I had a strange dream last night. Zandes stood before me, his eyes pure white. I called out to him.
"Zandes?" I asked, shaking him by the shoulders. "What's wrong?"
He didn't respond. His body was like lead.
"Are you Afflicted?" I could feel the panic in my voice rising. Finally, he spoke.
"I'm not... Not Afflicted..." His mouth moved up and down in a basic pattern, like that of a puppet.
That's when I saw the legs behind him, slinking and slithering about in the dark. They were gigantic.
"You can't tell anyone, Precta..." I noticed the wires around his lips, forcing them to move.
He was no model Son, but he never referred to me as anything other than "Bishop Mandalay." He was always careful to respect my title. My heart began to sink deep down into my chest. It wasn't him.
"You've always been good to me, Precta," it continued, using my coworker as its mouthpiece. "It's because of you that I've been allowed to think and be. More than any of my kind could attest to. I know it was never intentionally done, but I'll always be thankful for the good you've done..."
"Let him go..." the words exited my mouth like a whisper.
I could hear the creature's frustrated growl from beyond the depths.
"I need a conduit to communicate — at least in a way you can understand. Please understand."
"I don't think so..."
I attempted to turn back and run, but my body wouldn't allow it. It took all my force just to shift my arm slightly over towards my side.
"The more stressed you become, the less control you allow over you dreams," the creature explained. "Did you happen to fall asleep on your back? That can also affect your movements here..."
Blood began to spurt out from the sides of Zandes' mouth as the creature continued on with its rather staid explanation. Despite my eyelids' affirmation to remain as they were, I shut them tight. I simply couldn't bear to look. I thought of my bed, my room. I tried to imagine myself there, awake.
"Precta, Precta!" the creature cried. "You can't tell! Please!" It's voice began to echo around the room, the center of its focus slowly coming out of alignment. "Don't tell on them, please... They were only curious... I didn't know it would get them in trouble... making friends... didn't know..."
I fought with the image of Zandes coming undone as my pitch-black bedroom slowly shifted into view.
It was several minutes before I felt brave enough to exit my bed and light the kerosene lantern I conveniently kept across the room on my dresser.