Zombie Bites New Abstract: History Set II, A Bright and Distant Plain

"In the dream, I emerged from a deep pool.

The liquid was hot and black and nearly reflectionless.  There was an olive coloured steam coming off of it in areas.  The vapor danced across the surface like flame and dissipated quickly as it rose.  The liquid flowed with a rhythm not unlike breath.  At the edges of the pool it expanded and retreated in miniature tides.  Unsettled by its motion, I moved to the edge and climbed out.  The pool was surrounded by a ring of rough white rock and as I climbed I saw the bright desert plains that extended on all sides beyond it.  



It seemed to be night, but as I looked about I realized that I could view the distance as clearly as though it were a bright sunny day.  I moved my hand up reflexively to shade my eyes from the intensity of the light, but stopped halfway.  My hand was transparent and seemingly made of some multicolour material.  Inside, small bits of energy flowed and blinked.  There was a mechanistic quality to the interior and I found myself mesmerized by the intricacies of its gyrations. 

The bits of energy continued their dancing beyond the edge of my skin for a full fingers width into the surrounding air.  There, they did not so much disappear as rush off in all directions at great speed.  As I looked closer, I could see that the bits were made of small pulsating symbols.  I watched their undulations for some time before realizing that their patterns were oscillating with the same rhythm as the liquid within the pool.  In fact, the entire landscape seemed to vibrate with it.

The sky was a palpable black and I could spy no sun in its vastness.  It seemed heavier and more solid than the ground I'd set my feet upon.  In its depth, I observed faint spots of variable color, pulsing also with the rhythm of this world.  I moved away from the pool, my steps kicking up small red clouds of dust. As I watched the arc of their movement, I noticed that the white stones surrounding the pool were actually crystalline and transparent also. They twinkled with a bright interior light.  I raised my arms and the light of the stones blotted out all else.  Waking, I stared at my hand for a long while.  I tried again to visualize the dancing symbols of my essence, but all I saw were the age wrinkles of my palm and whorls of my fingertips. 

I took a bath in clear water that morning, but as I closed my eyes and sank beneath, it became hot and reflectionless with sulphur coloured smoke dancing across its surface.  I lay in that black womb until I forgot myself.  The rest of that day had an untamed exuberance.  Each moment, each person I encountered emanated a luminescence and a fullness.  The world I often dreaded had become a vast bright plain." 

~

Recommended Listening:

Arktau Eos

Retrocession into the Astrolith

from Ai Ma Ra

Though not an actual dream, this piece of fiction possesses the feeling of inspiration, mystery, and strangeness that I wanted the History Set posts to posses.  This week has been one of extremes.  I feel much more sedate and hopeful today, but earlier in the week I was climbing the walls with frustration and depression.  Miles to go before I sleep, I suppose.  I am grateful for the mood U-turn though.  There's only so much bleak even I can handle.

The History Set pieces were created in celebration of the upcoming eighth year anniversary of my first posts on Zombie Bites on February 17th, 2005.  Each of the pieces in this set was created from a conglomeration of work previously posted on Zombie Bites over the 2012 year.

{Digital Images manipulated in Adobe Photoshop}

Read all the History Set Posts: