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213917 No. 213917 ID: 1f1c21

First off guys this is a TEXT QUEST so don't expect any pictures, OK? Jesus told me to stop drawing so I did.

Sammy had always been proud of being a lion, just like Jesus Christ had been. Ever since he was a little cub he would talk to Mom and Dad about how great it was, and how it made him feel like he was really connected with his Lord and Savior. They had to tell him that Jesus loves everybody, know matter who the fur they are, and it was kinda a hard lesson for him to learn.

Anyway, that was a long time ago. He'd just turned 17 and decided it was time to go Spread the Good Word and maybe try to win some hardened hearts over to the Lord. he lived in a nice, suburban neighborhood, but there were a few places he could try.

It was 6:00 AM on a bright Saturday morning. Sunlight and birdsong! He'd already had a nutritious breakfast and neither mom or dad were awake yet. He had his bible and his Huffy 10 speed, so he was ready for anything!

Where would be a good place to go?
1) Around the School
2) In the Poor area of Town
3) Over next to the Other Church
4) His own Neighborhood

Or Sammy could Do Something Else
Expand all images
>>
No. 213922 ID: 65f999

number 2, let us spread the word to the less fortunate.
>>
No. 213923 ID: c71597

>>213917
Number 2. Those down on their luck needs to hear the glorious message of the lord.
>>
No. 213926 ID: 0b2a05

2 Why not.
>>
No. 213932 ID: f80af7

Jesus christ is a lion, get in the car.
>>
No. 213937 ID: f80af7

I smell huge ass troll quest.
>>
No. 213938 ID: 1f8665

Go to the moon
>>
No. 213939 ID: f35afd

Sammy decided that the poor people in town could really use to hear an uplifting message. If they'd just believe, life wouldn't be so hard on them! Maybe if they knew that the church would give them food and clothes, they'd be more willing to come to church as well. Should be easy pickings!

Sammy rode his Huffy down to the poorer neighborhood. The buildings were all big apartments, and most of them were plain gray concrete. Further down, there were shanties and shacks were the really poor people lived. He could see a few bundles of rags that may have been sleeping people dozing in some nearby allies.

Sammy was new to the whole proselytizing thing, so he wasn't sure whether or not he should

1) Just walk up to the closest sleeping person
2) Buzz the apartment closest to him
3) Go to the shantytown
>>
No. 213943 ID: 896c31

Find a whore.

Have her repent and suck ya dick.

???

I don't know, beat her ass afterwards.
>>
No. 213951 ID: c71597

>>213939
3, Shantytown. They're the ones that really need to be given hope and hear the good message.
>>
No. 213954 ID: f35afd

Sammy would never do something so unchristian! He doesn't even know what a whore looks like! And putting a p-p-penis in somebody's mouth is against like, all of God's plans! (Besides, we both know that no whores are awake, much less walking around, at 6:30 in the morning. Whores come up when the sun goes down, man.)

Sammy decided to go to the shanty town. Those people probably really needed him most. The area was mostly filthy white clapboard houses, old and cheaply made. Many were abandoned an a lot of them had broken windows. There were some gross old people rocking on some of the porches and staring off into nothing. The overgrown yards and dark allyways seemed to hide silent watchers, and Sammy sort of got the jitters a little, before he remembered that his faith would protect him.

Suddenly, he noticed his classmate, a pangolin girl named Mika, slipping out of one of the shacks down the block. Sammy never knew she was poor! He sat next to her in a few classes, too, which retroactively now grossed him out a little. He wondered what she was up to on such a nice Saturday morning, but wasn't sure if he should approach her or not. She was kinda hunched over a little, like maybe she was being suspicious.
>>
No. 213955 ID: c71597

>>213954
Approach her and spread the good word to her. If she's one of your classmates then you might even be able to get her help. Then you will be able to do more work and further spread the good word in class.
>>
No. 213961 ID: a594b9

>>213955
Yeah that basically.
>>
No. 213968 ID: f35afd

Sammy decides it's best to just go up to her and see what's going on. He got closer to her without her really noticing. She was wearing a baggy, dark blue t-shirt and some jeans. They were pretty ratty, and definitely not name brand. How had he never really noticed before? He knew she never wore makeup, but he thought it was because she wasn't vain - she probably just couldn't afford it.

She was really focused on whatever she was holding. Sammy had to touch her on the shoulder before she even noticed him. She jumped up and let out a terrified squeak.

"Oh! Oh, uh, Sammy! What are you doing here?"

"Well," he answered, sort of uncomfortable, "I was trying to see if anybody needed the Word of God in their lives. Are you a Christain, Mika?"

Mika's shocked expression quickly faded into an inscrutable stare. "uh... really? You came down here to preach?"
>>
No. 213969 ID: b31572

"of course, the poor and downtrodden need the word of the lord most of all. i am actually surprised to see you here though."
>>
No. 213973 ID: f35afd

"of course, the poor and downtrodden need the word of the lord most of all. i am actually surprised to see you here though," Sammy replied, trying to get into the swing of things.

Mika's made a little snout pout. "I live here, Sammy. Look, this isn't really a good neighborhood for you to be in what with the khakis and the short-sleeved dress shirt. A-are those tassels on your bike handle?" She had a look somewhere between disgust and confusion on her face.

"Well, I never really did this before, and just wanted to go where I could help people out." Sammy replied. He felt a little insulted by her demeanor, but he understood that she probably wasn't very Christian.

"You want to help people? I found something cool in the woods. Maybe you can help me. It's not too far away." Mika grabbed his paw with her long, curving talons. Her had was hot and a little sweaty. He could almost feel the germs crawling up his arm.

Mika began to pull him toward the edge of the shacks, towards the woods where a few aerials from the old railway station were still visible above the skinny trees.

He wasn't sure this was an entirely good idea.
>>
No. 213975 ID: 8b3bc1

hmm, but she says this would let you help people. you may be able to REALLY help someone if they are all the way out here.
>>
No. 213977 ID: c71597

>>213973
Follow after her. After all it's your christian duty to help her and trust her. Jesus wouldn't be proud of you if you were to turn your back on her now.
>>
No. 213978 ID: f35afd

Sammy reluctantly agreed to help, extracting his hand from hers. After all, Jesus stayed with lepers and poor people all the time. He was so strong to pretend like he wasn't totally grossed out about it!

The abandoned railway station is somewhere he almost definitely wasn't supposed to go. It was a big, red brick structure that was built around the '60s or so, replacing an ancient depot from the old-west days. Of course, light rail didn't really take off in his area, and it wasn't exactly a hub for freight, so by the mid-'80s it was overgrown and broken down. The woods had always been there - they were a sort of natural noise break for the depot - but no one had really maintained them or anything for a couple of decades now.

Sammy couldn't really think of a lot to say as they walked through the trees. The tall grass and dappled sunlight made it actually pretty peaceful. He could see big white pieces of rock spread throughout the grass, and sometimes he could make out a piece of buried track.

Of course, he could also see some empty beer bottles and less savory trash scattered in the bushes.

Mika was hugging a brown paper bag to her chest protectively. It looked like there were some cans inside. She wasn't saying a lot either - mostly talking to herself. "It's really cool, you'll see" and similar sorts of things.

Sammy wasn't sure how to best use this time. He could try to ask her about where they were going, or try to turn the conversation (as it were) to more spiritual matters.
>>
No. 213979 ID: c71597

>>213978
Turn it towards more spiritual matters. You need to use the time you got before your parents start missing you.
>>
No. 213984 ID: f35afd

Sammy decided he'd try to at least convert someone before he goes places he's probably not supposed to. To be fair, he wasn't too worried about his parents missing him. He was such a good, clean, Christian kid that they trusted him pretty implicitly. Every Saturday he goes to the youth center at the church, or sometimes he hangs out with a couple of his friends. Until it starts to get dark, he should be in the clear.

"So," Sammy asked nervously, "About what I said before, are you a Christian?"

Mika sighed, "Yeah, I guess. Sure."

"What church do you go to?" he asked. He needed to make sure she really was a Christian.

"Well, I don't really go to church or anything," she sighed, stepping over some rail ties as they walked deeper into the woods. Sammy could really see the slums or the station from where they were. He could hear cicadas buzzing in the hot summer afternoon, and the rustling of small animals in the underbrush.

"Sammy, I just do what I think is right and follow my heart. I'm pretty sure God'll understand."

Sammy almost tripped. "I don't think you really understand, Mika. Everybody can't get into Heaven. You have to really show God you love Him, even when it means doing things you might not like or understand. It isn't enough to just do what we think is right - we have to do what God thinks is right. Why don't you come to ch-"

"Sammy!" Mika barked, holding up her free hand, "Can we please just talk about something else?"

Mika seemed pretty uncomfortable, and Sammy could feel himself blushing. Nobody should be uncomfortable talking about Jesus, and it felt kinda insulting just to shut him down like that without even explaining.
>>
No. 213986 ID: a594b9

>>213984
Ask where you're going.
>>
No. 213987 ID: f35afd

Sammy decided he needed to find out exactly what was going on, and really didn't want to make Mika any more uncomfortable, although her dismissal still stung.

He jogged forward through the variegated darkness right as the bulk of the abandoned station loomed into view. The building was wide and flat, with a long, overhanging porch supported by metal columns. A wide, worn concrete staircase lead from the thinning grass and gravel onto a broad waiting area. The glass was opaque with filth, and vines wove across the entire surface of the structure. He could see several places where trees and vines protruded from the roof of the building. Bird's nests and clumps of debris hung from the wires and antennae that covered the still-intact portions of the roof and trailed out across the remains of the tracks.

Even the graffiti was covered with dirt and moss, and Sammy could almost feel the eyes of millions of bugs and vermin peering at him from the gloom.

The door was slightly ajar, and he could see hand prints and scuff marks where it had been opened recently.

"So, what are we doing here?" Sammy asked. He tried to sound nonchalant, but it came out as a whispered whimper instead.

"You'll see," Mika said, her itsy mouth grinning, as she reached for Sammy's hand, "You're really smart. Maybe you can help me out with this whole situation. You've got to promise, though," she said, a look of utter seriousness in her beady black eyes, "you absolutely cannot tell anybody about this, no matter what."
>>
No. 213990 ID: c71597

>>213987
Agree, it's clear that she needs help. And if you show how superior you are at the task through the power of your faith then she should be more willing to listen to you.
>>
No. 213991 ID: 16f4a6

>>213987
She's going to get you killed.
>>
No. 214000 ID: c4c313

>>213991

Pish posh! Continue into the darkness. This looks totally legit.
>>
No. 214029 ID: 1f1c21
File 128053210067.jpg - (289.35KB , 1000x700 , The train station.jpg )
214029

"O-ok," Sammy muttered. He wasn't scared, not really. He just thought it was a little too dangerous for kids to be fooling around in was all. Courage is a virtue, though, so Sammy took her hand and she led him into the darkness of the ruins.
>>
No. 214032 ID: 701a19

>>214029
You may need to purify her.

With your body.
>>
No. 214035 ID: a594b9

Think impure thoughts! Impure thou- oh wait I mean pure thoughts. PURE thoughts!
>>
No. 214043 ID: 1f1c21

Jesus said it was Ok to draw a picture once in a while, as long as it's Christian

They walked into the dim interior of the abandoned station. There were holes in the roof where light poured in, but the dust and mold drifted visibly thought rays of sunlight. Most of the interior was bare concrete with a few metal benches and upturned chairs. Mika crept through quietly, the contents of her bag clanking softly as she walked. "You'll never believe this," she whispered, opening one of the interior metal security doors.

Sammy felt the dust and filth swirling all around him, but he thought about how he had to be courageous and kept up with Mika. There were no holes in the ceiling, so the only light was a flat, bright rectangle slipping through the door behind them. the room was utterly bare, and a gaping archway cut a black hole, like an open mouth, in the wall to Sammy's left.

Mika went in fearlessly. She took a can from her bag - it looked like a pet food can - and rolled it toward the back right corner of the room. The label began to blister and peel after it traversed roughly half the room, and it picked up speed. It bounced, twice, and then hung suspended in the air. Rust blossomed across the surface in dirty rosettes before the contents (yeah, it was pet food) splattered onto the floor. The rusty can crumpled in on itself, leaving a little pile of oxidized metal on the floor.

"Isn't it the coolest?" Mika whispered, eyes wide with awe.
>>
No. 214044 ID: 8c0848

Holy shit it's a demon, banish it in Jesus' name. Don't stop rebuking it, even if it rends your flesh and tears at your soul. God will protect you. SMITE THE EVIL.
>>
No. 214045 ID: a594b9

>>214043
It's a DEMON! Banish it with the power of THE LORD!

Actually you should probably not try to do anything that involves getting close to that area. Get a different kind of object and toss it in, like a rock or stick.
>>
No. 214049 ID: e31d52

oookay, stay calm.

Make a prayer asking the Lord if this is His doing. Maybe he likes leaving little things like this?

Or maybe its a demon, in which case, you need to... well, do something about it.
>>
No. 214055 ID: 8fa4ab

it is good you came, in her curiosity she may have tried to traverse the area and be destroyed by it. the fact that it has not destroyed more is most likely the result of not having eaten a soul.
>>
No. 214056 ID: 8bdb6a

Immediately begin panicking. Do not stop.
>>
No. 214061 ID: 4f694b

You don't seem to be in immediate danger. Ask a lot of questions. When/how did she find this? What's the first thing she saw it eat?
>>
No. 214105 ID: c4c313

This is a sign from God! Doesn't the bible say something about purging the evil from something? It must be an angel purging the can of its evil wrapping and releasing the holy cat food inside. Delicious cat food. Salmon as a primary ingredient. Hardly any corn meal at all.
>>
No. 214106 ID: 0b2a05

Ask if she knows what's causing it, it might be mundane.
>>
No. 214113 ID: d8c4bf

Sammy staggered back, shocked. It's a demon! Some kind of demon! He grabs his bible in shaking hands. How do you get rid of demons? He remembers Jesus driving the demon Legion into the swine, but he isn't Jesus. He feels his back touch the cold concrete wall, disturbing a cloud of dust and covering his shirt in filth.

"W-what is that, Mika?! H-how did you find it?"

"Oh man, you're really freaking out, aren't you Sammy? It's really cool. I've been coming here and fooling around with it for weeks. Basically, if it can corrode or rust or something, it rusts it up, but it doesn't really do anything to rocks or living things or cloth or whatever. I haven't been brave enough to walk in it yet, but if you have something metal on you, you can feel it pulling toward the corner when you walk past." Mika is grinning excitedly as she explains about the demon. Sammy doesn't think he's ever seen her smile before. He also can't manage to summon anything except for abject terror when he thinks about the demon in the corner.

Mika's smile slowly flattens, "Sammy, are you ok? You look kinda pale." Her voice sounds far away. "There's really nothing worth freaking out about. Look, this isn't even what I need help with. I want to show you the guy, but I don't want you to freak out or anything. Just... when you're ready, tell me. It's right on through that archway." She points to the gaping hollow... the archway inside the room with that thing. "Don't worry, dude, I have a flashlight."
>>
No. 214132 ID: 16f4a6

>>214113
Oh yeah, this might be a good time to mention that WE are Legion.

Yep, you got demons in you, boy.
>>
No. 214150 ID: e31d52

>>214132
No, no. We're good legion.

Jesus redeemed us! Now we do his work, see? Such as guiding you.

>The dude

Tell her to tell you more about it before you go in. Be calm. Tell her you want to know what to expect.
>>
No. 214151 ID: 1334ef

in for an inch, in for a mile. if you do not confront it then you will know you have failed forever.
>>
No. 214152 ID: 4c7b39

We are not legion!

...

Well, okay. We ARE legion, but we're the good kind of legion. The kind that is a bit perverted but has people's well being at heart, not demons or anything.

At any rate, you're a lion! Act like it! Was Jesus afraid when he saw demons? Heck no! Go forth and spread the word to everyone, even if they're scary!
>>
No. 214156 ID: 34470e
File 128056226281.png - (262.94KB , 400x400 , Legion_Character_Shot.png )
214156

>>214132
>>214150
>>214152
All of you are wrong. THIS is Legion.
>>
No. 214176 ID: c71597

>>214113
Man that's some crazy shit, it's probably some sort of heathen science demon. You had better go in there and drive it out!
>>
No. 214215 ID: d8c4bf

Sammy had to control his fear. Maybe the fear was inside of him, whispering voices like Legion. No, no, Sammy knew he was pure. He would have to control himself and stop acting like a coward.

