My Dream of a Past Life

By Ladyhawk

This dream may not sound like much. I am sure that there are others out there reading this that have far more colorful dreams than this one. But, for me, it is very unsettling as I relive a past life death over and over.

The dream began when I was, perhaps, five. I would awaken my parents with my screams. As I grew older, I didn't have the dreams as frequently, but they were always the same. The dream is always very vivid and detailed. So much so that if I should ever see that house, I know that I will recognize it. I will know where every room is in this house.

The house and grounds are beautiful. It's one of the old time plantation homes. It's white, two story with four white pillars in the front which support a large second story porch. There is a very long driveway lined with trees on each side. There is Spanish moss draping down gracefully from the trees.

On the left side of the driveway to the great house is a pasture with many fine horses. At the end of the pasture is a huge stable. I love to go there with my father to see the newborn foals and my pony. She's gray, old and very gentle. I was an only child and my father indulged me.

We had many servants and I would play with their children in the back yard. Mother having a fit if we got dirty. We gorged ourselves on cookies and lemonade that the cook would bring out for us. These were happy times.

As you entered the house, on the left of the foyer was the living room and my father's den. On the right was the formal dining room. We didn't use it often. Only for special dinners. We ate in a smaller dining area just off the kitchen. Between the living room and dining room was a great staircase. It was some type of light colored wood as were the floors. The banister was highly polished and felt like smooth satin when I ran my hand over it.

On the second floor were bedrooms, guest rooms, and my mother's sewing room. There was a second staircase that was used mostly by the servants. It ran from upstairs down into the kitchen. My parents reminded me frequently that I was not allowed to use these stairs.

One day, I was upstairs playing in my room. My parents had gone out for the day and had left me in the care of the servants. I remember hearing the rumble of distant thunder which must by why I was inside playing. But, I didn't mind as there were always things to keep me occupied. As I was playing in my room, the aroma of gingerbread was drifting up from the kitchen. Oh, and I wanted some.

Young children are always in a hurry for something they want, and I was no different. The fastest way to the kitchen was down the back staircase. I knew that I wasn't supposed to use those stairs, but as I got closer to the stairs, the stronger the smell of the gingerbread. I was so hungry. It was just too much of a temptation for me.

I started down those narrow stairs, holding onto the railing for support. It was lit, but dimly. I went cautiously down, one small step at a time. Then, it began to brighten as the light from the kitchen was illuminating the stairway. I quickened my pace, my mouth watering. I would be in the kitchen in just a minute.

I was perhaps eight stairs from the bottom. I'm not really sure because I didn't have the time to count. All I know is, I lost my footing, and fell with my little arms stretched out in front of me. I remember pain and being frightened, then blackness. Then, the next memory I have is of being surrounded by a brilliant white light.

Then, I wake up, my body is sweat soaked and shivering. I'm usually up the rest of the night - too afraid to try and go back to sleep. I only have the dream once a year which is enough for me.

I started charting the dreams and found that they always happen at the end of May.

Years later, my friends and I went on a scuba diving vacation in Florida. We had stopped at a park to have lunch. I was looking at everything, then saw some trees that had moss dripping down from them. My friends thought I was starting to have heat stroke. They told me I was pale and shivering. Lucky for me that the feeling didn't last long. I never told them about the dream.