Stalinists Invade Oceanside Community

I haven't had this sort of dream since the last one I mentioned where the Chinese were sieging some city and the people were giving and taking classes on how to properly surrender . . . .

In this one, the people were also disappointing in their response but in a slightly different way, though just as ineffectual.

It happened near the coast--west coast--where I was visiting some small community with a friend.  The place was perched on a small cliff next to the ocean and rather steep and rugged hills ran up and away from the main community, though there were also enclaves there too, in the canyons.  Horse corrals and livestock were in abundance and this seemed to be an important part of their lifestyle and livelihood.

Anyway, word came that a motley crew of invaders had landed ashore, in soldier garb, just below the main ranch house where I was visiting.  Alarmed, I went to investigate and snuck out to a ledge where I could see the invaders gathering below. A Stalin-like character was leading them and I knew them to be Russians.  They were not an official looking bunch, except for the main character, but seemed  to be a hastily collected bunch made of ruffians and mercenaries.

I was able to watch and listen, hidden from view, as they consolidated their landing and made plans to strike the area.

I quietly left and got an acquaintance from the village folk to come see what I was seeing.  We snuck up again and watched for a time and then this fellow with me, as we were leaving, threw a rock down amongst the Russians.  I was very angry with him, telling him that this was foolish and now our presence would be known and we would no longer be able to use that spying location.

It was evening.  I Returned to the main house area and people were anxiously gathered and milling about, approximately 20-30 men and women.  I was eager to get them organized and began reporting what I had seen--the landed foreign force, its location and numbers--and started to find a few other leaders to whom I could assign tasks and objectives to prepare for the inland invasion of the homestead area.

I received some immediate positive response to my plans but then there was some conflict and it seemed no one was really taking the situation seriously.

"What is going on here?"  I asked one of the men who appeared to be of leadership caliber.  "Why is no one taking this seriously?  Do you not realize they are here, just below and will likely attack tonight or in the morning.  We must get prepared, set up sentries, defensive bulwarks--."

The man sort of nodded, "yeah, yeah" . . . but he was distracted and continued with the others just milling about, taking no action other than  breaking up into little sub-groups and talking nervously.

Exasperated at the lack of response and growing increasingly concerned about the situation I went to another person, the woman who owned this particular ranch and said, "We have got to put a meeting together, a council, quickly.  Let's meet now, the leaders here, to develop a plan of action."

There was some chagrin at this and some mild resentment at me trying to take a leadership role.  Then someone told me that they had already had a sort of meeting . . . and it became clear to me that these people were not going to coalesce into an organized unit, but remain in little cliques, each doing their own thing in response . . . and this, I knew, spelt doom, as the invaders focused and cohesive brigade would easily blow through the farm house community.

So, I decided to go lone wolf.  I looked up the canyon, into the hills and figured I would go there and try to hide, maybe find a cave or some other place to wait out the Russians, assuming they would eventually leave the area, moving inland.

I saw smoke up the trail--a camp fire and as I approached found myself among another small community, gathered in a large tented area, with horse corrals to the side.  My friend had decided to come with me as he also saw the people were not preparing well.

A man appeared when I came to the new hillside group and I asked if he knew what was happening below.  He said yes but added there wasn't much to be done about it.  Again I was disheartened and implored him to start organizing a resistance and he basically shrugged me off saying he and they were busy with a horse show of some kind.  I reiterated to him that I thought this was foolish to be so engaged and again he waved me off saying that it probably wouldn't be that bad and that he and his people there were ready to accept whatever resulted from the invading force.

So, I decided to get away from them and fast . . . to go further up into the hills and find a hideout.  I looked down the canyon and was alarmed to see that the invaders had not waited until nighttime or morning to assault but were making their strike now!  They had already overrun the ranch house community and were filing up the canyon towards us.  I bolted . . . and that was the end of it . . . .

Two major factors especially struck me as I thought about this dream upon waking.  One, was how nonchalant the people were and their insistence on each little group doing its own thing, and none of them too seriously.  The "Stalinists", focused and taking the initiative, easily cut through and subdued them.

And, from the invaders' perspective, it was good strategy to attack at once before any resistance COULD be organized, even if the people had done so . . . .

And too, I suppose the uphill folk being so distracted by their hobbies and personal interests (the horse show) that they were unable to perceive or care about the soon-to-be attack and takeover.

I think . . . a likely scenario . . . extrapolated . . . overall . . . .