Sammy tried to calm himself. "I'm Ok, Mika, but I don't really want to be surprised again. Can you at least tell me what I'm going to see?"

Mika looked at him with concern. Sammy wasn't sure he was doing so well, as hard as he was trying to calm down. Jesus would be disappointed if he knew how cowardly Sammy was acting.

"Well," Mika began, "I don't really hang out with anybody from school, so I've always messed around out here. I'd always been kinda scared of the train station, but that just makes it more fun, you know?" She looked at Sammy, but he didn't really understand. Why would anybody want to be scared? "Anyway," she sighed, "one day I thought somebody was living here. He's in the other room, and I think he's really hurt. He doesn't talk. We don't really have any money at home," here, she avoided Sammy's eyes, "So I've been stealing some canned food or whatever I can find. I- I know it's not right or whatever, but people just feed it to strays anyway, and he probably needs it more. I don't want to call the cops or anything, I think he's in trouble. Besides, you promised you wouldn't say anything." She looked up at him again with such openness and real fear that it made Sammy's heart hurt.

Her flashlight clicked on, it's bright, white beam creating deeper shadows and revealing a multitude of cobwebs. Sammy could see a swathe on the floor where there was no dust, starting near the flat, blank wall furthest from the archway, and leading through the gloomy aperture.
>>
No. 214249 ID: 05c9fd

Why, you must follow her! As a Christian, you cannot consciously allow your fellow man to suffer so, in a place like this!
>>
No. 214250 ID: c4c313

Just remember that God is all powerful. With God on your side the only thing that can hurt you is God. And you will always totally deserve it, because it's all your fault, you fucking sinner. So go in the fucking archway already. FACE YOUR FATE
>>
No. 214254 ID: a594b9

Ask yourself: WWJD? Why he'd go right in there and find out what's wrong with the poor guy.
>>
No. 214290 ID: c71597

>>214215
There is a person in need there. How could you refuse them aid while remaining a good christian?
>>
No. 214328 ID: 4f694b

Remember the tale of the good Samaritan. Help others, no matter who they be.
>>
No. 214367 ID: d8c4bf
File 128062985337.jpg - (103.53KB , 1000x740 , the guy.jpg )
214367

Sammy really needed to man up. He thought about what Jesus would do. Somebody may need his help.
"Okay, let's go," he whispered.

Mika smiled and took his hand, leading him deeper into the darkness. The other room was much larger and the flashlight's feeble beam seemed pitifully small.

In the corner, there was what appeared at first to be a huge pile of filthy cloth.

"Here he is," Mika whispered. Sammy walked forward, but Mika stopped him. "I... don't think you should get too close. I think he's hurt or something. I usually just feed him from here.

Mika took the cans out of her paper bag and rolled them across the floor into the mass of filthy blankets. The mass moved, a bandaged appendage pulling the items into the concealing darkness. The screech of metal and wet slurping issued from the figure. Sammy couldn't tell what kind of fur it was, but it was big.

"He's never said anything," whispered Mika, "but I've heard him whimper before. I've never seen him move. The big streak on the floor starts at the blank wall in the other room and ends here."
>>
No. 214371 ID: c4c313

Do what any good clean, Christian kid would do in this situation. Scream and run blindly right into the wall where the cans were rusting.
>>
No. 214373 ID: 13fc22

approach the pile slowly. it had bandages meaning it was at least smart enough to put them on. and hold out your bible. to it, maybe something to read would help and you can't get better then the bible.
>>
No. 214374 ID: a594b9

>>214367
Control your fear. Ask who they are, and if they're hurt. Tell them you want to help them.
>>
No. 214375 ID: c4c313

Yes, clearly it wants to eat your I mean meet your bible.
>>
No. 214427 ID: 476456

Well Jesus of all people was one to show mercy to demons, and this thing looks pitiable at best.
>>
No. 214447 ID: 3a289a

>>214367
Well, no need to be rude even if he is being less than polite at the moment. He probably just doesn't know any better. Introduce yourself.
>>
No. 214460 ID: c71597

>>214367
Introduce yourself and ask him if he's ready to accept Jesus Christ as his saviour.
>>
No. 214501 ID: d8c4bf

Sammy began to approach the dark corner clutching his bible. Mika waves at him to stop, but he waved her off and introduced himself instead. The guy didn't respond, but he could see it shifting under the blankets. He can smell it - dirty laundry , mold, and something spicy and unidentifiable.

Sammy held out the bible toward the guy, "H-have you accepted Jesus Christ as yo-"

Quick, too fast for Sammy to clearly follow, the bible seemed to disappear into the mass of coverings.

"Dude!" Mika urgently whispered waving for Sammy to come back to her, "Leave him alone!"
>>
No. 214509 ID: 13fc22

i suppose, he took the bible. if you don't hear any ripping sounds then he didn't break it so he may read it.
>>
No. 214510 ID: a594b9

Wait and say nothing.
>>
No. 214572 ID: d8c4bf

Sammy stood there and waited. He could hear birds chirping from somewhere behind him. The guy shifted position in small movements, but made no further sounds except for a quiet, labored breathing.

Mika grabbed his shoulder gently, pulling him toward the exit. "Come on, Sammy. He's tired."

Her voice was pleading, her claws tugged weakly at his shoulder. He could hear her breathing as well, as smell the slightly sour smell he'd never noticed before that he now associated with destitution.
>>
No. 214575 ID: c71597

>>214572
Thank him for his time and tell him that you will return tomorrow so the two of you can talk about the contents of the Book.

Then follow Mika out of there and invite her in for the evening, poor thing probably hasn't had a decent meal in a while and you could offer her to use your showers.

Then get on with your work.
>>
No. 214794 ID: f35afd

Sammy thanked the guy for his time, but the guy's only response was subtle rustling and labored breathing. Sammy thought he could almost place that strange, spicy scent, but it eluded him.

Mika led him back out though the anomaly room and into the waiting room for the train station. The roof of this room had long since collapsed. grass grew in the layer of dirt that covered the floor, the counter and benches were totally covered in vines and fine, downy moss. The long covered walkways that led out to the platforms let in more light - he could see the tracks and fallen cables disappear into the grass.

"So, what do you think?" Mika asked. "I'm not too sure what to do, and I wish I could get him some real food."

Sammy was feeling much more calm. This place was still filthy, but it was somehow peaceful. "He isn't the only one that looks like he could use a good meal, Mika. Why don't you come home with me for dinner?"

Mika immediately turned away. "I-I don't think so, Sammy. Thanks. I don't think I'd be very comfortable."
>>
No. 214795 ID: c71597

>>214794
Ask her if it would be ok then if you just bought her some food in a dinnér. Should still be early and she might not have had breakfast yet, so you could offer her that.

You could also ask her if she wants to tag along for the rest of your missionary work.
>>
No. 214796 ID: f35afd

"Well, at least let me get you some lunch," offered Sammy, "We can go to a cafe or something."

"Ok, cool," Mika said, "Maybe we can go to the Wal-Mart or something after? Like, get something that might be better for the guy to eat than pet food? I-if you don't mind. I'm not, like, asking you for money or anything."

They couldn't both ride on Sammy's bike, so he'd have to walk if they wanted to get anywhere. That meant they'd have to either eat somewhere close, or take the subway. Sammy had plenty of ready cash, so either option worked for him. He looked at his watch and noticed that it was close to noon - it was a lot later than he thought.
>>
No. 214797 ID: c71597

>>214796
Find a decently nice place that's close by. If you drag her along to a fancier place she might not want to go along.

And you should probably buy something nice for that guy in the trainstation. After all, Jesus wants you to share your material wealth with those less lucky, and rich men have alot harder getting into heaven.
>>
No. 214804 ID: a594b9

>>214796
Somewhere close.

Think about the smell some more. Did it smell like a lizard?
>>
No. 214807 ID: f35afd

Sammy took her to a greasy spoon close by. He looked for somewhere nice, but there wasn't really anywhere this close to the shanties. Everything was tarnished and a little peeling. It was far from what Sammy would consider hygenic. The food was greasy and mildly disturbing, but Mika seemed to enjoy it.

Sammy thought about the smell from the guy. It was almost like incense. It sort of reminded him of a lizard a little, but more like incense. It reminded him of something, but he couldn't really put his finger on it.

"Hey, if you aren't going to eat yours, can I get it to go so I can bring it to the guy?" Mika asked. Sammy noticed that she'd only eaten about half of her own food as well.

"And, like, I'm not really sure what to do. I think if we told anybody, they'd freak out and call the cops or something. I know the guy is hurt and scared, but I really don't think the cops or anybody would make it better. I want to make him comfortable so he can get better on his own. You know? Then, maybe he can tell us what he wants to do. You aren't going to tell anybody, right Sammy? You promised," she looked at him with that open vulnerableness in her tiny black eyes again, "but I need help too. What do you think we should do?"

It was getting close to two in the afternoon, and Sammy felt that he should probably get home around four or five in the evening.
>>
No. 214814 ID: c71597

>>214807
Tell her you won't tell anyone (aside from Jesus, but he already knows.).

Go buy some decent cans of food for the poor thing and then you should probably get back to your parents.
>>
No. 214827 ID: a594b9

>>214807
Does the smell remind you of something at church? Or perhaps if it reminds you of something that is traditionally burned, then... it's a dragon?
>>
No. 214833 ID: f35afd

Sammy went to a nearby store and got some actual canned food with Mika. She had both their leftovers from the diner too, so Sammy thought the guy would be OK for a while.

He decided to just go home after. He and Mika stood outside the store in the late afternoon. It was warm and bright, with long shadows stretching across the empty street outside the run down market.

"Hey, look," Mika said, not making eye contact, "Thanks a lot for helping me out. You aren't as bad as I thought you were." She waved once with her free hand, and then made her way back down into the ghetto.

Sammy turned and started riding for home. He couldn't stop thinking about the spicy smell for some reason. Sammy didn't go to the kind of church where they use incense. His family has always taught him that those people are the wrong kinds of Christians. He'd heard about dragons before, but wasn't really sure they were real. There were all kinds of stories about them talking about them in all kinds of ways. Some people said they were demons, but other people said they were good, and wise.

Sammy saw the clipped grass and manicured trees of his subdivision coming up. He would probably be getting home a little early for dinner, and wondered if there was anything he should do before he went inside.
>>
No. 214848 ID: 07dcd8

>>214833
Well, today was a washout. You were infested by Legion, met a Demon, and went somewhere poor. and no fucking whores. On the upside, that poor girl seems to have a thing for you. Maybe you can convert her with Lawful Good dickings! Go door to door knocking and asking people to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and spy on them and see if you can get some MILF to blow you, as no fucking whores. While you go door-to-door you should check up on your friends too! and see if any of them wanna fuck. Then dinner, spying on your fucking hot sister/brother/mother/father/dog and maybe hanging out with some friends, or family game night. Bowckikawowwo
>>
No. 214871 ID: c71597

>>214833
Come up with a cover story in case your parents get suspicious. Something about helping a friend from class. Which is true, you just don't have to specify what you helped them with or where you were.
>>
No. 214935 ID: 7d53c3

Sammy realized his parents were going to ask him what he did today, and he had no desire to lie. He'd just tell them he helped a friend from class.

He thought about all the things that had happened today. The weird rusting spot, the guy, his own terror and reactions to the events he'd seen... He hadn't really gotten a lot of conversion done. Maybe Mika, but she'd take some time. He'd have to learn to hang around her without being grossed out. He thought about knocking on the doors in his own neighborhood, but decided against it now that he realized he would have to say something to his parents.

He put his bike away and walked through the back door into the kitchen. It was just starting to get dusk. The kitchen was filled with scents of delicious food. Food and cleaners, and everything was spotless, like always. His mom was standing at the stove in her clean, starched apron and asked Sammy what he'd done today when she heard him come in.

"I, uh, helped one of my classmates. With some stuff." Maybe he should have thought about this with a little more specificity. His mom turned and saw him, screaming in horror and dropping her ladle. A glistening arc of gravy splashed across the gleaming tile.

"Sammy Caleb Winters, how on Earth did you get so filthy? What on Earth were you doing today?"

"I- I was helping a classmate!"

"Helping a classmate do what? You go clean up right now and tell me exactly what you've been doing today!"

Sammy ran up the stairs into the bathroom, and got a good look at himself in the mirror. He was almost crying. His mother had never yelled at him like that before, but he had to admit, he was a mess. His shirt and pants were both covered in dust and filth. Grime was caked in his mane and smeared on his face. The pads on his paws were almost black. He shook and sobbed and he hurriedly made himself presentable. Trying to think of what he should say to his mom.
>>
No. 214938 ID: 476456

Your friend lost some stuff in the woods.
>>
No. 214940 ID: d560d6

>>214938
What would Jesus say if he knew you were lying?

AND HE WOULD.
>>
No. 214946 ID: 6834bc

>>214935
You and your friend were giving food to a homeless man who seemed very down on his luck, and you gave him a Bible so he could read about Jesus.
>>
No. 214949 ID: 07dcd8

Yeah, tell mom the truth. That you were helping the poor like Jesus Christ would.

Seriously kid, you're ridiculous. Do you have a older brother or something? I mean, at least most people react to us in someway. Seriously, you're like some kid who got named a number and decided to go 'oh fuckit'. Huh. You got a sister, kid? They're usually more fun. Remind me to tell you about Muddy some day.
>>
No. 214953 ID: c00244

>>214935
Sammy, stop crying and panicking and think this through calmly. At every step of the way, you tried to do what you believed was right. That is nothing to be ashamed of, so you should not be crying. You're a man of faith, right? One of faith's greatest strengths is that it gives the ability to stick to your guns in spite of adversity. You should have a spine of solid steel, or perhaps sort of advanced tungsten alloy. How can you call yourself a true Christian if you're not willing to proudly stand by your own attempts to do right and defend them to others?

Anyway, on to justifications. The important thing here is to avoid lying, both because it's disrespectful and because once your parents start thinking that you'll lie to them they will begin to question your actions more often and more skeptically. Rely upon the fact that she knows you are a sensible, moral young man and would not knowingly do anything wrong.

Tell the truth- that you ran into a classmate unexpectedly, that they asked you to help them to decide what to do about something they wouldn't feel comfortable bringing to most people but that they were willing to trust you with, and that they asked you not to talk about it. Yes, it involved wandering in the woods and a couple abandoned buildings, which was kind of nasty but you felt a responsibility to support your friend. Avoid mentioning details, but make sure that she knows you're avoiding specifics not because you want to hide something from your parents, but because you promised your friend not to share and do not wish to break confidence. Reassure her that you did not do anything you think she would disapprove of, aside from getting dirty. It might also be good to apologize for tracking filth in.

Hopefully that will go over well. Just remember, be confident in yourself and your decisions, keep your promises, and act with integrity.
>>
No. 214980 ID: c4c313

>>214935

Mothers also yell when they're scared, Sammy. She wasn't yelling at you, but at her fear of what you did, or might have done to get so dirty. Tell her your honest feelings, that you were doing the Lord's work in the poor area of town, and you hadn't thought about how it was dirty there. You're sorry for worrying her.
>>
No. 214995 ID: 620bfb

As long as you tell only the convenient parts of the truth, you're not lying. Just say that you were assisting the poor and trying to help them accept Christianity.
>>
No. 215073 ID: c71597

>>214935
No problem really. You just tell her that it was a classmate who isn't as well off as you are, and you feelt it was your christian duty to help her out.

So you went over to her place and helped her with schoolwork and then decided to go buy lunch with her since she doesn't seem to get as much food as she needs. You can mention Mika's name as well. It's all pretty close to the truth anyway. And I'm sure Jesus will forgive you for these minor lies, he's rather big on the forgivness after all.
>>
No. 215197 ID: f35afd

Sammy looked at himself again after he'd washed his face and hands and changed into clean clothes. He had to control himself, and he had only done the right thing today. Nothing he'd done had been wrong or immoral, and his mom was just scared or worried about him. He'd tell the truth and still keep his promise- anything else would be compromising his principles. He wasn't proud of the way he'd acted in the train station, but he could start putting some steel in his spine right now.

