Subterranean

Dream #7

We’ll circle back around to dream #6 in a minute. Right now, we have this.

Underwater, there is a kind of research station. Well, it’s called that, but to me it looks like a sewer. And there’s a guy living there, a scientist, who reminds me a bit of Patty McGoo in Scanners. He’s studying this species of underwater amphibians that are sort of like cats, kind of like piranhas, but not really either.

They bite you—I mean me, they bite me pretty quickly … could be us, I guess—and it doesn’t really hurt that bad, but it does way more damage than it seems like it should for such a tiny little nibbling bite. And they look oddly cute despite being these crazy little fish monsters. Anyway, since he’s started trapping them, their behavior is changing. He’s concerned about it, and I’m like, Dude, maybe stop trapping them? Which he seems to consider as a possibility, but then also thinks that they would be nearly impossible to study if he didn’t. I roll my eyes and go, Scientists.

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Once we’re back on land—above ground land, that is—we go to this auditorium space in the city. I’m writing a new book that is coming out as these really cool, high quality print zines. (Huh. This might go with dream #8.) Each ish is being read by professional readers; but one of them is an ex, who has, like, kina become a movie star? I guess. She is an absolute wreck—but she looks great, so no one really gets it—and not doing her job and shit talking my book. I’m all like, What’s wrong with it? And she says it’s too short; not the book, but the chapter zine she’s working on cos it’s about two pages. I tell her I write all sorts of chapters, some are only two paragraphs, some a few sentences. She rolls her eyes and sets it down and walks off to do something else, I dunno what. Probably to gossip about me. Anyhow, the other readers are quite helpful. I have trouble seeing how people are going to get it, the book; but I do. I get it. And the readers do, too.

Play procedures

• Reflect on the title. Why ‘Subterranean?’ If you’re keeping a journal, write down what you think.

• If you have some trait like animal handling or ethology or something, then you can collect one of these animals for further study or to keep as a pet or something. I don’t have either of those traits, so I have no idea how that would work. I mean, the little fuckers bit me, you saw. Anyhow, if you don’t have such a trait but would like to, you can assign yourself one now. Likewise, if you adopt one of these fuckers and spend some time with it, you get a new trait called something like sea monster lore or some shit like that. You know, if you want.

• You can add the underwater research station to your list of available places.

• You can collect the chapter zine for this chapter, or the one that my ex’s reading. The two pager.

• You may befriend the scientist, one of the creatures, any of the readers, or my ex. If you do, name them. Any name but something super common. I can’t stand that shit when everyone has a really short, stupidly ubiquitous name. I’m not even going to write it here, it pisses me off so much. But you do you, babe.