So in my dream, I am standing inside
Glasgow Central station, looking up at the decorative
wrought ironwork of the roof supports, when I notice that there is a staircase leading upward, with a sign reading "
York Station". I'm naturally intrigued as York is a four-hour drive from
Glasgow, and begin to climb the narrow open ironwork staircase. As I climb, I notice that the decorative work begins to resemble spider's webs, and that the air is warmer and more humid.
Finally, I arrive at the top of the stairs to find a landscape of tall trees resembling poplar, but bearing tiny carmine flowers. The air is redolent of honeysuckle, and I draw closer to the trees, the better to catch the scent. The ground is difficult to negotiate, being springy with deep leafmould, and the scent is becoming cloying, but I carry on nonetheless.
I am about six feet from the nearest tree when I notice that it is covered with cobwebs, and there are tiny grey-and-red lizards scuttling around on the forest floor. I have to be careful not to tread on any of them as I walk toward the trees. As I reach the trees, I see thousands upon thousands of dun-coloured spiders, with unusually long bodies, which bend round underneath them. On closer inspection, each spider has thick, hairy, muscular-looking legs and bright eyes - each spider being about eight inches long, and with a leg span of over a foot. I approach closer to see their eyes.
The spiders sit quietly in their webs, watching me as I approach - all except one. This one is climbing down the trunk of the tree, and is intent on something I cannot see. I hear a faint noise, reminiscent of the noise of a train on the tracks. It seems to climb down for a very long time, and I begin to feel on uncomfortable writhing sensation within myself. Suddenly, the spider finds a lizard climbing the tree, and for no apparent reason, attacks it, savagely biting it behind the head and hitting it with its front legs. I shudder with the suddenness of the attack, and feel a strange throbbing vibration passing through my whole body.
The lizard seems not to respond initially, and I want to run to its rescue, but for some reason, I am unable to move. Then the lizard opens its mouth - it has a bright red tongue, and many very sharp-looking teeth. It slowly reaches for one of the spider's legs and bites down deliberately. I hear a crackling noise, and feel a pang of empathy with the spider, which screams as the lizard opens a huge gash in its leg. I am now unaccountably the same size as the spider, and am alarmed to note that beneath the spider's exoskeleton is human skin and flesh. The spider looks to me, mute appeals for help in its eyes, but I am falling from the tree.
As I hit the forest floor, I realise that I have become a spider, and that I am among the many lizards on the ground.
I awaken suddenly, sweating and panting. This dream scared me - the first in a long time to do so. I count my limbs to reassure myself, and trembling, get out of my bed.