He walked back down stairs. To his left, in the living room, he could hear his dad talking with his older sister Becca, but couldn't hear what they were talking about. It looked like there would be no convenient distractions while he explained himself.

His mom was perfectly composed when he entered the kitchen again, and the gravy had disappeared from the once-more perfect tile.

Mom didn't exactly look angry, but the look she gave him was glacier-cold and dangerous. "Help me set the table," she said, calmly, believing the immanent danger Sammy felt he was in, "and explain to me exactly how you came to be in that condition when you walked into this house."

Sammy grabbed the mashed potatoes and moved them to the dining table. He thought about God and his promise to Mika, and spoke. "I was helping a classmate who is really poor. I helped her and a homeless person get food, and gave a bible to the homeless person. We were off in the woods some, and I didn't realize how dirty I got walking to where the homeless people live." He saw his mother's face transition slowly from apparent composure to stern disapproval.

"And where exactly were you? And what is your classmate's name?"

Sammy felt burning humiliation rise through him. He reminded himself that he hadn't done anything wrong. "Mika Parker, and we were over near Dickory street," he said. The plates were mostly set at this point, and his mom reached down and grabbed his shoulders painfully hard. Her face was fixed and stiff. She spoke low and quietly through clenched teeth. "You listen to me, Samuel. I do not want you associating with Ms. Parker in the future, and I especially do not want you to find yourself anywhere near that part of town ever again." She shook him twice, hard, "do I make myself perfectly clear? You have no idea how dangerous those people are and you are lucky you made it back into a civilized neighborhood. I thought you knew better than this young man." She shook him again, then hugged him painfully tight, burying her face in his shoulder. He stood, stunned, and said nothing. In a blink, she was standing again cheerful and composed, and called to Dad and Becca for dinner. Sammy thought he noticed two damp blotched on the shoulder of his shirt.

Dad was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, the handles of Becca's wheelchair swallowed by his massive paws. "Oh, don't be so hard on him, Molly," he said, his deep voice dissipating the residual tension that hung over the table, "He was out being a good Christian like we taught him to." He wheeled Becca up to the table and then took his seat at the head of the table with a sigh and a groan. "But look, Sammy," he continued, "you have to be a smart little missionary and not get yourself in trouble. If you want to help people out you need to talk to Reverend Paula tomorrow and not scare your mom, OK?"

Sammy sat down opposite Dad and swallowed. It looked like he'd dodged the bullet. Dad popped his suspenders against his undershirt and slapped his substantial gut. "Okay, Molly, let eat."

Sammy could barely think about his food and just sort of pushed it around on his plate. He knew that Mika would want him to help out again, and he knew that she'd probably want to talk to him at least. Besides, what was so bad about her, anyway? He noticed Becca glancing over at him as he ate. She almost looked normal, tall and thin, in the long, pleated yellow dress she was wearing. He couldn't tell if there was pity or curiosity in her glances.

After church, Sammy would have most of the day to himself, although he felt like his mom would ask him for details if he wanted to go out, and tried to think of what he should do.
>>
No. 215206 ID: f4963f

>>215197
Hmm. This is difficult. Let's talk to Referend Paula (... wait, is that a girl's name? A woman leading a church? Is that Christian?) and ask her about how to help the poor.

We really, really want to save Mika, don't we, Sammy?

Just started reading to day. Oh my god, you're brilliant. I love you to pieces, OP.
>>
No. 215207 ID: c71597

>>215197
Talk to Reverend Paula tomorrow. And don't worry about your mom, she's just worried, and she doesn't really understand that you can take care of yourself. Mothers never really understand that.

As for today I guess maybe hang out with your sister. Siblings usually understand you a bit better than parents do.
>>
No. 215209 ID: c4c313

Sammy, your mom is insane. I know it may hurt you to hear that, but you should talk to the pastor about it, right away. It's not normal for someone to be so clean. She may be under the influence of demons, tempting her away from God with a perfect kitchen. Her fear is getting in the way of her faith, and she may be doubting the power of Jesus Christ to protect you. Some people, whose eyes are clouded by their own inner demons, begin to see danger around every corner and can no longer tell what is safe and what is not. That doubt can keep you from helping Mika, which can keep Mika from getting into Heaven, and I'm sure you don't want that. You need to ask yourself what's really true, and in accepting that truth you can do what's best for Mika, your mother, and yourself.
>>
No. 215220 ID: 030624

Yeah like accepting that there a bunch of voices in your head
>>
No. 215231 ID: f35afd

Sammy decided to hang out with his sister some before he went to sleep. He told Mom and Dad that he would clean up the kitchen and get her ready for bed. He'd go talk to Reverend Paula after church. Sammy thought about how upset his mom got. Things couldn't be too clean, though, right? Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Sammy liked things clean too.

Sammy cleaned the table after everyone had finished and put the dishes on to wash. Mom was upstairs getting ready for bed. Sammy wheeled Becca through the quiet darkness of the den, scattered with big, heavy armchairs and lined with bookcases. The walls were paneled wood, and the thick mahogany carpet swallowed up his footsteps. Dad was relaxing in his favorite chair with a heavy book on his lap. Sammy watched his eyes slowly close in the reflection on the small TV tucked away in the corner of the room.

He wheeled Becca down the hall and into the big downstairs bathroom. He parked her chair next to the sinks and started to fill the giant tub. "So," Becca said, looking at his reflection in the vanity mirror that ran the length of the wall, "What did you really do today? It's cool, you can tell me. Big sisters and little brothers have to stick together."

"Oh, uh. You heard what I told Mom, right? Don't you think she freaked out a little?" Sammy said, not sure how much he should tell her.

"Yeah, well, you were hanging out in the ghetto and all. Are the homeless dudes that live in the woods extra needy or something? That sounds really freaky, Sam." Sammy looked at her and caught her reflection smiling. It wasn't something she did a whole lot.
>>
No. 215236 ID: c71597

>>215231
Tell her that they wouldn't be homeless out in the forest if they weren't extra needy. But you focused a bit more on helping your classmate, you didn't know she had it that bad, and you really wanted to help her.

After all it's your christian duty to help those less fortunate. And Jesus did hang around with whores and lepers and beggers an awful lot. He can't have been that clean himself all the time.
>>
No. 215238 ID: f4963f

>>215231
Tell her that you're working on converting this poor classmate of yours, and doing good works on the side.
>>
No. 215253 ID: f35afd

Sammy told her that it was more about his classmate, and it was kinda scary but it was also like an adventure. He decided not to confide in his sister, though. She seemed more interest in talking about Mika, anyway, and he talked about how she looks like she really needs somebody. Becca thought it was great that he was there for Mika. He'd always found it really easy to talk with Becca, even though she was four years older than him, and she'd always taken care of him. Well, she always used to, before she got worse.

Sammy left to let her get undressed (If it's a dress, she can take it off on her own)after he set up the chair and the other things she needed. Talking to her for a while made Sammy feel better, even though he didn't tell her what really happened.

He went upstairs and told Mom that Becca 's taking a bath when he walked by her room at the head of the stairway. His room was all in greens and golds. He had thick carpet and a bookcase and desk, but no computer or TV or anything like that. He said his prayers and then slipped off to sleep.

****

He stood on cool marble tiles. It was dim inside the building, but the bright light coming through the open, rectangular doorway seemed like a scorching summer blaze. Water dripped into the huge pool in the center of the room, surrounded by ornately carved columns.

Naked women crouched around the edge of the pool, each one wearing a gold collar that connected to a little ring set in the ground. They were all the same kind of vaguely canine Fur, long muzzles, wide, triangular ears and short, stiff tails. Their hides were various splotched and patterned reds, blacks and brows. A few in robes walked around the edge of the pool, grooming and watching the poolside sitters.

An impossibly tall, impossibly thin fur in an ornate, translucent gown came up to Sammy. He could not understand what she was saying. The dress was horribly indecent and did nothing to hide her shimmering golden pelt or long, white mane. She resembled the others around the pool, and held a gold stick or cane in her hand. She gestured to the women sitting meekly around the pool, and then back to Sammy, turning her head curiously and speaking slowly in her strange, garbled language.
>>
No. 215259 ID: e31d52

No. Shake your head no. Make clear your desire not for them.

Tempters come in many forms, Sam, and primary among them are demons who come to you in dreams. Deny them. Let God be your sheild against thier corrupting ways.
>>
No. 215266 ID: a594b9

>>215253
Hm. Why on earth are you in this establishment? This is obviously a whorehouse, Sammy.

Try to speak with the Matron. Try to figure out what she is saying. You are not here to partake of the flesh. This is nothing but a house of sin. Perhaps, you are here to free them?

Look at yourself. Are you an officer of the law? Of course you are. Take your sword and cut their chains. Let your righteous steel slice through the prideful gold.
>>
No. 215268 ID: c00244

>>215253
Try to explain that you can't understand. It certainly seems like they're trying to get you to indulge in some sort of depravity here, but you can't be certain; she could just be asking what you're doing in the woman's baths and if you're looking for someone in particular.

Yeah, I don't really buy that either. Important thing is to stick to your morals without being rude.
>>
No. 215271 ID: f35afd

Sammy looked down at himself. He was wearing his pajamas, standing in the corner of the room. He could see another archway to his right, and one at the far end of the pool. They were peaked and had a thin wisp of fabric instead of a door. Something was wrong here. He would never go into a place like this. He tried to explain that he couldn't understand, but she gestured more insistently and seemed to become agitated. He heard the click of claws on marble and saw another fur enter the establishment from the street. He was gold, like her, and wore a light, embroidered gown with strange blue patterns winding across its surface. His eyes were darkly lined with makeup. He held a chain loosely in one paw, the other end attached to an almost naked fur like the ones around the pool. Her paws were crossed over her lap and her chest was bare. She walked with small, quick steps behind and to the left of the male, and kept her eyes downcast.

The male places his long, delicate claws on the matron's shoulders, and she seemed to calm. He spoke soothingly to her, and lead her toward the pool. He dropped the end of the chain into Sammy's hand, along with a strange, octagonal metal coin.
>>
No. 215273 ID: e3f578

Might be the patron saint of lust, that guy. uh uh lets try lucid dreaming and make like a floating ice cream sunday
>>
No. 215274 ID: c71597

>>215271
Examine the coin. Then you should go in and look at the pool. After all, this might be a vision of what heaven is like.
>>
No. 215278 ID: a594b9

>>215271
Uhh. Great, the guy gave you his girl to hold onto while he's busy. Better not betray his trust.

Peek through the doorway next to you. Take a look outside and figure out where you are.
>>
No. 215281 ID: 698a22

Read coin, hug nothing.
>>
No. 215285 ID: c4c313

These dreams are nothing to worry about. You didn't find any whores in the poor area so you're obviously just preoccupied with it, and this is where you dream they might have gone. All canine though, do you ...like dogs Sammy? Or a dog maybe, who you might know?

Regardless of your answer there is one thing you can do in this situation. You're a kid. There's a pool. Go swimming!
>>
No. 215299 ID: eededc

Can you speak to the woman who's chain you're holding? Maybe she can give you the answers you seek!
>>
No. 215312 ID: f87000
File 128088180952.jpg - (127.85KB , 712x508 , Dream1.jpg )
215312

Sammy thought that he must be dreaming. He tried to change the dream- make some ice cream appear, but nothing happened. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He could smell wet stone and cinnamon, hear the water dripping into the pool and quiet whispers of conversation, feel the heat radiating from outside and the cool marble under his feet, the heavy gold handle and chain, the rough edges of the coin.

He opened his eyes and saw the woman kneeling, eyes averted. He spoke to her, but she didn't move. He could see the tall man speaking with the matron, the glimmer of coins falling from his hand to hers. He pointed to three of the kneeling females and they stepped into the pool. The attendants began to wash them, and small skirts like the woman kneeling in front of Sammy wore were brought out. While they were being prepared, Sammy peeked into the open archway on the wall to his left. When he moved, the woman whose chain he was holding obediently stood and followed.

The chamber was identical to the one he was in, only the kneeling slaves were male- some slender, others muscular. He moved toward the street entrance and peeked outside. The sun was glaring and oppressively hot. White marble streets lined with grass wended between open squares and large, columned marble edifices. More of the tall, slim creatures filled the streets pulling carts, or carrying clay pots or and sedan chairs. Everyone moved with calm purpose, with some couples idly chatting under wide, colorful cloth awnings.

He could hear the tall man conversing quietly with someone behind him.
>>
No. 215315 ID: d560d6

>>215312
Kneel down as well. Obviously they're praying.
>>
No. 215316 ID: a594b9

>>215312
Well. This should definitely be a dream, but it isn't behaving like one. Everything is too concrete. Too detailed.

Do the red/mottled furs seem... distressed? Downtrodden? They seem to be treated well, despite being chained and dominated. This doesn't seem right, in any case. Like they're separated into a lower class because of their species.

I want to do something outrageous, but... for now, observe the conversation.
>>
No. 215324 ID: eededc

Hmmm. Sammy,You're a lion, and lions seems to be in charge here.

Jesus was a lion, and he was in charge.

Maybe this is heaven. Maybe all the best Christians are turned into lions (unless they're lions already. Maybe only lions can be good Christians?), and all the sinners become these canine furs.

That makes sense, doesn't it? After all, since Jesus was a lion, lions are best.

MUAHAHAHA.
>>
No. 215339 ID: 07dcd8

SAMMY THIS IS THY LORD, CHRIST. I, YESHUA OF NAZARETH, DO SAY ONTO MY FAITHFUL, STAND TALL AND PROUD. LIFE THESE SOULS FROM THEIR BONDAGE! SAY ONTO THESE BASE ROMANS TO FREE THESE POOR AND DEBASED FROM THE CAPTURE. RISE UP, YOUNG SAMMY! LIKE MOSES ONTO THE GREAT PHARAOH AND LIKE MYSELF FROM THE SHADE OF DEATH, RISE UP AGAINST THIS OPPRESSION! REMEMBER 1 TIMOTHY 1:10, YOUNG SAMMY!

MOLD YOUR DREAM AS A CARPENTER WOULD MOLD WOOD. SHUN THESE DECEIVERS!
>>
No. 215366 ID: f87000
File 128089058442.jpg - (140.05KB , 684x683 , Dream_1.jpg )
215366

Sammy realized these people were slaves. The tall fur was buying people. He was holding the leash to an owned person in his hand. The law is for criminals and murderers, slave traders and kidnappers, not for righteous people, he thought to himself. The slaves were all so calm. Everything was calm and quiet. The light kept getting brighter, the sensation of marble and cool water dripping slowly fading. He felt the heavy gold chain lifted from his paw and saw the male lead the spotted female down the quiet, sunny streets.

***
>>
No. 215367 ID: f87000

Bruised predawn light crept across his bed as Sammy blearily opened his eyes. He felt muzzy and confused. For a moment he couldn't recognize his surroundings until the familiar shapes of his things - bed, desk, bookshelf, slid into view. He remembered the strange dream, every vivid scent and feeling, and still thought he could smell cinnamon and wet stone.

He staggered out of bed and heard something land heavily on the carpet.
>>
No. 215368 ID: 1963d1

>>215367
>>215312
That was obviously a vision of hell. Oppressive heat? Marble palace? Naked slave women?

And I think I may know who that tall, golden looking lion might have been.

IT WAS... Lucifur! :D
>>
No. 215369 ID: 07dcd8

DESTROY THE COLLAR THAT IS MOST LIKELY GOING TO APPEAR, MAKING YOU DOUBT IF IT WAS A DREAM OR REALITY.
>>
No. 215371 ID: f4963f

>>215367
It's a coin, isn't it? This is probably the work of that demon you saw earlier. Don't fear, Sammy. Jesus will protect you.
>>
No. 215372 ID: f87000

I... don't know where you guys are getting 'lion' from. The really tall thin guys are canid, like the slaves. they're just different looking. It's in the text, right up there.
>>
No. 215373 ID: 4ae7b5

>>215367
Weird... I wonder if you are become a dreamer of kinds? Ever had a dream that powerful before?

Oddly the oppressive heat makes me think Egypt.


