JR's Dream

We are all ... uhh ... rather special in some way or another (bear with me, as I write this, I am thinking I am nuts!). There are 4 of us living in a large flat. But it is not really an apartment building - bit like a 2-storey shophouse with shops down the front. Could be anywhere - the surroundings are semi-urban and not particularly striking. Taller buildings and apartments can be seen out of the window, couple of trees as well, some folks walking on the road, an odd bicycle. A couple of cars parked.

Light into the apartment seems to be filtering in mainly from the large balcony and window, otherwise the flat is old but neat and sparsely furnished.

You have just come in that morning from somewhere. "Sunita! It's great to see you back! When did you get out ?" I exclaim, and give you a warm hug.

"Like that lah", you respond, and squirm out of my hug, expressing discomfort on your face. You are wearing this T-shirt and pyjamas, and looking thoroughly lepak. You walk up to the dining table, and pick up some fruit to eat.

All of a sudden, there is a lot of dry lightning outside, and the cars that are parked start shaking around. A dismisses this as a freak thunderstorm, and I am not too sure about that, but I say OK. You can't be bothered - you curl up in an easy-chair and start reading a book, munching on your fruit.

And then, the grill bars on the balcony start creaking and there is lots more lightning. Cars start floating up. And I scream "He is here! What is he here for ? What the hell does he want?"
The awful realisation dawns on me as I look at you. "He wants you", I whisper. And you look up and say "Who ? What ?"

And A scratches his head. "Whatever for ?"

The bars on the balcony grill are being ripped from their moorings in the concrete. With an awful crash they break free as if some invisible hand has wrenched them out and thrown them away, and then a man floats in, all dressed in blue and black and purple, with his entire posse of henchmen behind him.

"Magneto!" I scream, and throw myself joyfully at him, and he gives me a warm hug and asks me how I am.

"Very good. What's up ?" I ask, as he seats himself at the dining table, and takes out some papers from somewhere. His buddies are all at various corners of the flat now, just hanging around and not doing anything but pretending to be bored, while watching and waiting.

"Nothing much ... just thought I would come by and see how you all were doing. Ah, I see Netto is around - and how are you, my dear ?"

You are watching Magneto with a bit of wonder. "OK lah!"

I am getting really uneasy now. "Look Magneto, she is off-limits OK?"

"Really now!"

"All right, now look. I am very happy to see you and I am glad you came by, but for some reason, your goons are annoying me. And I promise you that if you touch Netto in any way, why, I'll .... OWWWW!" I scream as the metal claws on my knuckles get stuck merely an inch outside and it feels like someone is pushing knives into my palm.

"Relax!" Magneto booms. The goons are all looking rather interested now that I am in agony. "I ain't gonna touch your precious Sunita. I am here to stay!"

And suddenly the pain is gone and the relief swamps over me, as my claws retract silently and sullenly. The sweat breaks out in rivulets on my face, as I rub my sore knuckles.

"I want a new place to stay, and you are right in the centre of the city! If we can just expand the area downstairs, we will have a good thing going, right ?" Magneto winks.

"Er-uh ... sure. But what's wrong with your current place?"

"Too far, my boy, too far. Right you lot, go down and check out the place." Magneto commands his goons who immediately disappear to harass the folks downstairs.

You wander over. "Ah Magneto, so what else you doing nowadays ?"

He looks at you with twinkling eyes and a dazzling grandfatherly smile. "Oh, the usual. Now then, have you started harnessing your powers properly ?"

You yawn. "Aiyoh, what's there to harness ? I don't really care, man. I am just lepaking now."

And then I wake up.

BY JR