Leeches

I had a really weird dream last night. I don't have a good grasp of the flow of events, but I remember some things that I saw.

Throughout the entire dream, there were ghosts everywhere. They looked like people draped with black shadows. I don't know how else to describe it, but they appeared to be wearing the shadows as if they were robes. On their faces, they were wearing white masks, which were undecorated, except for big black circles where they eyes should be. Except for the very end of the dream, they were always present. Usually in groups of three or four. They were completely stationary, other than always facing me.

It started where I was in a church. Everything was candle-lit, and the insides of the church were covered in black, purple, and orange velvet. I was sitting on a rafter, hanging from the ceiling, watching the worshipers enter the church and sit down, waiting for the service to begin. The entire congregation was made up of extremely elderly nuns. Most were over a hundred years old, but were still spry and could walk upright, even though their eyes were sunken back and they were all skin and bones. They all spoke a language I didn't understand.

At the back of the church, there were large ceramic bowls on pedestals. These bowls were filled with water, and the water was full of leeches that were well over a foot long each. As the nuns would walk in, they would each pull a leech out, and let it consume their left index finger, up to the first knuckle. These leeches would drink their blood during the service, in order to "harvest the blood of the believers." After the service, they would deposit the gorged leeches back into the bowl. This bowl was then taken out of the church, to be delivered to somebody. I would assume to the leader of the church, but I didn't see it again.

The ghosts that I was describing before were all around the church, watching me. Many were standing over by the bowl of leeches in the back. Many more were sitting with me up in the rafters. Still others were sitting in the pews. The elderly nuns didn't seem to see them, but they were aware of their presence.

During one service, I fell off the rafters, and landed in the center of the church. I was unhurt, and quickly stood up. All of the nuns got out of the pews and approached me, saying things that I didn't understand. I couldn't move, but I remember all of them pointing at me with their leech-fingers. More and more of the ghosts appeared in the room, silently watching. I don't remember anything else after this point. I still have the image in my head of the nuns pointing at me; leeches writhing on their fingers, whipping out at me.

Suddenly, I was in an abandoned movie theater lobby. The church and the nuns were all gone, but the ghosts were still everywhere. I remember running past the ghosts and down a hallway, to try and get out of the building. I don't remember much else.

The next thing that I remember is being in a row-boat, alone. The ghosts are finally gone. It's night, and it's warm and humid outside. If I look up, I can see every star in the sky and a faint yellow glow on the horizon. A little over a quarter mile away is a forested island. Several miles to my right is a coastline filled with houses that also seem abandoned. Underneath the ocean's surface, there are large glowing shapes moving around. They are difficult to explain, but it is like there are several spotlights on the ocean floor, pointing up in my direction. I begin to row to the forested island. All I remember is that I need to be stealthy or else whoever lives on that island is going to know that I am there. I don't remember anything else after this point.

I've always been able to interpret my dreams fairly well. But I'll admit, this one has me stumped.