Some of my more startling dream experiences have involved beeps, and other old tech noises.
Last night I was having a rough one. Body temp was spiking and melatonin only kept me down for like 2 hours. I was in the danger zone for awhile.
I heard my roomate talking. Our relationship is a bit tense as I've had to kick them out, it's that awkward phase between when I've asked them to leave and them actually leaving. I worry they won't make it out there. But that's a differnt story.
Later I hear a long whine of their door opening. It's very diffent. Its the sound of a door but it's more organic like an animals cry. My eyes must be open because I can see them fumbling with their phone light trying to navigate in the dark. The light grows and shrinks over and over around my door. This seems to go on for awhile, I want to get up an figure out what the hec they are doing. But I can't seem to move.
It sounds now like they are putting their shoes on and and preparing to leave. They never leave the apartment. They have no job, family or friends. And at this hour?
I hear the heavy front door unlock.
BEEEEP! It's like in the old times when folks whould accidently hit a number on their phone during a call. That exact beep I havnt heard it years. It's loud and startles me into being awake. The noise was too loud to really source but I know by now it came from within my own head.
It appears to have just been a dream. Perhaps my roomate just used the bathroom, and my head filled in the rest.
This isn't the first time a beep has ended a dream like this. It's happened many times before with differnt beeps. Usually older sounding tech. I assume these are audio hallucinations. I have also heard loud blood curdling screams, and crying but those may have been junkies outside. They do that here.
Another simular example happened when I was very young likely only 9 or 10. I remember waking up and not being able to move. It was to early to wake up but the sun had risen. I hear a voice from a terrible speaker "hello" next to me in the corner of my room is a McDonald's drive through menu/speaker thing. The person on the other end asking for my order and sounded frustrated by my lack of response.
I'll also point out my phone alarm is just the phone vibrations, and not a beep. I'm usually awake before it goes off anyway. I have do not disturb mode on untill work starts so I don't get notifications at night.