When Nightmares Come to Life.

I had had a busy day scavenging for food left, right and centre. Boy, was I tired. It's not like the food was just sitting there, ready to eat. I had to put muscle into actually getting it. People say they work hard for their money, I work doubly for my food.

After a hard day, belly somewhat filled, all I could think of was sleep. I just wanted to find a spot to curl up and catch a few winks before sunrise. I must have been dead beat because all I remember is curling in a comfortable spot and I was out. The sleep was sweet except when things took a turn.

I had a horrific dream which turned to a horrific reality.

I dreamt that I had finally got an opportunity to travel and see Mt. Kenya. As I explored one of the Kenyan forests nearby, I found a perfect vantage point on a tree top to watch the sun setting down Mt. Kenya. The sight from up there was beautiful.

The sun looked like a golden glowing ball dipped in honey slowly sinking down the pinkish-orangish skies and dipping right behind the rocky tips of Mt. Kenya. Just as I was savouring the beauty before me, the branch I was sitting on started quaking and my worst fears came to be. The branch snapped.

The horror of a free fall without a harness.

I was dropping at ridiculous speeds and flashes that my end was near were very real. All my attempts to control my fall or landing were as useless as trying to touch a gust of wind. This was it.

I could feel the wind hitting hard against my face and body. Just as I was about to hit the ground I woke up. Inhale. Exhale. That was intense. Inhale. Exhale. I am alive.

Funny, I could still feel the same gusts of wind I felt when I was free falling in the dream…only this time instead of hitting me vertically, it was hitting me horizontally. What was going on?

I open my eyes and Jeez! My make shift bed was moving at break-neck speeds. "Where did I sleep?" I wondered, as I struggled to cling on to the slippery surface. Forget that. There was no time to continue deliberating on such a trivial matters. I had bigger issues to deal with… Staying alive.

I tried to face away from the oncoming wind, baby crawl...baby crawl...don't slip, but even before I could finish dealing with that I spotted them...and they spotted me. Scream!!!

Humans!

"Mummy, Daddy-there is a gecko on the car-window! Get it off! Get it off!!!" shrieked one of them.

I was done for. I was literally kicking myself for making such a grave error. Of all places to sleep, why in heaven's name did I nod off on a car?!

Back to staying alive. I could only thank God for my reptile hands and feet, and the grip they offered. I tried turning around again to get a better grip, then fear began to cloud me. 

What if they opened the window continuously? What if they drove into a car wash? Oh boy! What if a hawk spotted me?

Adrenaline kicked in and I started chanting to myself, “I am not going to die, not today. Still have too many flies to catch before I go down!" As if hearing me, the driver raved the car, accelerating as if to destabilize me and make me queasy. It was working alright, but I had to hang on. Quick thinking. I needed a plan now. My feet were getting weak and my hands were slowly losing grip. Snap.

Ok. Ok. Sober up. I had three options. One, hang on till the car came to a stop. Cons…I didn't know how much longer I could hold on. Two, jump off at the next stop. Cons...What if there is nowhere to jump off and I get crushed by other vehicles or worse still, what if the car doesn't stop. Three, jump off the moving car and pray I land safely and have the balance to scamper away. Cons...Death would truly be imminent.

 Oh no!

They were now opening the window. Scream. Enough thinking. (Heart racing). Time to act.

I let go. That was the fastest and shortest free fall ever. Plop! I hit the hard grey tarmac road and started scampering. I could feel vibrations from the road meaning other cars were coming and fast.

 “Oh hands and feet of mine, please do me well!” I wailed as I raced. Wind in my face I took a leap and landed on a muddy patch. No humans, cars…almost safe. I spotted a tree beside rocky wall. Cover. I could hide on the tree. Determined to live, I scurried fast as my little hands and legs could take me.

 Run, run, run…two more steps and I would be safe. Up and up I went, till I couldn’t get any higher. Inhale. Exhale …when nightmares come to life. Snap.