Summary

In “Dream House as Hypochondria,” Machado insists that her girlfriend see a psychiatrist. She agrees, but stops going after a few weeks.

In “Dream House as Dirty Laundry,” Machado's girlfriend asks who she has talked to about the problems in their relationship.

In “Dream House as Five Lights,” Machado recaps an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in which Captain Jean-Luc Picard is held hostage by a villain determined to gain information. Picard is tortured for days and very nearly gives in because his mind is broken, but he is rescued at the last second.

In “Dream House as Cosmic Horror,” the author wonders about the difference between meanness and genuine evil and recalls an old childhood friend's negative reaction when she came out to her.

In “Dream House as Barn in Upstate New York,” Machado recalls writing part of the book...