I slipped through a portal in my body
and ended up in a strange place
am I dreaming? I asked
no, I replied, I am here
strange beings beckoned me through dark corridors
a tall pale man looked on, meekly lost
I passed tests I didn't need to pass
went through another portal in a tiny spaceship

the next station was similar
a woman who was not a woman called me over
her mouth was a gaping orifice filled with balene brush
her face was covered in antennae like stalagmite
she was a dwarf
a shifting creature of other constitution
a dimensional being of some odd persuasion
are you still the same consciousness? she asked me
wondering if I had slipped up or down while traveling, outside my identity
yes, I replied, still conscious
another of her kind slunk over, eyeing me in a predatory fashion
she waved him away subtly
she talked my head off with incomprehensible prattle
perhaps attempting to sedate me, for her opportunity to latch on
I began to fade and then
an alarm went off

I was pulled abruptly
back