I’ve been having strange and somewhat vivid dreams lately. The most memorable was a dream about saying goodbye to old memories. I’m sure it’s symbolic in some way. I’ll have to write about that one someday soon. For now, I want to write about the latest dream.
It’s an island, harboring the largest aquarium in the wold. I believe half of it is buried underground. It’s a giant sphere, with the center hosting a “blue bayou” style restaurant like the one from Disneyland. All the surrounding hallways leading up to the main restaurant are glass. In fact, the restaurant’s ceiling is also made of glass. Low lights and even a fog machine create a small weather system inside. The main harbor to the island is jam-packed with cruise vessels and other ships from around the world.
I believe I was here for a wedding. I remember being introduced to all sorts of people I didn’t know. They kept referring to me in Spanish as “the writer.” I kept frowning at the introduction. I’m not sure what bothered me about it.
The place was enormous, with many of the surrounding rooms of the aquarium hosting different events. Really. This place was huge!
As the celebrations took place I noticed the animals in the aquarium behaving erratically. Even the grey whale swimming around was behaving oddly; swooping dangerously close to the glass, diving and ascending rapidly. Many onlookers were frightened that the mammal would crash through the glass. That’s when I started getting the odd feeling that an earthquake was about to happen. They say animals can always tell when an earthquake is imminent. I gathered my family. I was at the event with my mother and brother. I tried not to stir a panic as I told them we had to leave. Considering the man-made island, I doubted any land mass was large enough to shield from a possible tsunami. The best course would be to head deeper into the ocean on a ship. Someone overhead my warning and news quickly spread, people started to pick up their things and head out. The aquarium folks tried to calm everyone, even introducing a pod of orcas into the aquarium. No many stayed and my family and I arrived at the harbor. Some people had already started leaving and I tried to “rent” a boat. The fare was $5/hr but as the panic from the aquarium spilled over to the harbor, the price suddenly shot up to $375/hr.
Mom “Maybe we can try to head to higher ground.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that we wouldn’t make it. The mountains were too far, and with her bad knee she would never make it.
I stole a nearby raft and it had enough room for my mom and brother. I stayed behind, hoping I was somehow wrong. Some people headed back inside the aquarium, others wandered the area, trying to make sense of the chaos.
I’m not sure why, but I headed back in, into the large crowds.
Police and private security were trying to keep order. I think I remember a man grab a child to which I intervened but so did a police officer, letting me know it was a plain clothes officer and he had been finding lost children in the crowd. It was all chaos.
It amused me to find Kathy Bates sitting on a bench. This place even had celebrities visiting it. She was sitting down with friends, she was dejected, defeated and prepared for what was coming.
I sat next to her. “No point in running?”
Kathy shrugged.
Me “I’d ask for an autograph but…”
Kathy “Don’t have a pen? I’ve got one.”
We laughed.
I saunter outside and there are still some crowds at the harbor. Some ships started heading back in and everyone wondered how and why the panic started. As guilt set in the ground jolted, knocking everyone off balance and sending shrieks across the area. The ground swayed and gave way. Sink holes appear in random areas and the ground shook violently.
