That sick feeling

I had a dream last night about that sick feeling. It was kind of post-apocalyptic, kind of spy thriller. I remember talking to some really strange people in very burned-out hovels, that kind of thing.

Anyway, we were stealing this very important purple flower, important like athelas, say, from my parent's house in Seattle, where someone evil had set up a headquarters. By this time I was in control of the dream for some reason, but instead of getting myself out of the house to safety after picking up the flower, I found myself thinking, ok, what's the worst thing that could possibly happen. The kind of thing that gives you that sick feeling when you're watching a movie, and they think they're safe, but slowly, out of the shadows comes the evil killer.

So I controlled the dream so I got captured by this evil person, and I got that sick feeling, no way out and then the dream wouldn't end. I don't remember exactly what happened next, but I know it kept going.

I think there is a lesson in there about storytelling. The last time I remember a book really doing this to me was Misery. Read it.