But the Pre-Americans were known to use gold excessively and likely kept slaves as well (reports are sketchy on exact societal structure, smallpox and Spaniards wiping out most of them and all that.)
>>
No. 215375 ID: a594b9

Hey. Did the person in rags smell like cinnamon?
>>
No. 215376 ID: eededc

>>215372
Oh, I heard mane and assumed because it was convenient for trying to tempt the main character, nevermind
>>
No. 215444 ID: c71597

>>215367
Hot damn, check if you just got a gold coin from a dream Sammy boy.

And you know this is some weird shit going on. You have to ask Mika if she has had any similar dreams. Probably none that gives her gold if she's had them, if she got gold she could have brought some better food to that guy.

If she hasn't had any dreams then experiment by having her give the strange guy in rags a book and see if she gets funky dreams then.
>>
No. 215526 ID: f35afd

Sammy blinked. He'd just dropped something onto the carpet. He knelt down among the long shadows and clean scents and felt in the plush fabric until he found small hard object. It gleamed, an insane thing. The images on the octagonal metal coin were worn down and difficult to identify with specificity. The letters were alien. Its surface was silvery and slightly tarnished, with some other metal visible where the ridges along the edge were worn. It was roughly an inch across and thick, substantial. It was more than a dream, then. Sammy rarely even remembered his dreams, much less had experiences like he'd just encountered. He did not know if it was some kind of vision of Heaven or Hell. He thought about Jesus and the 30 pieces of silver.

It must have to do with the guy at the station. He'd have to ask Mika if anything like that had happened before.

The smell from the dream was clear - maybe some of the perfume had followed him, because he could still smell it - cinnamon. He thought about the strange spicy smell from the train station, but it was totally different. It was something he had no frame of reference for whatsoever, other than it reminded him of incense.

His alarm hadn't gone off yet, and no one else was awake. He didn't know what he should do with the coin, if he should tell anybody. He also thought that it might be useful to try and figure out where he was in the dream. He thought about Egypt and the early American civilizations, but he didn't really know very much about either.
>>
No. 215536 ID: c71597

>>215526
Keep the coin to show to an anthropologist or archeologist. Neither early american or egyptian civilizations used coins though (if the guy had purchased slaves with garlic then it would have been easy to figure out.). So it's probably a bit later than that.

Anyway, if you're up early and it's not too early then you could take the time to make some nice breakfast for your family. I'm sure they will appreciate it. Then you can go to church with your family and then talk to Reverend Paula.
>>
No. 215544 ID: f35afd

Sammy showered and got ready for church. He put the coin in his pocket and figured he'd just keep it with him. He didn't know any archaeologists or anthropologists - the best he could do was the library.

He made breakfast for everyone, and was just setting plates out when Mom came down the stairs. She was wearing a pressed, white blouse and black skirt with her fuzzy slippers, and was just taking her apron off the hook when she noticed him. She grinned with obvious delight. "Oh, Sammy, you didn't have to make breakfast for everyone! That is so sweet. You have to forgive Mommy for yesterday, OK? I just don't want anything to happen to you. You know my rules are for your own good." She kissed him on the forehead and then went to make the coffee.

A little later, everyone was fed and on their way to church. The First United Methodist Church of Summerdale wasn't an imposing building. It was a newer building made of red brick and white plaster designed to be angular and vertical. It had a single, high steeple adorned with a cross and sat on a tiny patch of manicured grass not far outside Sammy's subdivision. The ugly, square bulk of the activity center swatted behind it like a troll.

The service was good. Sammy always enjoyed service, though, and afterward he went up to Reverend Paula with his mom and dad. She was a short, slightly heavyset vicuña who had always been very friendly to Sammy and his family. She had an open, expressive face that seemed to exaggerate and emphasize her emotions usually split into a bright, wide grin. He hadn't spoken to her very much other than when he helped out at church functions. She was smiling as Dad told her about Sammy's attempted mission work. "Well, Sammy, if you're serious about doing some work with the poor, we can go into my office and I can tell you about some local programs we have. Is that OK, Ryan, or do you want to come with him?" It looked like Mom was about to say something, but Dad put his hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, that's fine," he replied, "Just give us a call when you're done and we'll come pick you up, OK Sammy?" He gave his son an exaggerated wink.

Reverend Paula had to finish a few things, but soon they were in her small, cozy office. "So, Sammy, what did you want to talk with me about?"
>>
No. 215546 ID: c71597

>>215544
Tell her that you wish to help the poor. When you recently visited the less rich areas of the city you noticed the vast difference between the life led there and your own, and now you wish to help the poor unfortunates who have less than you do.
>>
No. 215550 ID: b10c0e

Also Coin. Also, odd dream. Also, devil in the train station.

Also hugplz? And what cool things go on at this church to help after school programs?maybe you can join a D&D group.
>>
No. 215570 ID: b10c0e

Hey, Sam, where do you live again? I mean, the vicar is a Vicuña and your poor friend is a Pangolin and your a lion. Southern California?
>>
No. 215587 ID: 620bfb

Let's just skip over the demons and the pagan coins and the satanic dreams. Talk about helping the less fortunate.
>>
No. 215600 ID: b10c0e

Hey, I wanna get any devils out of us.
>>
No. 215602 ID: 1963d1

>>215600
WE'RE devils and we can't leave just yet. There's work to be done.
>>
No. 215604 ID: b10c0e

No we're not, we are clearly the voice of god.
>>
No. 215607 ID: d9dec9

i doubt she knows anything about the subject of the coin.
>>
No. 215612 ID: f4963f

>>215544
Ask her if there are any programs running in the area Mika was in. Maybe a soup kitchen or something.

As for the coin, we'll look up information on that ourselves at the library - we can always come back later if we come back empty-handed. Er, pawed.
>>
No. 215613 ID: c71597

>>215612
We should also check any local universities or colllages and see if they have any professors in archelogy or antrhopology.
>>
No. 215616 ID: f4963f

>>215613
Stepping into a secular snake's pit to solve our dilemma? Ooh, that could be risky, but if we found an actual professor who specialized in one of those things, it could well be worth it.

An archaeologist, an anthropologist, or anyone trained in historical linguistics would be a good start.
>>
No. 215617 ID: f35afd

"Well, I went to help people out, like you heard, but my mom really doesn't want me going down there by myself. Everything was so awful and dirty! Everybody really looked like then needed help. Do you have anything in that area?" Sammy asked. He'd done some after school programs before - there was a bible study group for teens and they did a fair and stuff sometimes, but there wasn't anything going on at the moment.

Paula's comforting smile exuded pride and gratitude. "We sure do. We have a medicine and meals program for elderly people in the area, and we have a soup kitchen that we run in the evenings there. We can get you down there helping out once a week or whatever your comfortable with. I'm so proud that you're reaching out to the community like this, Sammy, but don't feel like this is something you have to do. If you feel uncomfortable, you just tell me. No one is going to think less of you."

Sammy thought about telling her about the dream and the coin and the strange events at the train station. He was torn - it would be nice to confide in someone - but he was also scared about what she might think or say. Plus there was his promise to Mika. Reverend Paula looks at him with obvious concern, her large, expressive brown eyes seeming pained for him. "Is there something else you want to talk about, Sammy?"

"No, that's it for now, Reverend Paula, thanks a lot," Sammy replied.

He thought about universities. There was a big state College, but it was too far for him to ride his bike, and he didn't really know anybody there. It would be a pretty good idea, he'd just have to figure out when he could go there. He also needed to decide when he'd participate in either of the church programs, and if he'd call for a ride now, or try to do something else before he went home.
>>
No. 215620 ID: c71597

>>215617
Check around among the programs to see if there's anything that would fit your scheduale.

As for the university, the information about what professors and faculties they have should be on their homepage. Where you should also be able to find the information you need to contact them and see who you should talk to. A face to face meeting might not be necessary, you could just take pictures of the coin from different views and send in an email to whoever they recommend.

If any of your parents ask you about why you're doing it then you can just say you're looking for information on nearby universities for the future. Which should be halfway true since you should be looking for that information as well.
>>
No. 215630 ID: a594b9

Any history teacher should be able to tell you some basic information about the coin.
>>
No. 215633 ID: c71597

>>215630
History doesn't really work with coins or other similar remains. You mainly work with written texts in history, so unless someone wrote it down it's not very insteresting to a historian.
>>
No. 215714 ID: 49a137

>>215620
He might try the library. A good public library should give him internet access, enough for some basic searches which should let him find both basic information on old coins and emails to university professors, complete with their credentials. With email and a digital camera, he'd be able to pick and choose whoever looked best.
>>
No. 215773 ID: e62a92

Sammy didn't have a digital camera, and neither did his folks. The only computer was in Dad's study, and he wasn't supposed to use it unsupervised. The library had free internet access, though, and he could check out the university staff and maybe find something useful. The library wasn't too far away but it was kinda long for a bike ride. It was big, nice, roomy and modern.

Sammy wasn't sure if he should just go or call Dad and get a ride. He also wondered if he should tell them he was looking for university information, or just ask to go to the Library. he spent a lot of time there and the rest of the day was his to do as he wanted with. It was about 9:30, so he had plenty of time.
>>
No. 215808 ID: c71597

>>215773
Use the bike so that you get some sunshine and excersise, and just tell them that you're going to the library. And if you don't have a digital camera yourself then there might be one that you can loan from the school or a friend.
>>
No. 215830 ID: a594b9

>>215808
I'm... ok with this plan, I guess.
>>
No. 216150 ID: f87000

Sammy told Reverend Paula that he'd work at the soup kitchen on Wednesday. She said to meet at the church after school and he could ride there with one of the other workers.

Sammy called Dad to fill him in, then rode his bike down to the library.

The library was a three story ultramodern glass and steel building. Its white roof was sloped down at an angle, and the rows of darkly tinted, curved panes that made up it's facade reflected the manicured lawn and quiet street that fronted it.

The weather was cool and slightly breezy, but even so, Sammy was a little tired and sweaty by the time he arrived. He chained his bike to the bike rack on the side of the building and sighed as the cool air from inside blew over him when he pushed open the doors.

The first floor contained the stacks - row after rows of tidy brushed steel shelves - separated into a children and adult section by an open reading area with comfortable chairs and tables liberally scattered over a rubberized patterned floormat. There were a variety of furs reading or chatting, but Sammy was on a mission and didn't have time to talk.

Two curving white staircase went up to the smaller second floor where the microfiche archives and genealogical material were. Up a brushed steel spiral staircase, at the very top of the building, was the computer lab. Much smaller than the other two floors, it had rows of metal desks and black, flatscreen monitors. The tech on duty was at an elevated desk at the rear of the room, and could easily see the worker's screens. He also guarded the printers and, Sammy noticed, a scanner.

Sammy showed his card and looked around. There were several students and adults making use of the computers, but it wasn't too hard for him to find an empty terminal.

After some cursory research, Sammy located a few likely candidates on the university website.

Dr. Browne was a recently-tenured professor of anthropology that listed mystery novels and spelunking as two of his interests. He also wasn't from Summerdale.

Professor Lee was the head of the history department and his personal website talked about how approachable he was.

Dr. Cobbler was a professor who worked in the clinical psychology department and ran a bunch of the experiments and labs that were always looking for volunteers.

Scanning both sides of the coin would be pretty simple. He could just attach the .jpgs to the emails. He wondered what the email should say, and which professors he should send it to.
>>
No. 216158 ID: c5628c

>>216150
Scan the coin to Dr. Browne and Professor Lee.
Tell them you have came upon this coin and wish to know more about it.
>>
No. 216159 ID: c4c313

If Dr. Browne likes spelunking and mysteries, he sounds like the perfect person to assist you on your journeys into the labyrinthian ruins of the abandoned train station. He's just like Indiana Jones!

Dr. Cobbler might know why the train station guy won't talk to anyone, but he probably won't know about any coins.

It might be tricky to get past the tech guy. You should draw a picture and tell him you want to scan that, then slip the coin in under the picture when you're scanning it so he doesn't see.
>>
No. 216208 ID: eededc

>>216159

This is lying, and lying is bad and unchristian.

Just tell him you want to scan an old coin you found. Don't give it to him if he asks though. You can show him I suppose.
>>
No. 216215 ID: f87000

Sammy went up to scan the coin (the tech didn't really ask him anything or pay much attention to what he was scanning)and emailed both Dr. Brown and Professor Lee. He decided not to email Dr. Cobbler yet.

Dear Professor; My name is Sammy and I am a junior at Summerdale Highschool. I found this coin and would like to know more about it if you have time. Thank you for your time, Sammy Winters


This seemed good enough to Sammy. He checked the computer's clock and saw that it was almost noon. He could wait around, but he didn't figure he'd get a response on Sunday. He wondered if he should ride back home, call Dad to get picked up, or go somewhere else.
>>
No. 216240 ID: c4c313

>>216208

Lying isn't bad if you're doing good, and Christians lie all the time! Lying is good if you're doing it for God, right? You sound like you don't think Jesus will forgive you!

>>216215

Still, it's good that you didn't have to deceive the tech. He's doing his job right if he doesn't try to interfere with people's learning.
>>
No. 216245 ID: c5628c

>>216215
I would stick around and try to do some research while still at the library for a bit. Find a book under: The Roman Empire, Greek Republics, Coin Collecting, and The History of Money.
>>
No. 216333 ID: c2c011

>>216215
Do some research on the history of slavery around the world.
>>
No. 216351 ID: f87000

Sammy decided that there was no reason to waste a day when he was already in the library. It was full of knowledge, maybe he could find some stuff out on his own.

He found a comfy place to sit in the reading area on the first floor and collected some books. Rome, Greece, coins, money, and slavery were the topics of research. Comparing what he read to what he'd seen, he couldn't really figure out where it was. The architecture looked a lot like Rome or Greece, but the money looked nothing like either culture's currencies. Asian cultures used hexagonal coins, but the characters looked nothing like asian characters, even in their worn state.

The racial disparity also didn't make much sense. In both Greek and Roman culture, although especially in Rome, anyone could become a slave. It didn't make sense for the people in the streets to all be one type of fur and the slaves to all be another. He also couldn't identify the species for either one.

He called his dad and went home confused and tired from everything he'd learned. He ate dinner and figured he'd just go to sleep, and dropped the coin in the drawer in his bedside table.

Tomorrow was school. He'd see Mika again and maybe have a chance to talk to her. He could check his email at school too. He wondered if there was anything he was forgetting about.
>>
No. 216352 ID: c2c011

>>216351
You forgot to say your prayers before bed. Other than that there probably wasn't anything important.

Although, might be a good idea to get a pen and block of papper if you have another one of those dreams. Then it could be good to write it down when you wake up. You could keep it as a sort of dream journal.
>>
No. 216354 ID: b10c0e

Dude, psych experiments? Free cash! Those would be so cool to, to be able to read peoples mind and shoot mindbullets and everything!
>>
No. 216399 ID: f87000

Sammy got a pen and notebook out of his schoolbag to use as a dream journal. he wrote down what he remembered of his dream last night (which wasn't difficult), then said his prayers and drifted off to sleep. He thought about the psych experiments. Maybe he could just do them and not really talk about the coin or the dream.

****

Sammy was standing on dusty, cracked hardpack in complete darkness. The air had a foul scent, like burning oil and ozone. The darkness was absolute - he could not even see his hand or the end of his muzzle. There was a sense of being watched, that something high above in the black void was roving, searching, and if it saw him, he would be devoured. He crouched in terrified silence. There was no noise, even the sound of his breathing was muffled, as if the darkness swallowed sound. There was no wind, and a dank, humid head settled heavily over him like a suffocating shroud. His heart hammered in his ears.
>>
No. 216401 ID: c2c011

>>216399
Interesting. Seems like it wasn't a onetime occurance. See if you can't find a safer spot to hide at, use that feline nightvision for something.
>>
No. 216403 ID: c4c313

>>216399

dilated pupils don't help in absolute darkness. Anyway lions are diurnal, so no help there.

