Lights Out!

[Rae22]

I'm in a large room, it's unfamiliar but I'm supposed to be there. There is a lot of furniture, maple and walnut, modern styles, mismatched. I'm sitting at a simple desk loading software into a computer. I'm entering data into a computer on one side of me, on my left. I switch to another monitor and recieve an urgent message to load a disc of some kind into a piece of equipment on my right. It's a white box, top load, a drive of some sort. The disk reminds me of an old floppy, the real old ones, like around six inches square or so and it's in a rigid case. I think to myself "this is terribly outdated for something so important". I put it in the drive and close the lid, the lid won't latch, it pops up. I pull the disk cartridge out again and put it back in and it won't go in right. I try again and it slips in right, the lid closes and I hear a whirring sound and then the lid pops up and the lights in the room flicker. I think "That can't be good..." and pop the disc back in, close it and the lights sputter and flicker again. I opened the lid and I see that the disk has warped, creased and sort of melted. The lights all dimmed slowly and gradually and then went out and this time they stay out. I get up and make my way to the window and pull back a curtain but I can't see well, I notice the outside lights are out too. I think it's strange how dark it looks out there. I went to the door and I was supposed to open several latches but when I went to throw the first bolt the door swung open by itself and I realized the backup security circuit must have failed. I walked out onto a wide deck with a beautiful view in the starlight and moonlight. I walk to the far end where it looks out over "the city" and there are no lights. There is no light coming over the horizon either. I think to myself, "wow... that was a really *serious* software malfunction".
I woke with a start, I kind of expected the room to be totally dark and seeing the neighbors outdoor light glowing slightly in a window across the room, as it always does, kind of startled me.