Dream-quest by UnknownKadath

I was at a party/festival/similar event where we had fireworks that were somehow indoors. The room was huge, like a stadium, so there was enough space. The problem was, people were crowded around and dropped their belongings as they moved and danced so much so that afterwards, the lost and found piles took the whole room. I only wanted my sandals and was looking for them in a large pile of sandals. I couldn't find mine, but I found expensive Nike's that were definitely not mine. It occurred to me then, that no one's stuff had a name on it and Nike's were plain as Nike stuff went, just the logo. I could claim them and leave the area and then no one would be able to tell that I definitely hadn't bought them weeks ago. In other words, I could away with just stealing an upgrade to my sandals.

They didn't fit. Dammit.

So I went elsewhere, I forget if it was to actually find something of mine or possibly just to see what was up for the claiming that I might sneak away with. I found a nice looking pair of sunglasses but got nervous about just taking them because a woman was beside me also looking at them. I didn't want to be caught taking them if they were hers, that would be very obvious. So I held them out and asked if they were hers, since I noticed she was looking at them too. She took them and said, yes they are. But I recall wondering if she was telling the truth or just trying to find something cool to take like I myself was. I didn't argue in case she was honest and started a fight over the sunglasses. I think I got away with a necklace at some point, though.

So I work retail and the dream takes place in a much bigger store, like a large department store. There was a task to be done that was for some reason deep underwater beneath the store, and the store's budget was kind of bad. Instead of hiring a professional, they had an old-timey diving suit riveted together with the huge helmet with the glass panel in the front. There was a very real risk of the suit failing, or just not being able to get back up and air slowly running out while you were trapped. I and another employee were asked if we wanted to risk it. I didn't want to make the other person do it by refusing myself; I think it was an actual coworker of mine who I liked. But I didn't want to die and I have a family besides. I said no and hoped so would my coworker.

Not this store gets even worse. There were rumors of experiments going on in the back. Very unethical, human-hybrid stuff. I'm a curious person so I think it was my habit to run quickly to the back of the store to catch a glimpse of creatures and then sprint back to the front before anything could catch me. I did this in the dream. Note: I remember cursing the fact that I think I used to run faster in my 20's, I'm in my 30's. Also the fastest way to get around was some combination of Dishonored's Blink ability and the 'draggy' way Google Maps moves your person down the street.

I don't even think I was sure I was being chased but I hurried past a group of people hanging out in one department in hopes of causing enough of a scramble that the creature would lose my trail. Closer to the front of the store where the creatures just never wandered, I found a huge creature like a dinosaur that was safe and well known around the store itself. I scrambled up it's huge leg because in hopes the creatures didn't climb if they were still nearby. It was sentient and said something about shaking me off, but it didn't. I woke up.