So, you're in absolute darkness that muffles sound, and something high above the black void thinks it can find you? Good luck! It might try randomly flailing about; be ready to move if anything hits you. Doesn't matter where you move. Try to keep your location chaotic and unknown. And do keep quiet. Can you throw rocks on the hardpack? Take some rocks so that if it starts getting close to finding you, you can throw them away from you to distract it.
>>
No. 216413 ID: f4963f

>>216399
Keep hiding. Don't move. Don't think. Just hide. Hide. Hide.
>>
No. 216421 ID: f87000

That awful gaze was like a physical pressure inside the utter blackness. It seemed enormously far away, but also enormously massive. The abject terror of being alone and insignificant in a consuming void seized Sammy's heart.

He crouched and felt around in the dirt. He had to move, not stay still. His heart hammered in his chest. He felt something sharp poke through his flimsy pajamas. He screamed, staggered forward, fell face first in the dirt. Quick scurrying, more blind groping revealed spiny desert bushes, like mesquite, clinging to the parched, broken soil.

Stay still or move? Stay still or move? All he could hear was the thunder of his heartbeat in his ears. The heavy, humid air made it difficult to breath, and sweat soaked through his nightshirt.
>>
No. 216501 ID: c4c313

>>216421

Oh god oh god oh god. What if it's God? Stop staring at Sammy, God! You're freaking us out!
>>
No. 216502 ID: a594b9

>>216421
Fight the fear. Crawl slowly, carefully onwards.
>>
No. 216591 ID: c2c011

>>216421
Move slowly away from the frightening prescense.

What if this is a vision of when God killed all of the firstborn son's in Egypt? You're not a firstborn son are you? Becase if you are you need to find a house with some blood on the door right away.
>>
No. 216646 ID: ee8db8

Stand up and move quietly. Walk carefully and use your feet to test the ground ahead so you don't fall off any cliffs or trip into any bushes. Stretch out your senses to see if there's anything you can use to navigate.
>>
No. 216664 ID: f35afd

Sammy opted for a low crouch as he moved slowly across the terrain. He waved his outstretched hands to navigate around the stunted, thorny bushes.

Sammy thought about the creeping death in Egypt. Was this the terror that the Egyptians felt? A huge, indomitable presence bearing down on them? He could not believe that thing, blindly searching in the infinite blackness, was God.

His hand touched something hot and rough. Pavement? No, asphault. It was a roadway stretching off into the absolute darkness.

Sammy strained his eyes and ears, searching to the left and right. He thought he could make out a tiny cluster of lights in the blackness to his left, slowly approaching.
>>
No. 216669 ID: 030624

input train joke here
>>
No. 216709 ID: c5628c

>>216664
Keep off the asphalt, but observe the approaching lights from the bushes.
>>
No. 216723 ID: a594b9

>>216709
Yeah, basically that. Try to catch their attention somehow, though!
>>
No. 216736 ID: c4c313

>>216664

Unless you have any goat's blood handy on you let's not assume that it is God. You're not the firstborn anyway, so it can't be that curse thing.

>>216723

Get their attention? But what about the presence? You don't want to get it's attention!

Allow the lights to approach, but warily. God might be showing you something Sammy. He is the light that pushes back the darkness, after all.
>>
No. 216775 ID: f87000

Sammy doubted the tiny, stunted bushes would provide much cover, but nonetheless he crouched off the side of the road and waited. Soon enough, bright headlights revealed what he'd already guessed: Cracked, dusty brown earth, stunted, spiny black bushes and a gray, crumbling two lane highway.

The vehicle was a massive 18-wheeler, slate gray with no insignia and covered in dust. It carried a rusty, dented rectangular tractor trailer that he could barely make out in the gloom. It had an entire suite of orange and white running lights, but they were pitifully dim and the headlights only illuminated a narrow strip of road. What should have been the monstrous roar of its engine was muffled and flat. The darkness seemed to consume light and sound.

Sammy backed away from the road. It was close, but he figured he still might have time to try and flag it down, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to...
>>
No. 216808 ID: a594b9

>>216775
Flag it down.
>>
No. 216835 ID: f87000
File 12814032385.jpg - (119.21KB , 1000x700 , Dream2.jpg )
216835

Sammy steps into the faint light on the edge of the road and waves frantically. Sammy hears the massive engine rumbling, a hungry diesel growl, as the air brakes hiss and the monster slows. The wheels crunch grittily over the broken asphalt.

The entire machine crouches, vibrating and belching smoke. He hears the passenger door click, and sees it open just a crack.
>>
No. 216836 ID: a594b9

>>216835
Walk up quickly, making sure you can see the driver before you get in.
>>
No. 216837 ID: f4963f

>>216835
Approach the truck.
>>
No. 216838 ID: 4ac0a4

get in the truck as fast as you can, what is that thing on the other side oh god!
>>
No. 216841 ID: 8c0848

>>216835
Watch out for the red horror on the other side ready to flay you alive.
>>
No. 216842 ID: a594b9

>>216838
>>216841
Those are its taillights, guys. It's a curved road.
>>
No. 216853 ID: c4c313

Sounds like the driver doesn't want to get out because he feels the watchful presence too. Better get where it's safe.
>>
No. 216965 ID: c2c011

>>216835
Well what are you waiting for? The friendly driver has agreed to give you a lift. Hop in and thank him for his kindness.
>>
No. 217330 ID: f35afd

I had intended to update far more quickly, but I immediately lost my stylus and then my computer shit itself and died. Sorry for the delay.

Sammy didn't waste time and quickly climbed into the cab. What he could see from the dim interior lights was dingy and worn. Just two big gray seats and what he assumed was a bed in the darkness behind them. Freezing air blew full-blast from the vents and the driver hunched forward over the huge, spoked steering wheel. He was shorter than Sammy and wore a long, heavy coat and wide-brimmed hat.

The reflected green and orange lights from the console picked out few features. he had no fur and his skin was ashy. Sammy could make out black veins visible on his thin, clawless hands.

He choked out something gutteral and rough in a language that Sammy couldn't understand and then began to drive, the huge machine bouncing and shaking as he made is way over the cracked blacktop.
>>
No. 217351 ID: a594b9

>>217330
He probably asked where you're going next... Try to communicate that you'll get off at the next stop.
>>
No. 217390 ID: f35afd

Sammy figured the figure was just asking him where he was headed. Sammy shrugged and said "next stop," not knowing how much good it would really do. The driver choked out something he didn't understand and shrugged noncommittally. Not being able to see into the infinite blackness above him, the terror Sammy had felt concerning the watchful presence lessened. He was still aware of it, but the thin metal roof seemed to offer him some meager protection from its invisible gaze, and he began to calm himself.

The harsh scent of mammalian sweat and exhaust accompanied the driver's intermittent coughing as they traveled on through the seemingly infinite darkness. They passed no other traffic, and Sammy almost began to doze when he noticed a cluster of lights ahead.

The lights were some kind of lamps or lanterns hung from small strange buildings with long, stilt-like columns that elevated them high into the air. There was a massive cluster of them, a city of thin, inelegant buildings, but they seemed sinister as well, and he couldn't make out many details from a distance, but somehow their crooked shapes and spindly limbs increased his sense of dread. He thought he could make out vehicles driving below them. Fortunately, the world began to blur and slip, run like liquid, and he heard the driver bark in surprise before he woke up in his own bed.

****

Sammy was covered in dirt and dripping with sweat. He was on top of his covers, and brown dust was smeared on his pillow and sheets. He felt drained and physically tired. His hands and feet were equally filthy, and he could still smell the dust and ozone and burning oil smells. He had maybe an hour before his parents would wake up.
>>
No. 217395 ID: e3f578

Man, whatever you do don't die in your dreams or you'll really die! Just like in those horror movies you probably don't watch.

Quickly remove all sheets and bedding and get them in the washing machine then hop in the shower. You have enough time for that.
>>
No. 217399 ID: f4963f

>>217390
Throw those sheets in the laundry, shower, and clean up any tracks you leave. You do not want to have to explain this to your parents, Sammy.
>>
No. 217400 ID: c4c313

Oh shit you're dirty. Wash that stuff off before your crazy mom wakes up and goes all ice queen on you again.
>>
No. 217409 ID: a594b9

>>217390
Collect some of the dirt for later. Keep a memento of each dream...
>>
No. 217410 ID: f35afd

Adrenaline began to pump and Sammy's heart started to race. He had to get cleaned up, fast. There would be no way to explain this to his parents. Mom, especially, would be less than thrilled. He quickly showered, scrubbing away the layers of grime, then hurriedly cleaned the filthy tracks he'd left from his bed to the bathroom, Stripping his sheets, he got dressed then rushed down to the laundry room and tossed them in the washer. He threw in some other dirty clothes as well as his pajamas, and started the machine. As it rumbled, the realization that his dreams were far from normal began to truly sink in. More than just the coin, he knew now that he'd really been in that dark, awful place. He wasn't hungry, but forced himself to make some breakfast. As he was somberly chewing his toast, he heard Dad moving around upstairs, then saw his comforting bulk walk through the doorway into the kitchen.

His dad glanced at his hunched shoulders, then at the open door to the laundry room before walking over to envelop Sammy's shoulder with his paw.

"No need to be embarrased, son," his father said in a low congenial tone, "You can't control what your body does when it's asleep. It happens to everybody, especially unmarried young men." Sammy almost choked. He felt mortified. He quickly got his books and escaped to the bus stop.

There were a few other bleary-eyed kids waiting at the end of the block for the bus to come around. Sammy took the opportunity to catch his breath and try to come up with a plan. He'd check his email during Computer Lab, but other than that he wasn't sure if he should try to do anything else either before or after school.
>>
No. 217416 ID: c2c011

>>217410
It's not really a bad thing that your dad drew that conclusion. And what he said is true, happens naturally to pretty much all normal people. It's simply how God designed people.

Anyway, you should ask Mika about the dreams as well.
>>
No. 217428 ID: c00244

>>217410
You should probably start sleeping with a small set of potentially useful items on hand. A miniaturized flashlight or LED would have been very handy in your latest dream. Sleeping in some sort of non-pajama clothing- proper pants, for example- might also be useful, if only because it's better to walk around in them. A utility knife has a myriad of uses, as does a multitool- swiss army knife or leatherman. Perhaps a lighter.

Of course, if you don't have these things lying around, it might not be convenient to get them together... but it's worth a shot. Whatever the cause of what's happening to you, you have to deal with the effects on your own. Thus far both of your experiences have been relatively harmless, if somewhat frightening; there's no guarantee they will stay that way.

Also, keep your dream journal carefully updated, but hidden from anyone else who might like to read it. No one else should be finding out about this unless you consciously decide to confide your experiences to them. Still, try to write down details of each dream that you might forget later- exactly what the people and plants looked like and were wearing, what the buildings and vehicles looked like, that sort of thing. Use as much detail as you can remember.


>>217416
The difficulty in this is that your mother told you not to hang out with Mika, and you need to honor her wishes as a good son. Your mom couldn't possibly object to interacting with her in class, as that's expected, but making time outside it would definitely be pushing it- and actually going off with her again would be an obvious violation of your mom's requests. So make the most of that time which you can reasonably use to speak with her.

Also, please show a little bit of subtlety in sharing the news about your dreams. You don't need a whole lot, but "Mika, ever since we saw that demon I've been appearing in other worlds every time I go to sleep and I think they're real" would just make you sound crazy. So keep your cool and remain calm and reasonable even when discussing extremely agitating and patently unreasonable things.
>>
No. 217497 ID: a446bb

Sammy decided that when he went to sleep that night, he'd be prepared. He had a LED maglite and a little swiss army knife, and he could wear some shorts and put them in his pockets. he got on the bus, laying his cheek against the window as the familiar turns and bumps brought him to school. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep with shoes on, but maybe he could try some sandals or slippers. Either one would be better than nothing. He'd forgotten to update his dream journal, so he tore some pages out of his notebook and wrote as detailed a description as he could of the dark void place, then folded them up and stuffed them in his pocket. He'd have to remember to transcribe them into the journal when he got home. Right now it was just in his desk. He'd have to think of a better place to hide it.

Soon enough, he was at school. Summerdale Highschool was a large, red brick complex. The buildings were generally arranged in a pentagon around a large central courtyard. Everything was tile and blue, with white stripes down the hallways to direct traffic. He was barely even aware of his surroundings. All day he kept thinking of a way to talk to Mika without breaking his mom's rule, waiting to check his email, and worrying about the night. He barely remembered what had happened before he found himself opening two unread messages in the computer lab The first was from Dr. Browne

Hello Sammy. I'd be interested in having a closer look at that coin you found, as well as getting some more info on where you got it from. I'm free most days from 4-6. My office is 416 in the Kościuszko building.

The second, predictably, was from Professor Lee

Mr. Winters; I cannot place the origin of that coin. If you bring it to the university, I can have it dated for you, which could shed some light on the issue. Please set up an appointment with my secretary and come by. My phone number is in the signature line of this email.

Sammy sat looking at the keyboard, thinking about what to type.
>>
No. 217555 ID: e3f578

To Browne, say that you'll have it dated by Lee first, then gladly show it to him. Say you obtained the coin by some mysterious man... or the full truth that it got passed through your dreams by a mysterious man and woke up with it. Risky though, as its unbelievable and would make the man lose respect for you and your request.

To Lee, you'll agree to send it to him and plan to show it to Browne later.
>>
No. 217702 ID: f35afd

Sammy replied to Dr. Lee first. The secretary's email was in the signature line as well, so he sent an email saying he wanted to set up an appointment and the general gist about the coin being tested. He also emailed Dr. Browne saying that Lee was going to test it and then he'd bring it by.

He got an email back before he was done with the lab that said Dr. Lee would be free that afternoon around 3:30. Sammy got out of school at 2:30, but the university was way too far for him to bike. He'd have to take the subway. He didn't have to OK it with his parents or anything as long as he told them where he was when he got home. After all, he hadn't done anything to make them lose their trust in him.

More classes drifted by with little awareness on Sammy's part as to what went on. He kept thinking of a good opportunity to talk with Mika without breaking his mom's rule and soon enough he saw an opportunity.

The cafeteria was loud, dirty, and smelled like a constant war was occurring between unidentifiable rotting foodstuffs and industrial cleaners. The floor was an ambiguous scramble of black, green, blue and gray (Sammy always suspected the reason for this was to mask it's actual state of filthiness - like spill camo). The tables had long, plastic benches attached to their aluminum frames, and had the same disgusting pattern covering their surfaces. He got his Pizza Snack and Fruit Cup along with a milk, and immediately noticed Mika sitting by herself at the table closest to the trash cans. He'd never paid that much attention to her before, so he didn't realize that she really didn't have any friends at school. He slunk over to the corner and slipped in next to her.

Mika was wearing a baggy black shirt and worn blue jeans and staring gloomily into her mashed potatoes until she realized he was sitting there. She meeped in surprise and her tiny muzzle immediately split into a grin.

"Hey Sammy," she waved awkwardly. He was sitting right there, after all, "I, uh, thought I'd hear something or uh. You, uh, didn't come to get your bible back yesterday or anything."

Sammy didn't know exactly what to say, so he just forged ahead with the issue sitting most uneasily in his mind.

"Look, Mika, I've been having these weird dreams..."

Mika's paws clapped over her mouth and her eyes widened in shock. "Oh- oh no. Not you too."

Her distress was contagious. "What do you mean, me too?"

"Look, Sammy, I- I can't talk about it here. Meet me after school." She grabbed his shoulder. Her hand was hot and damp. Her little black eyes were worried, afraid. "It's important, OK?"
>>
No. 217737 ID: a594b9

Oh jeez. It's either we disobey Mom or we don't find out what's going on...

However, your condition could be dangerous. Your mom would hate it even more if you got hurt than if you disobeyed her. Agree to meet her after school.
>>
No. 217740 ID: c2c011

>>217702
Well she has more experiance with this. You should probably meet with her, might be really important. And you can compare your experiances as well.
>>
No. 217755 ID: c4c313

Yeah you'll meet her, but say you can't let your mom find out or she'll have a heart attack. Also say you're not allowed to go near Dickory street anymore, but you can talk about it later after school out of sight.

After school check out the door to see if your mom is there waiting for you. She was pretty scared of losing control of you the last time so she might try harder now to stop you from escaping her. If she's there, go out a different exit and meet Mika, then hurry to your mother before she starts to suspect anything.
>>
No. 217760 ID: f35afd

The rest of the day slipped by in a blur of anxiety. Teachers, notes, assignments, quizzes, and then he was free. He walked carefully past the trophy case and the bulletin board, out of the florescents and into the sun. Sammy hated disobeying Mom, but he had to figure out what was happening to him.

