Dream diary, 7/28/08: The Shadow Government

I dreamed that there was a secret organization -- a corporate organization, but also connected with the government somehow -- that was controlling people through subliminal signals created by shadows falling on their bodies while they slept. In the dream, I "woke up" to see some shadows in the corner of the room: the shadows began forming into patterns, and I recognized one of the patterns as the logo for this organization. I was very excited -- at last I had proof that this was really happening -- but I was also completely terrified, as it was happening to us, right now.

This was a genuine night terror, the first I've had in a long time. I woke Ingrid in a panic, but was completely unable to explain why I'd woken her. This was easily the most abstract night terror I've ever had, which made trying to form words to describe what was happening even more difficult than usual. Weirdly, the process of trying to explain what was happening forced me to try to make sense of it... and the process of trying to make sense of it made it eventually dawn on me that it didn't make sense, it was ridiculous, and I'd woken my wife up out of a sound sleep at two in the morning to warn her about the evil government shadow puppets.

Comments

[Valhar2000]

Well, at least you didn't wake up in a panic because you dreamt that your school's Guidance Counsellor, who in real life weighs half as much as you, if that, was trying to rape you... and almost succeeding!

Once the fright passed, it was still very weird.

[Donna Gore]

Hey Greta.....you've just written the plot for your first sci-fi novel! Run with it !!!!!

[efrique]

OYou saw the fnords!

That explains both the uneasiness and the inability to express it clearly to others.

[Joreth]

I get night terrors too. For your readers who don't know what they are, it's a sleep disorder related to sleep apnea that is set of by regular interference with the REM cycle.

Your body enters sleep paralysis as it enters the REM cycle as normal, but then you regain partial consciousness without losing the paralysis (not like normal). You also enter a mental stage of deep paranoia and hallucination that usually takes the form of shadowy figures in your room trying to get you (kill you, smother you, harm you in some way). It's terrifying because it's a paranoia and you're completely paralyzed and helpess and vulnerable.

It's also the basis for why every culture seems to have vampire stories and the like. One of the more compelling arguments for why things like vampires might exist is that people of all cultures report vampire-like stories, even those cultures who had previously no contact with the other cultures who have similar stories. But the reason is not actually a supernatural being, it's a simple human condition that can be triggered by very common occurrances. (I used to be fascinated by vampire legends from different cultures before I knew what night terrors were (even though I've gotten them since I was a kid), although I never believed they were real, so this argument is a particular pet peeve of mine).

People who ride the snooze button (like I do) or people who have a breathing disorder (like apnea) that interrupts the REM cycle several times in one night are the people prone to getting night terrors.