Running a marathon with Rachel near Hopkins Marine Station. Five more miles to go and I dust her. Moving along by myself now at a good clip. I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying this.

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I'm at the beach with another woman and we're climbing on huge pieces of granite. At one point she walks up to me and puts her open hands on my torso and slowly slides them downward. I wonder what that's going to lead to but instead we end up climbing around more. I get to the top of a large stone peak and realize that behind it on the ocean's side, protruding straight up out of the water is a huge, elongated crab's claw. Maybe forty feet long. I suspect that it is attached to an entire living creature beneath the surface, one whose enormity is terrifying to realize. Zoomorphic Chthulu. Given my position, it could have snatched me at any moment.

Perhaps it was the wind or the breaking of the waves but something caused the claw to waffle a little and that made it seem fake, like it was made out of foam rubber. Now the peak is perpendicular to how it stood before and I'm hanging from it, struggling to get back up. The woman stands above me, encouraging me and trying to help. I don't need her. An enormous physical effort accompanied by the image of a muscular torso in full flex. I never quite make it up but I'm left with a feeling of optimism.

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The sound of church bells through the open window. Sunlight, parrots screeching.