He found her waiting near the entrance, leaning against one of the painted I beams that held up the long awning where the busses stopped and people waited for their parents to pick them up, standing just outside the flow of bodies rushing to cars or busess or onto the practice field. She slouched, staring at the concrete, until she noticed Sammy. Shyly, she waved him over.

They walked across the concrete parking lot, under the big metal light posts casting sharp shadows under the bright sun, and past the chain link fence. They slipped past the mass of traffic entering and leaving the school, into the long grass of the abandoned lot that faced it. There was nothing but weeds, a few slender trees. A line of dense brush several blocks away sheilded the bottoms of the massive cruciform structures that held a series of humming high tension wires that marked the furthest boundary of the lots. They could hear crickets and the faint electrical buzz from the lines as they walked down the pale, gritty sidewalk.

Sammy briefly explained about the dreams and the coin without going in to too much detail, and Mika listened silently, looking away. Her claws were stuffed in her pockets and she stared down at the pavement, scuffing the heel of her worn, peeling tennis shoes as she walked. She would look at him, sigh, inhale deeply, and then look away before eventually she began to speak. "Uh, look. I never got the dreams, but Dee did. She was with me when we first found the guy. She's the one who bandaged him up and gave him the blankets and stuff." She paused, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, before she continues, "Well, with her, it wasn't exactly dreams. She'd just," Sammy could tell Mika's paws were balled into fists in her pockets,"vanish. Like, nobody's be able to find her or anything and she'd show up later all dirty or scared or something. She told me a few things - a place with big, empty buildings - like, big apartments, but each one is a solid piece of black rocks, um, one was these islands floating in the clouds with little rails, uh, a city where everything was frozen, then, one day, she never came back." Her voice cracked. "I... look, I don't know what happened, but I didn't think anything would happen. I- I tried to keep you from getting too close, but you were already so freaked out that I didn't want to make you panic or something. I- I don't know."

Sammy wasn't sure what to say. Walking along, a strip mall full of cars to his left and the high tension wires buzzing inconspicuously in their series of abandoned lots to his right, the sun overhead, a cool breeze tugging at his shirt, the weight of his bookbag. They were real. This was reality. Everything was physical and material. The whole conversation seemed ridiculous - a campfire story for a dark night in the woods. But he could also feel the weight of the coin in his pocket, and the torn sheets of paper memorializing the lightless desert.
>>
No. 217765 ID: c2c011

>>217760
Seems like it's the gifts then that establish the connection. Ask her where Dee is now.

A bit of a shame that Mika doesn't have the same dreams. If she did then you could try meeting up in the dreamworld.
>>
No. 217817 ID: a594b9

>>217765
Dee is *gone*, dude. She probably died or something while she was off in the Elsewhere. Ask Mika if Dee ever brought things back. Show her the coin.

I think we should go back to the bandaged dude. Surely we couldn't make anything worse by going near him again.
>>
No. 217827 ID: a594b9

In fact while we're at it let's show her the notes too. Just go ahead and tell her about all our experiences.
>>
No. 217862 ID: d65652

Sammy decided to tell her everything. He showed her the coin, told her about the naked slaves, showed her the journal from last night. He even told her about the plan to carry some tools when he went to sleep.

Mika took it all in. Talking about it under the bright sun, in the middle of the day, it sounded completely insane, but there was the coin, gleaming in the same sunlight, casting shadows like everything else.

"I think I might have to go back," said Sammy, "But my mom told me not to go down there anymore. I'm already kinda bending the rule just by talking with you now."

Mika's expression clouded. Her tiny little mouth made an upside-down 'v' shape. "Listen, Sammy," she said, serious and confident, "this is way more important than breaking your Mom's rule. Dee never told me if she took anything from any of the places she went, but I think she probably did. They weren't all scary, after all. I don't know for sure, though. She didn't keep a journal or anything. But her's didn't just happen when she slept either. Anyway, I think you're right. We've got to make this stop before you disappear too. I..." She kept the fierce expression, but didn't say anything else.

By now, the empty lots had turned into small shops, strip malls, and apartments. The glass and steel frame of the subway station rose out of the concrete like a cresting submarine.

"I can't go today," said Sammy. "Some guys at the university are going to look at my coin."

"Tomorrow," said Mika, still grim and determined, "Meet me at my house."

Before Sammy could reply, she ran awkwardly off, tripped on the curb, slammed her face into a trash can, and then staggered awkwardly off into the city. Sammy just watched her go. He heard the trains roaring and felt the blast of cool air coming from the mouth of the subway. This was it. He would certainly have to lie if they asked him where he got the coin, and now Mika had just made his life a lot more complicated.
>>
No. 217866 ID: c2c011

>>217862
Well nobody ever promised you would have a simple life. But time to get on that train. Lets go see if anyone has ever seen a coin like that before.
>>
No. 217884 ID: c4c313

This sounds serious. I think you should spend some time learning about that old train station, seeing if there are any clues to its history why some dissheveled heap of cloth and strange can rusting thing would be endangering your life. I don't think the coin would be nearly as important, but that's what you started on so see what the teacher thinks about it. If it's nothing he recognizes your only clues might lie in the station itself.
>>
No. 218021 ID: f35afd

Sammy would figure out what he would do about Mika tomorrow. The sounds of people scurrying and children screaming rose to greet him as he descended into the subway.

Sammy was not particularly fond of the subway. This station, at least, was comparatively clean, but there was always the press of bodies. People, everywhere, coughing, sneezing, shouting, eating, wiping their noses, spilling things; the whole place was just ... unsanitary.

He moved as quickly as possible, buying his ticket from the machine and going through the turnstile into the series of escalators and staircases that went to the various lines. He knew is way around and swerved to avoid as many people as possible as he shuffled, hands in pockets, to the appropriate terminal - a gray concrete platform in a larger, gray concrete cube, the black mouth of the tunnel extending in either direction. He stood, not wanting to sit on the red plastic benches, and soon enough the rattling, screeching engine came sparking and shaking its way to the landing. The doors slid open with a forceful hiss and Sammy quickly made his way inside.

Fortunately, the car wasn't too crowded and there were no especially unpleasant odors. He zoned out, looking at the scratched plastic windows and listening to the steady thumps and squeals as the car pushed on through the black tunnels and harsh, bright platforms until he heard someone calling his name.

"Winters! Hey, Winters!" The high-pitched, forceful shout belonged to Emma Li, a tall, thin Anole girl in his grade. Sammy turned as she walked toward him, tennis shoes with knee high black sock, a short, pleated black skirt, and an oversized red sweater. Her tail swung sharply behind her as she approached and The corner of her mouth was curled into a half-smile, "I saw you talking with that filthy pangolin girl today. Cynthia said you were sneaking away together after school. I hope to god you put your boots on before you went dumpster diving." Her eyes glittered as she sneered down her snout at him.
>>
No. 218022 ID: c2c011

>>218021
Just ignore her. Don't even aknowledge that she's there.
>>
No. 218039 ID: f35afd

A wave of shame and embarrassment crested in Sammy's gut. Sammy wanted to say something, defend himself, but he just held his tongue. He turned away from her, facing the scratched window as the lights flickered past in the dark tunnel.

"Oh, Sammy," She cooed, "Are you embarassed? You should be." he could see her long, green fingers wrap around the metal pole above his own paw out of the corner of his eye and feel her breath on the back of his ear. "Lowering yourself like that. I mean, just imagining the smell makes me want to barf. How could you even keep it up?" His ears were ringing and his face burned with shame. She thought he was... with ... he felt nauseuous.

"Your a big boy, Sammy," Emma continued in an almost-whisper, "I'm sure Katy would have let you take a spin. She's always had her eye on you. She's a slut, but at least she has enough money to buy tampons." She paused, "I guess Jesus told you to help the needy."
>>
No. 218040 ID: e3f578

"Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior?"
>>
No. 218042 ID: a594b9

>>218039
Well that didn't work. Inform her as calmly as possible that she's half right. You are helping the needy, but not in THAT way.

Go along with the religious route. Maybe you can annoy her with bible scripture.
>>
No. 218044 ID: c2c011

>>218039
Talking back won't produce anymore favourable results. She will simply keep on drawing the conclusions she likes regardless of what you tell her.

Just keep looking out the window. Eventually she will tire or you will reach your destination, and she hopefully has something better to do than follow after you and pester you with stupid crap.
>>
No. 218050 ID: b10c0e

>>218044
Yeah, he's right. Just yawn, ignore the chameleon. While you're ignoring her, do you have any hobbies other then religion? I mean, whatta ya like to read or do? And, seriously Sammy, where do you live? Where is Summerdale?
>>
No. 218084 ID: c00244

>>218042
Indeed. It is wrong of her to criticize others' virtue; she has no idea what she's talking about. Don't be embarrassed at her accusations, Sammy; pity her. Her mind is so mired in her own sinful thoughts that she sees them everywhere, even where there's nothing of the sort going on. But it's not as though pointing this out would make her more inclined to listen, so there's no point.

Consider those with whom you have associated, and know that being dirty and poor but virtuous is far better than being well-groomed and wealthy, but as corrupt inside as this wretched girl. Someone like Mika might not be particularly religious and might well live in squalor, but when she thought that you were doing something unwise and putting yourself in danger the other day, she immediately tried to intervene and take you to a safer area. She might need a bit of work, but she's a good person and God must smile upon her. Emma sees you speaking with someone, entirely innocently, and jumps upon the possibility of twisting that fact into vicious gossip and accusations for no better reason than her own sick thrills at watching you feel uncomfortable and guilty over nothing. Where could someone like that possibly end up after their death, but in hell?

Try to feel compassion for her, Sammy, for she is destined to burn for eternity unless she changes her ways, and even if you told her that she'd never listen.
>>
No. 218101 ID: 3234dd

>>218039

Jesus told you to wait for marriage! Oh wait, no he didn't. uh...

Just say yes, you were helping the poor. Telling her anything, or trying to explain, would just give her fuel to hurt the situation even more. Maybe you'll do ...that with Mika one day, if things work out that way. Mika might be dirty and poor, but she was nice to you, and she hasn't debased herself by slandering others and /quest/ loves pangolins. You are a lion of honor, and if anyone doubts your word above this meddler then that's something for them to work out.
>>
No. 218103 ID: f35afd

>>218050 Anoles aren't chameleons. They're more closely related to iguanas.

Sammy thought about saying something to Emma. He really wanted to try and defend himself, but he opted to ignore her. He just wanted her to stop, to leave him alone. Embarrassment made his ears burn and his stomach flip. He was nauseus. He felt dizzy. She just kept on taunting, her breath on the back of his neck and the smell of her perfume that didn't quite conceal her reptilian musk. Why wouldn't she just leave him alone? He tried to tune her out, thinking about putting together model airplanes, reading about early American adventurers, playing baseball and going to bible study and various youth groups with people from his church. Emma was smart, top of the class on and on the girl's basketball team. She hung out with some of the other clean cut popular girls, and he'd seen her be cruel before; he'd just never been the target of her taunting. He had to put things in perspective though. Emma had started out with accusations and taunts. She was being spiteful, petty and mean for no reason, and trying to tell her anything wouldn't do any good anyway. Unlike Mika, who at least tried to help and didn't pass judgment. Emma was being more sinful that she accused Sammy of being. Still, he was more than grateful when the train slowed and he could escape to the manicured grounds of the University.

The campus was spread out and spacious. Old, brownstone buildings with marble facings were scattered around a series of small streets, plazas and parks. It was mostly a walking campus, and it could be hard to get around, but Sammy always thought the whole place was relaxing and pretty. Everything was tidy, and even if the new library or the apartment-like dormitory building didn't fit in with the style of the original campus, their facades and grounds were always well-kept.

He hurried to his meeting in the basement of the Curie Building. The room was obviously a science classroom of some kind - hexagonal black tables with sinks in the middle, glass cabinets with various instruments in them, and chemical hood. Standing near the center of the room was a Lesser Antillean Iguana in a pinstripe suit with his dewlap was neatly arranged over the collar of his white, pressed shirt. A Bouto in a short-sleeved yellow button down shirt and khakis leaned against one of the tables behind the iguana.

"You must be Samuel," the iguana said. "I am Professor Lee, and this is my associate, Professor Reyes," He gestured toward the pink, shiny dolphin with one long, clawed finger. The dolphin nodded slightly and continued to lounge. "Please, hand the coin to Professor Reyes so that he can make some determinations for us, and while he is otherwise indisposed, I'd like to ask you some questions about how you acquired the coin and what you know of it's history." His tones were clipped and precise, his posture rigid.

"I'll be in the lab just down the hall," said Reyes as he waited for Sammy to fish out the coin, "It shouldn't take more than a few minutes."
>>
No. 218107 ID: 3234dd

Tell him you'd like to keep an eye on the coin, if that's alright. You can tell professor Lee that you were given it as a gift from a strange otherworld you were pulled into while you slept, while you follow Reyes to the lab.
>>
No. 218124 ID: c00244

>>218107
Or... we could be a little more subtle than that, and say that we found it in our house one day (the implication being that it was in storage somewhere, but hopefully we won't need to actually lie), and no one we'd shown it to knew where it was from. Unfortunately, we know very little about the coin or its history; our first thought when we got curious was to email some university professors who'd surely know more about strange coinage.

You might ask if any of the symbols looked at all familiar. Anyway, be at all times polite. If you really did pull the coin from another world, dating will likely turn up that it's not very old at all and he'll tell you that it's a fake of some kind; you might consider apologizing for taking up his time over something like that, if those results turn up.

Anyway, would definitely keep the bizarre alternate dimension thing on the down low for now. But if you want to keep your eyes on the coin, you could ask to see the dating process, since it's probably some sort of exciting science that you've never had the chance to see before. Enthusiasm rarely goes amiss.
>>
No. 218129 ID: f4963f

>>218103
Found it in the attic. No idea where the great-grandparents could have gotten it from.
>>
No. 218132 ID: c2c011

>>218129
The attic story sounds pretty good and believable. Go with some variation of it.
>>
No. 218136 ID: a594b9

Hmm, saying that you found it in storage is a good idea. It will give them absolutely no information that might lead them on the wrong track, since something in storage could've come from anywhere!
>>
No. 218137 ID: c00244

>>218132
Believable, but also a lie. We're already getting into evasion and deception; let's not add outright fabrication of tales to those willing to help us to our list of misdeeds. We can imply it, but outright saying that should be avoided unless we're pressed to it. Sticking by one's principles only when it's easy is much like not having principles at all.

Also, if dating shows that it was minted last year- and it might, given the whole alternate universe thing- then it would be awkward to claim as an inheritance of some kind.
>>
No. 218138 ID: f35afd

Sammy told Professor Lee that he found the coin in his house, and nobody there knew where it came from. Professor Lee looked at it for a while, turning it over in his hand, before handing it off to Reyes. They adjourned to one of the nearby labs. Everything was white and sterile, and Reyes looked at the coin under an extremely large and complex microscope, scratched it with a few tools and then gave his prognosis.

"Well, it's got a lead core that's copper plated and then electroplated with something else. It isn't silver and it isn't aluminum, which I understand were both used by a lot of early societies."

Professor Lee interjected, "It certainly isn't old then. Ancient societies that minted coins with stamps didn't use separate cores and didn't electroplate currency. In the middle east, lead was frequently used in money, but this doesn't look like middle eastern currency, and once again, it has been electroplated twice. That puts it no earlier than 1805, and I'd be willing to guess that the object is much more recent in origin. It's probably a prop or a token of some kind. As far as I can tell the markings around the rim are nonsense. I can't place the characters at all."

