort, moving past the glass frame when I passed.

She explained that everyone who has stayed in the house has seen ghosts every once in awhile. She was preparing lunch. I turned the water on to soak a pan for her and said, "Shin-Hee, I think I am dead."

She gave a comfortable smile and nodded, "Yes, I think so."

I stood and watched for a bit as she finished in the kitchen.


Analysis that I wrote right after finishing the transcription:
This freaked me out when I first woke up. My immediate thoughts went to fearing this as foreshadowing for me not graduating from grad. school by an early death. It was a vivid dream, and seemed to have a cloudy film cast over it, playing like a movie. It felt real though. When the car was flying off the road I remember thinking, "It's only a dream, I'm not going to die." And the dream continued... All in all another one to put in the annals of cryptic, terrifying, hopefully non-prophetic dream category.