Stages of Sleep

15 short stories from writer/actor/filmmaker Nicholas Thurkettle explore the changes that come as we pass from the waking world into dreams. We begin in reality, with tales that are sometimes funny, sometimes painful, all set in the world we recognize - where a wounded soldier asks his best friend to assist him in a strange attempt at healing, and a cranky old retiree becomes a most inconvenient messenger of love. Then, we drift into another place, where the seemingly-real is invaded - by the secret thoughts and dreams of a household appliance, and by centaurs that saunter into a bar to rid it of all things khaki. Finally we are cast loose into pure dreams, where an insurance specialist can enjoy wild outer space adventures, and a nameless storyteller is offered a glimpse of an unusual and captivating Hell by none other than the Devil. It's a tour through places not summed up by the word "reality", but nevertheless, all true to our lives.