Reye's tiny, beady eyes inspect the coin as well. "If you don't mind, I'd like to figure out what this top coating is. I can also do a little more looking to try to get the date more precise. Once I figure out what it's made of, I can use the wear to extrapolate a rough guess, anyway. Don't worry, I'll give it back."
>>
No. 218139 ID: f4963f

>>218138
Now this is very interesting. Even if we can't place it to a real place or time, it tells us something about the production abilities of this dream locale. Yes, let him analyze it.
>>
No. 218144 ID: c2c011

>>218138
Interesting indeed. Let him do a closer inspection and see what he comes up with.
>>
No. 218157 ID: a594b9

Sure, let them test it further. It's not like we can do anything with the coin ourselves.
>>
No. 218638 ID: 4f694b

I don't think we should trust him to give it back so easily. Let's take it to Dr. Browne first and then come back if that turns up nothing.
>>
No. 219071 ID: 117dce

Sammy decided to let Professor Reyes keep the coin for now. Whatever he found out could be useful in the future. "Cool," Reyes squeaked, "You'll hear back from me in a couple days."

Sammy probably wouldn't need the coin to talk with Dr. Browne anyway. He headed for the Kościuszko building.

The building was old and smaller, with dark wood floors scuffed by generations of scurrying students. The stairwell had wide, darkly polished banisters and the walls were light brown and half-paneled in wood. Dr. Browne's office was on the fourth floor, near the top of the building.

The landing didn't have wide hallways and open classroom doors like the floors below, instead it was a tight maze of small offices and copy rooms. After a bit of wandering, Sammy saw an open door with a spray of papers in the hall outside, and heard struggling from inside.

Peering cautiously around the corner, he saw a cramped room full of books, boxes and teetering piles of paper. The chairs had been recommissioned as makeshift bookcases, and if there were bookcases against the wall, they were covered by the obviously unsafe pillars of junk.

A tibetan fox in a hideous tweed blazer with leather elbows was perched precariously on the swivel chair behind the almost-completely obscured desk, trying to retrieve a heavy leather book from near the top of one of the swaying mountains of paper. One of the nearby piles unleashed a light sprinkle of loose papers to the floor sympathetically.

Near what appeared to be the back of a computer, Sammy could make out what could be a nameplate buried in the academic strata that said "Dr. Cornelius Browne"
>>
No. 219095 ID: c2c011

>>219071
Go in and introduce yourself. Just make sure he's not doing something that might tear down an avalanche of paper when you say hi.
>>
No. 219188 ID: 3234dd

Say "Hello, mister Browne!" very brightly and cheerfully.
>>
No. 219196 ID: 5eabae

>>219188
Don't do this, it might cause said avalanche of paper. Instead, knock on the door (whether open or closed), then politely and quietly greet him.
>>
No. 219204 ID: b10c0e

No, do, don't knock or say your name. Just go in and help. Be a good boy, Sammy.
>>
No. 219237 ID: 117dce

Sammy, cautious of the teetering fire hazard all around him, tapped lightly on the door and introduced himself. Dr. Browne didn't turn, but the chair swiveled unnervingly beneath him and a more significant shower of papers cascaded from a nearby pile.

"Oh, you're the one who found the interesting coin? I'd like to talk to you about it, if you have some time," another cascade of papers fell as he worked another inch or so of the heavy volume out from under the sheafs of manuscript stacked on top of it. "I'm not sure you were entirely clear on the situation concerning its origin. Of course, you've already been to Professor Lee, you said? I'm sure he told you he couldn't recognize it. I may have a lead, but I should really like to know where you got it from first." The chair began to roll backwards before settling against the desk. Dr. Brown leaned forward to compensate, balancing even more precariously on the tiptoes of his tan loafers. More papers scattered across the floor.
>>
No. 219256 ID: a594b9

>>219237
Oh no go and help him before he kills himself!

Also tell him you found it in old storage. Don't know where it originally came from.
>>
No. 219277 ID: e3f578

>>219237
So many potential paper cuts! Oh my, oh dear! Tell him about how Lee and Reyes is figuring out what it's made of and trying to get an accurate date. If he wants to see it, he should ask them. but yeah told him the same story you told Lee.
>>
No. 219292 ID: 117dce

Sammy hurried over, careful not to touch the ominously teetering piles, and returned the chair to its original position. With Sammy there to keep it from spinning or rolling, Dr. Browne had the book worked free with only a few more minor spills. The floor now had a fresh carpet of loose papers, and Dr. Browne took a seat as a few more fluttered lazily through the air.

Sammy told him what had happened with Lee and Reyes, and gave him the same story concerning the origin of the coin.

"Hmmm, found in storage, ay? Well, I don't think I can help you, then. If the origin had perhaps been somehow mysterious or in some way... abnormal, then perhaps I could have some information to share. Are you sure there isn't a story concerning its origin that is perhaps in some way ... unnatural?" Dr. Browne's voice was soft and calm, and he licked his thumb as he turned the pages of the heavy tome sitting in his lap. His ears barely poked above the stacks of papers on his desk.

From Sammy's vantage point behind the Doctor's chair, he could see that the book was some sort of illustrated manuscript - not very thick, and much wider than it was tall. The simple paintings were of strange, gray creatures with hooves and flat faces, and the language was a confusing mess of sharp, angled pen-strokes and dots.
>>
No. 219301 ID: a594b9

>>219292
Oooh. Maybe this guy will believe what happened? Try to slowly start telling your story, gauging his reaction to see if he believes you.
>>
No. 219307 ID: f4963f

>>219292
Unnatural? We were looking for someone knowledgeable, and he seems to be going the right direction with this. First off, tell him that the storage explanation was... not entirely accurate. You didn't believe people would believe it just showed up on its own, and you really were interested in dating the piece.

Then tell him that you saw it in a dream, and then found it in your room the next morning. Be willing to elaborate if he inquires into the matter.
>>
No. 219326 ID: c00244

>>219292
Play this one carefully, Sammy. Try to find out what exactly he means by unnatural, before coming out and telling your tale; this professor may have encountered other people with similar experiences to yours before.

And if what you've been told about Dee is true, those people likely have a tendency to die. You desperately need more information about your situation, and this guy seems to have it. If you start telling your story, also start asking questions.
>>
No. 219329 ID: b10c0e

>>219292
How...unnatural do you mean, professor? For arguments sake, I mean.
>>
No. 219378 ID: 19c966

Aaaw crap, he knows something.

You aren't exactly a secret keeper and this guy knows something is strange about the coin. Just spill your guts.
>>
No. 219472 ID: f35afd

Sammy decided that information was more important than sounding crazy, although he didn't know the eccentric professor very well. He would try to be as cautious as possible in getting information.

"What do you mean about 'unnatural'?" Sammy asked.

Browne didn't glance up from his tome, and continued in the same, even voice, "Well, you know, in many places there are certain instances or occurrences that seem on the surface to lack a sort of credible or scientific explanation. Exploring such events is an area of interest for me."

Sammy decided that he had to know something, and pressed on, "What if I told you that the story about it being something I found wasn't entirely accurate?"

"I would say that I am unsurprised," mused Browne without a pause.

"Okay, well, what if I told you that I had a dream with the coin in it, and when I woke up the coin was really there?"

Dr. Browne looked up at him. There was a serious expression on his face, but that might have just been because he was a Tibetan fox. His yellow eyes belied his detached expression, however. "That would interest me, Sammy. I'd still need to know more, though. In the dreams, did you have full control of your body? Did things look and sound like they commonly do in the real world, or were forms indistinct or different?"

"Well," Sammy began nervously. Dr. Browne seemed to be taking him seriously, but it still sounded crazy to say it out loud, "They seem really real. I remember everything just like I'm awake. Uh, dirt, or whatever, comes over too, and smells and stuff." Sammy paused.

Dr. Browne looked into his eyes for several long seconds. "I see," he said. "When did these events begin to occur?"

Sammy didn't know how much more he should say. He'd promised Mika, after all. Dr. Browne certainly seemed to know something, but Sammy was completely in the dark about whatever motivations the harmless-looking doctor might have.
>>
No. 219478 ID: a594b9

>>219472
Don't give away where you met the person, or that you went there with Mika. Just mention that you met someone strange, in a place that had other unexplainable phenomena. Describe the phenomena, and the general appearance of the person, if requested.
>>
No. 219487 ID: 8e18cd

>>219472

Don't mention the exact location or Mika for that matter. Don't mention other people experiencing the same.

Just tell him you met some weird.. thing... person hiding out. You gave him some food because he looked hungry and well... I think that would be truthful
>>
No. 219502 ID: c2c011

>>219472
Tell him that they started a few days ago and that you met a strange person covered in rags. You can't exactly remember where though.

Ask him if he has had any direct personal experiance with matters like these.
>>
No. 219507 ID: eededc

>>219487
You should also mention that you gave him a bible! Since mika's given him food and it's done nothing, it could be important!
>>
No. 219508 ID: b10c0e

>>219472
Well, erm, what if I told you I saw someone that was really weird in the old rail house? Not that, erm, any if this really could happen, you know. And telling people would be really bad, right sir?
>>
No. 219526 ID: 2c53c2

Whoa, guys, don't mention the person you met. The professor hasn't given us a lick of information yet; we've done all the talking. Just mention that the first dream was two nights ago, as it was, and ask what he knows about this sort of thing- why he's unsurprised, if this has happened to other people, and so forth. Turn this conversation around so that you're getting the information rather than only giving it.
>>
No. 219563 ID: 117dce

Sammy knew he wasn't going to say anything about Mika, but he started to reveal more of the story, formulating some vague reply about a man in rags and a strange location. He opened his mouth, and quickly closed it. Dr. Browne cocked an eyebrow, his muzzle still quite serious, and waved a paw for Sammy to continue.

Sammy decided to leave the guy and the train station entirely out. He realized that Dr. Browne hadn't given him any information at all, and that a vague answer would just elicit more questions from the thin academic.

"It started about two days ago," Sammy began, "and happened last night too. Why weren't you surprised? What do you know about this kind of stuff? Has it happened to anyone else?"

Dr. Browne stood. He was shorter than Sammy and peered up into the young lion's eyes. "There are some places in the world where strange events sometimes occur. I have yet to ascertain exactly what it is that is occurring, but I can assure you, it is quite dangerous. I may be able to assist, you, however. Just a moment."

He dug around in the pocket of his trousers, pulling out a small, smooth stone. "Put this in your pocket when you go to sleep tonight," he said, placing the pebble in Sammy's hand, "and perhaps we can determine the cause of your distress."

Sammy rolled the small, warm stone across his paw pads. It was getting late. He didn't know if Dr. Browne was a crazy person or actually knew something. He felt that Dr. Browne at least suspected that Sammy didn't tell him everything.

Sammy thanked the Doctor and left, taking the screeching subway back to the suburbs where he lived. The weight of the coin in his pocket had been replaced by the far less substantial stone, an equally crazy thing to be carrying. He walked in to the kitchen and saw his family just getting ready for dinner.

Mom turned to him, "So, Sammy, what did you do with your afternoon? Got all your schoolwork finished?"
>>
No. 219575 ID: 969e74

Hmm, the half-truth of what you did today will probably make her happy. Tell her you went to check out the university and talk with some professors.
>>
No. 219579 ID: b10c0e

>>219563
I went to the college, mom! You know, it's a good idea to try and make friends with the professors so early, too. I got caught up in talkign about old stuff with one of them. I'm sorry mom.
>>
No. 219587 ID: a594b9

>>219563
...Do we have any work assignments to do? Tell as much of the truth that you can, without sounding like a crazy person. Like, say you had some interesting conversations about a strange coin you found.
>>
No. 219752 ID: c2c011

>>219563
Tell her you went to the university to speak with some professors is probably safe enough. And it's also the truth.

If she asks what you talked about with them then just say that it was for a project with a classmate.
>>
No. 219810 ID: 4531bc
 

>>213917
>>
No. 221860 ID: f35afd

Sammy told his parents that he went to the university to talk to some of the professors. Mom and Dad both seemed pretty impressed, what with him taking the initiative and all, going out of his way to get ready for life after High School. They didn't ask him anything more specific, and dinner was nice. He could sort of pretend like everything was still normal...

He hurried up to his room after dinner and found that didn't even remember half of what was said in class. Hopefully he wrote his assignments down. Digging through his book bag, he found some worksheets and scribbled what looked like answers down on them. He had more important things to think about, like getting ready for bed.

He felt nervous and scared as he crawled under the sheets with a flashlight and a little swiss army knife in the pockets of his shorts and sandals on his feet. He wondered if there were any other precautions he could take before he tried to get to sleep, and if he should add Dr. Browne's stone to his meager inventory.
>>
No. 221863 ID: 8e18cd

>>221860

Take the stone with you. It won't hurt, would it?
>>
No. 221874 ID: f4963f

>>221860
Yes, take the stone.
>>
No. 221906 ID: a594b9

>>221860
You could bring a piece of paper and pencil since there have been language problems in the past. You can draw pictures to convey basic concepts.
>>
No. 222156 ID: f35afd

Sammy added a little notebook and ink pen to his pockets. It wasn't easy - he was nervous and a little uncomfortable - but eventually he drifted off to sleep.

****

Sammy was standing on damp grass in a deep valley. A dense fog lay heavily over the area like a cold, damp shroud and the myriad stars were obscured on the left and right by the mountains looming on either side.

The valley descended further and lights shone dimly in the fog. Peaked, wooden roofs breached the white mass like the bows of sinking ships. The mountains were grassy with gentle slopes and sparse trees and a huge, white moon illuminated the area. On his right, a path was visible, terminating at a huge gray castle that squatted heavily on the mountain's gentle crest. Lights shone from it's oblong windows, and mist poured into the valley like a slow, drifting waterfall from the open gate.

On the left, the mountain was part of a long ridge line that extended out of sight behind him and merged with the becastled mount somewhere on the other side of the valley. The ridgeback looked smooth, maybe finished, and he could barely make out a wavering point of red light moving across it some distance away. He could hear the sound of waves crashing somewhere to his left.

He checked his pockets. All of his items were accounted for. Knife, flashlight, pencil, paper, and stone. The moonlight cut sharp shadows, muting colors, but he didn't need the flashlight for now.
>>
No. 222161 ID: a594b9

Take out the stone and examine it carefully. Hey, is that red light getting any closer?

I wonder if it's safer to stay put or to wander into the village even during this fog? ...probably best to stay put. I doubt approaching a castle uninvited is a good idea, and we have no idea what's in the fog. It might be dangerous to enter the village in this weather. It's definitely not a good idea to try to walk along a cliff edge!
>>
No. 222167 ID: f35afd

Sammy looked at the stone. It was perhaps an inch across and shaped like an M&M with a slight depression in the center. No rays of power or magical glows emanated from it and it was slightly warm from his pocket.

He stood, shivering, with cold fog drifting around his ankles like curious fingers. He was undecided as to what he should do. There was no telling what sort of things lived in the village, or if the fog itself posed some sort of danger other than what it might hide. The white mass of the castle was an ominous centerpiece to the whole panorama, gleaming in the moonlight as its towers and spires gleamed bleakly against a backdrop of stars.

The ridge to his left seemed wide and flat judging by the trees he could see growing on either verge, although he now guessed that there could be a cliff on the other side. The little point of light wavered, some distance above and away. Perhaps it was a traveler with a lantern.

He decided to stay put for now as the cold slowly crept into his flesh. Dew soaked his paws and his teeth began to chatter.
>>
No. 222170 ID: a594b9

>>222167
I guess we can't really stay put. It's too damn cold. Let's check out the ridge, I guess. Get a closer look at the red light.
>>
No. 222194 ID: f35afd

Sammy had to move. He was wet and shivering, and only getting colder. At the very least, moving would warm him slightly. He began to climb toward the ridge. The slope was gentle, the land folded and ridged, and the moon directly overhead. Black shadows pooled in the folds of the earth where they weren't obscured by pockets of mist, but even so the climb wasn't difficult. The moon did not seem to move as he climbed, and even though his fingers and toes were numb and his nose ran from the cold, he felt better than he had shivering in the fog.

Sweat streaked his shirt and clouds of steam blossomed from his open mouth as he finally crested the ridgeback. It was grassy and dipped slightly toward the center, where a little dirt path had been worn. He peered cautiously off the far side. Black basalt cliffs cut drunkenly down in broken slabs before they met the crashing ocean waves far below. He could not see the base of the cliffs, sheared off by deep moon shadow, but could barely make out the glittering crests of waves far below. He stood and looked down the trail as the ocean hissed and roared below, echoing upward into the night.

