Story ideas from dreams #(I lost track): "Corridors"

Story idea: Based on dream I had last night (09/14/2008). I was at my old high school, walking down the hallways, rows of lockers painted red on each side. The corridor kept getting smaller until I had to crawl through to the other side. For some reason, the Ladd's Addition Videorama was on the other side and Will was still working there. He seemed a bit puzzled to see me, especially since it seemed like I had just randomly come out of a tier of shelves from the back wall. He told me that he wasn't going to be able to make the Neal Stephenson talk (which is oddly timely and relevant for one of my usually non-sequitur dreams). Of course, I was mildly disappointed, but I was still glad to see him again. Another time, I was walking home in the middle of winter, going down various hallways that kept getting smaller and smaller until I ended up going under a set of stairs. When I got there, I ran into Will. We had a long conversation, at some point we held hands. Yes, it was a rather sweet, sappy wish-fulfillment dream, but it was still nice.

Anyway, to further develop this idea/geek out in a horrible way, what I would like to do is write  a story about a man who keeps coming across a young girl/woman who stumbles into his store (either a scientific equipment shop or bookstore, although bookstore might be a bit too "Time Traveler's Wife" ). He watches her grow up, navigate through the confusion of adolescence, becoming an adult, finding her own way through life and develops a fondness for her.

Well, it turns out that he is actually a supervillain (I warned you that I was going to geek out in a horrible way). He had jumped universes to try to make sure that this version of the girl did not grow up to be a hero, but someone normal. But of course, she ends up uttering the age-old line, "No matter what (universe I'm in), I'm still me" and proceeds to kick his ass.

Although there will probably be a bittersweet ending where both of them somewhat regret what happened.

Maybe the universe explodes.

I haven't made up my mind yet.

Only in dreams...

...am I able to do the following:
1.) Run across town at superhuman speeds to be with the guy I'm in love with.
2.) Have a cigarette with Elliott Smith.

I used to stop logging my dreams since I thought that the whole "reading into the subconscious mind to fulfill potential and unaddressed desires" thing was a bunch of crap. Still, these two were the most interesting I've had awhile.

1.) My friend Liz from middle/high/college and I were working backstage back at our old high school for some reason even though we were the ages we are now and nowhere near SHS. Out of nowhere, I decide to leave so I can be with :name excluded due to current relevance: who is across town at the movie theater/astronomical observatory. Liz gets a bit mad and asks me "What about all the hard work we put into this?" And I just shrug and tell her things will be fine, the show can run itself after all the setup I did.

The amazing part is the running. I was somewhere between flying and running really fast. I could feel my feet hitting pavement, grass, even the hoods of cars just to get all the way across town (which oddly seems to be more like Portland and not Springfield). I run at an incredible speed without my joints giving out, my muscles aching from lactic acid buildup, my heart pounding or my lungs gasping for air. I don't even think about traffic, but actually run over the cars regardless as to whether or not they are moving.

When I get to the theater/observatory, the "show" is over and the house lights are up, revealing a gorgeous old-style movie theater surrounding me. The ceiling is high. The walls and pillars are beige with gorgeous detailed tapestries on them. I can see that the curtains are still drawn open though, with a gorgeous night sky/universe swirling around on the stage/screen. :Name excluded due to current relevance: is standing in one of the aisles as the rest of the audience has mostly cleared out. He smiles at me as if to tell me that he wasn't expecting to see me tonight.

This is when I wake up. I was a bit disappointed that this hadn't happened...but of course, not as disappointed as when I woke up from the next dream.

2.) For some reason I'm back at TIS Bookstore and Danielle of all people is excited about winning some contest she won where she gets to hang out/go on a date with Elliott Smith (who is mysteriously still alive without anyone commenting on this fact). I mean, for one thing, as I mentioned in the parenthetical expression, Elliott Smith is dead. Another thing, Danielle is engaged. What would she be doing going on a date with Elliott Smith?

However, the even more bizarre fact of Elliott Smith even participating in such a PR gimmick is actually explained in my dream. I have a smoke outside the front of the store (which would probably cause Jon to pitch a fit since he usually wants the smoking employees nowhere near the store) and there's Elliott Smith, leaning against the large glass storefront window (that Jon hires someone to clean at least once a month) and having a cigarette. He actually looks exactly the same as he does on the cover art of the albums, although, come to think of it, it wasn't that long ago when he committed suicide.

I'm probably filling in more details than actually occurred in the dream since I remember the dream being much shorter than it probably takes to write/read this. But anyway, Elliott explains that his record company randomly thought this "win a date with..." was a good idea and he actually went along with it just for the hell of it. He thought Danielle was cool, but not really his type. I just nod and shrug, almost uncharacteristically laconic considering if I had actually met Elliott Smith (and he were still alive), I would probably be going all annoying fangirl on him. For the most part, we just lean against the window, smoking and not saying much of anything.

Right before I wake up, he finishes his cigarette, crushes it on the pavement and walks away. My first thought as my radiator rudely wakes me is, "Holy shit. I just had a smoke with Elliott Smith."