Death on Laputa

Dream Diary

I’m standing inside a lovely Frank Lloyd Wright-style house at the edge of an invisible city that floats above the Earth.  My view through the sliding glass door is of clouds rolling by and occasional glimpses of whatever is beneath us on the surface of the planet.

Between the house and the edge of the city (and by “edge” I mean the drop-off … it’s essentially a floating island), there are a series of paved terraces leading down to a promenade that runs along the drop off. There are trees and planted areas among the terraces and promenade, all very beautiful and peaceful. I’m also aware that everyone in the city is about to die.

I don’t know why this is necessary, but it is and we all understand that it’s part of the grand plan, so we’re okay with it. Not thrilled, but okay with it. Duty calls.

As I’m gazing at the clouds beyond the terraces, someone behind me says, “She wants you to take it with her.” I understand this to mean that my partner wants me to join her in taking the poison that everyone is taking at this moment, so I slide the door aside and walk down a few terrace levels to a woman who is seated alone on a stone bench.

I don’t recognize the woman, and wonder whether there’s been some mistake, but she seems to know me and seems so melancholy that I figure what the heck. I’m about to die anyway and if I can comfort her in this way, I’m willing to do it. I sit down on the bench and she has a little salt spoon ready, filled with what looks like frankincense, although I don’t recognize it as such in the dream. I let her put the spoon in my mouth and as I swallow the granules, I feel relieved that death is imminent.