The little trail had a few sparse trees on either side, and little stone structures that looked like raised gazebos no higher than his knee dotted the path at irregular intervals. Many were worn down into featureless fingers of stone, or lay collapsed in the grass.

Up ahead he could make out a figure pacing in a little clearing some distance ahead. White fabric drifted in the wind like smoke from the long, concealing garment that covered her. The red light came from glowing object she carried in her hand, little drips of fire occasionally spilling onto the path.

She hadn't seen Sammy yet, and he was unsure if he should approach.
>>
No. 222199 ID: 8e18cd

>>222194

What exactly does she look like. Get a better glance. I'm unsure if this is safe or not.
>>
No. 222232 ID: 117dce
File 128278206475.jpg - (95.02KB , 1000x740 , Dream3.jpg )
222232

Sammy approached as quietly as possible. She still didn't seem to notice him.
>>
No. 222255 ID: 8e18cd

>>222232

I'd say stay the fuck away from her and go to the castle.
>>
No. 222257 ID: a594b9

Pacing? Movement without reason is seldom a good sign. Get away from ... whatever that is.
>>
No. 222328 ID: e64150

Don't be shy, go say hello. You've had no luck talking to people, but no one you've met in a dream so far has meant you any harm.

In fact, it's hard to understand why they've taken your odd presence as a matter of course. You should stick out like a sore thumb in these strange places.
>>
No. 228754 ID: 383006
File 128407581964.jpg - (124.19KB , 740x740 , Dream 3.jpg )
228754

Sammy was worried by the figure - pacing strangely in the dark. The freezing wind blew howling from the cliffside. His heart hammered in his chest and his breath misted in fine clouds around his muzzle. He turned to run but the cliff was high, slippery and strewn with loose rocks. He landed on his knees with a shout, and she was there, before him.

White. Her pale skin and flimsy robes shone in the moonlight, her black hair and the long, jagged wound on her chest cut in sharp relief.

There was no lantern in her hand... The only thing that kept Sammy from panicking completely was the knowledge that nothing he'd seen so far had been harmless, even nice. His voice only wavered a little as he said "Hello"

Her voice, a strangled, raspy whisper, seemed to echo in his mind, "I am so cold here, on the ridge! What is that inside of you? A love? No. A ghost is in your heart." Drops of flaming blood spattered on the ground around him.
>>
No. 228759 ID: f4963f

>>228754
Uh, yeah. Keep your distance, Sammy. Ask her what she means, but if she approaches, back up.
>>
No. 228774 ID: c71597

>>228754
Don't let her take your heart to use as a lantern.

Get some distance between the two of you and ask her what she means, and what she's doing out here.
>>
No. 228783 ID: 8e18cd

>>228754

Controlled fear. Don't let her near you.
>>
No. 228784 ID: 732129

Sammy has the Holy Ghost in his heart.
>>
No. 228788 ID: a594b9

>>228754
Ask who they are.
>>
No. 234827 ID: f35afd

The creature moved closer in long, purposeful strides as Sammy scooted backwards, doing his best to control the terror frantically pounding against his ribcage. He could hear the vast ocean crashing against the steep cliffs somewhere behind him.

"What do you mean, a ghost? Who are you?" he stammered, hoping it would pause and he would have a chance to regain his footing, but the creature didn't slow as she responded.

"I am a lost girl, just a poor, lost girl who touched the light and was burned." She flicked a strand of silky black hair away from her face, and Sammy could see tears welling in her eyes, reflecting the drops of oily fire scattered on the ground around him. Her hand darted in the air above him as the creature seemed to grasp something and hold it in a clenched fist. "There! A ghost follows you, poor, tired thing that you are. We will protect you," she twisted her hand, and the muscles in her cold, white arm flexed as if some invisible something resisted before her hand jerked forward. The stone in Sammy's pocket burst, peppering his thigh with shrapnel and causing him to flinch.

The creature gained on him, looming overhead, as flaming droplets spattered against his clothes.
>>
No. 235373 ID: f4963f

>>234827
Right. Lot of good that stone did.

She's above you, so we're not likely to be able to keep running. Our options are pretty much talking and fighting. You brought that swiss army knife with you, right? Get it in your hands. Tell her to keep her distance, and if she complies, ask her where you are. I know it may seem un-Christian, but being ready to defend yourself is okay, right? Be ready to employ violence if necessary.
>>
No. 235398 ID: 27a471

>>235373

This sounds pretty good. Point the knife towards her and try and scurry to the side. Don't want to get killed now do we.
>>
No. 235408 ID: a594b9

Let's not give any explicit threats of violence, but do get away from the cliff edge while holding onto the knife, at your side.
>>
No. 235410 ID: 383006

More drops of flaming blood splashed on his chest and legs as Sammy dug frantically in his pocket for the knife. The ink pen went rolling down the hillside and the notebook disappeared into the wet grass.

She moved with simple fluid grace, her cold heavy thighs pressing against his hips. Liquid fire dribbled across his shoulder as she held her bleeding heart up to his face. He managed to free the blade with one hand as she pressed her freezing fingers against his chest.

Everything was limned in red as fire continued to pool around him. "Back away!" he shouted, interposing the knife between her naked torso and his body. Tears streamed freely down her face.

"look at you! Look at what I have done to you!" she sobbed. Ignoring the knife, she shifted her weigh and pressed him to her bosom. The knife pierced her soft flesh just below the sternum, and Sammy could feel some thick liquid oozing over his hand.
>>
No. 235432 ID: a594b9

>>235410
Sammy, does the fire even hurt? Maybe there isn't much to be afraid of here. Of course you've already stabbed her, though unwillingly. Not much we can do at this point but avoid stabbing her any more.
>>
No. 235461 ID: f4963f

>>235410
Well, this is... surreal, but currently sort of harmless.

Ask her what she means about having been burned touching the light. Try not to think about how hard this will be to clean up afterwards.
>>
No. 235871 ID: d8aa80

Her body was like ice. His teeth began to chatter and his fingers quickly grew numb as freezing water running from her hair and down her body soaked through his clothes. She pulled back, still pinning him to the ground with her weight, and began to wipe the blood from his clothes with heavy lengths of her hair. There was no earthy, mortal scent, only the stinging salt of the ocean and the strange, sweet hint of decaying meat.

The fire did not burn, and produced no heat. It seemed to only consume the ever-pooling blood and then vanish into the darkness. Still, she wept and sobbed. Thick, coagulated black ichor was matting in the fur of his paw. He saw the body of his pocket knife bobbing in her heaving chest as more thick slime oozed around it. The black wound over her left breast opened and closed like an obscene mouth as she shuddered, weeping.

Sammy swallowed as much of his discomfor as he could. Other than the numbing cold slowing working through his body and the pain in his left thigh, he seemed to be in no immediate danger. "Wh-what's happened with the light?" he asked. It felt almost wrong somehow to interrupt her weeping, but he had no idea what else to do.

She lunged forward, pinning his shoulders with her forearm and pressing her icy heart against the side of his face. He could feel it's erratic beating pulsing frigid liquid against the side of his cheek. Long strands of hair slid like tentacles over his chest, and he saw himself reflected in her abyssal black eyes.

"It touched us. It touched all of us. It burned in us and changed us and gave us power. It peirced the world and left us strange. It burned us. It left me so lonely... so alone..."
>>
No. 235910 ID: 8e18cd

>>235871

Ask her "What did." She needs to be more specific. I believe this may also be somehow related to our condition.
>>
No. 235924 ID: a594b9

>>235871
Be quiet. Every time you speak to her, she presses closer to you... resulting in COLD. Try to push her away a bit, so that you can recover some body heat.
>>
No. 235935 ID: f35afd

The freezing numbness crept slowly up his limbs. He couldn't feel much of his arms or legs, and his face and shoulder were quickly going numb where the icy blood pumped from her glowing heart, running in a frigid stream down the left side of his body and trickling between his shoulderblades. He lifted an insensate arm and tried to push her away. He could barely feel her yeilding flesh as his hand pressed against her heavy breast. She leaned back, rocking against his frozen hips, as he quickly moved his hand away in shock.

"Do you love me yet?" she asked, her tears glittering like snowflakes as they ran down her cheeks. She arched her back, working her icicle fingers into the fabric of his shirt, massaging his chest with her dead fingers. She flexed her spine and threw her head back, her hair trailing in a long, wet arc of water droplets that caught the moonlight and shone like stars. She shook out her hair, staring at him with her horrid, pitch-black eyes as she rolled her hips backward and thrust out her chest.

Sammy shivered. He pushed her hands away, huggging his torso and trying to generate some faint spark of warmth. "W-what d-did this t-to you?" he asked, hoping to distract her, horrified at what she intended to do to him.

"The Light was beautiful when we first saw it in our dreams," she mused wistfully, lit red, almost looking like a living thing as she stared wistfully at the white bulk of the glowing moon. "It granted us power over the things of the natural word, and we worshipped it. We did not know that it slept too, and its dreams were living things." She worked her cold fingers under his t-shirt, pushing it into his armpits and working her fingers directly into the fur on his chest. "It's dreaming mind leaked out from the place it had peirced our world, and its dreams began to absorb our reality." He tried to push her away with his elbows, but she ignored his efforts and slowly kneaded his chest with her pale hands. He tried harder to force her off of him as she found his nipples and her cold mouth descended toward his own horrified muzzle, but thankfully things began to blur and shift,

****

and he just felt her freezing breath tickling his lips before he found himself wet, freezing and miserable in his bed.
>>
No. 235937 ID: a594b9

>>235935
Try not to immediately throw up. I suggest drying off then getting into a warm shower. Try not to think too much about what might've happened next, and remain thankful that you escaped.

Don't forget to write down what happened...
>>
No. 235942 ID: fd6d7e

>>235937

Yeah try not to think about what might have happened next. Frostbite... down there...

You should've kissed Mika earlier. :3c
>>
No. 235950 ID: f35afd

Sammy quickly rolled off of his bed and on to the floor, shivering convulsively. His room was a reddish flickering hellscape as he trailed more of the burning blood across the floor. He couldn't worry about it now. He staggered to his feet, bumping against the corner of his bed, slipping again and falling before he got to the door. He staggered down the short hallway, closing the door behind him. The fire was already dieing down as the blood consumed itself. He stumbled into the bathroom and locked the door, turning the showerhead on full blast and stripping his shorts off before he collapsed into the tub. His whole body stung painfully as hot water poured over him and the room began to fill with steam. His numb fingers and toes began to feel again with agonizing intensity, but he didn't care. It was better than the freezing, awful cold. He lay under the water, not thinking about what almost happened to him, not thinking about anything, as blessed warmth returned to his body.

His first kiss had almost been from a corpse. He thought about Mika. He- he couldn't worry about that now. There were much more pressing concerns. He inspected his left thigh. There was blood flowing freely from under his fur, and it hurt when he touched the spot. Brushing his hide, he noticed several small, shallow wounds peppering the area and no sign of the rock. It hurt, but he didn't think it was serious.

His reverie was suddenly interrupted by loud banging on the bathroom door.

"Samuel Winters! It is five O'clock in the morning! You tell me what you are doing right Now!"

Oh.. oh no. Sammy began to panic. Oh no. What was he going to say? What had she seen? What was he going to do?
>>
No. 235951 ID: 0b2a05

Had a nightmare, stumbled around, and hurt your thigh on a corner.
>>
No. 235952 ID: 8e18cd

Start with "I had a really terrible dream, mom...", you might want to add the whole shower was to make sure you're fully awoken, since it was so real.

Just hope she didn't see anything coming from your room.
>>
No. 236307 ID: d8aa80

"I had a nightmare, Mom!" he stammered, "I-it was so real that I had to make sure I was really awake!"

The banging on the door didn't stop.

"A nightmare? Why the- Why on Earth is your bed soaking wet? What have you been doing? You tell me right now!"

Sammy had just lied to his mom. Outright lied. He didn't think he'd ever done that before. At least she hadn't seen any of the fire. He felt sick and scared and in pain, but he still needed to think of something fast.
>>
No. 236324 ID: d677cc

>>236307
Say you freaked out and your first thought was to get in the shower to snap out of it but it felt wrong to be in the shower this early in the morning so you wound up getting back in the bed soaking wet but you were still freaked out and you realized you just got the bed soaking wet and you got back in the shower and somewhere along the way you bashed your thigh against something and it really hurts and it's bleeding and aaa. Or something like that.

I have had mornings like this, minus the nightmare (slightly more mundane reasons for waking up at a godawful hour) and I guess the bleeding. :<
>>
No. 236329 ID: d677cc

>>236324
Or... I don't know, I don't have a good feel for what state your room is in beyond it being soaked and apparently not currently on fire.
>>
No. 236336 ID: eced5b

>>236307
Man, Sammy. You're up a creek without a paddle.

She's confused, worried about you, and kind of upset. I doubt there's much we could say that would be plausible at this point...

Just say that you have no idea how the bed got that way. You woke up and it was like that, and it freaked you out so much that you couldn't think of anything else to do but shower. That is sort of half of the truth anyway.
>>
No. 236350 ID: 212f24

>>236307

How could you have gotten around lying? How much of a lie was it? Could the dreamworld be described as real? Are you really awake during those times?

Even with all of that, you wouldn't have told her the whole truth anyway.

You could ask to speak to someone else about it. Maybe Dad. She might think you was trying to clean the bed. You remember what Dad said: "You can't control what your body does when it's asleep. It happens to everybody, especially unmarried young men."
>>
No. 236352 ID: a594b9

Segue-way the lie into the truth.

There's no way you're going to be able to explain your injured leg and the wet bed... and she may actually believe you with all the evidence you have now. Time to come out with it.
>>
No. 236489 ID: 383006

Sammy realized he would only have made the situation way worse if he'd told the truth, but it still bothered him to be lying to his mom.

"I don't exactly know, Mom. Everything was super real and I was cold and so I jumped in the shower and then the bed was all wet and I hit some stuff coming to the bathroom and -"

"Come out of there right now, Samuel Winters!"

Sammy decided there was no way to avoid his inevitable death. He toweled off as quickly as he could and, wrapping the towel around his waist, opened the door. Mom immediately and painfully grabbed him by the ear, dragging him back into his room. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. A damp outline of his head and body darkened his sheets and pillowcase in the center of the bed. There was a wet smear off the side of the bed and a few damp sandal prints strewn across the floor. There was no sign of blood or fire, and he'd only knocked a couple of books off his desk.

"A nightmare? Really?" she shouted, twisting his ear painfully and forcing his face against the bedsheets. "You are almost an adult, Sammy, and I expect you to behave like one. This Will Not Happen Again, do I make myself clear?"

Sammy felt like he was about to cry.
>>
No. 236491 ID: f4963f

>>236489
Yes, mom.
>>
No. 236494 ID: 2a9922

just sigh and agree.

what is she getting so mad about anyway? is she telling you to never have nightmares again? that is impossible, even she must get nightmares sometimes.
>>
No. 236507 ID: fd6d7e

What are you talking about Sammy? You haven't lied yet. If you want to lie to her, tell her that you thought it would be funny to wet your bed so you pulled the hose up to the second story and let fly. I wouldn't recommend lying though.

What you're doing is telling her what she doesn't want to hear, which is why you feel bad about it. The best thing you can do when given a choice between lying and not being taken for your word is to not say anything. As the bible says, it's better to be thought a fool and stay silent than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. You'll feel better if all you say is >>236491 and get her off your back while she's so upset. Then if you approach her later with the truth after she's had some time to work off the hysteria and is sitting quietly, that's your best chance to get through to her. But not now.
>>
No. 236509 ID: 56dc25

>>236489
Bloody hell, Sammy. If you're almost an adult, why does she get off treating you like some sort of retarded puppy who wet the bed?

...honestly, does she think that? Because the evidence belies it at anything more than a cursory glance; you don't get head outlines from that sort of thing and it would smell. She'd have to be some sort of idiot to think so. And if she doesn't think that, what's she figuring- that you climbed into bed while soaking wet? Something else? She must have some sort of explanation, but it's baffling me.

The question, then, is if you want to put up with her shit and let her think that you somehow disobeyed and were kicked back into line using these sort of methods. I wouldn't recommend it, because that kind of thing has significant repercussions for how she'll think of you in the future.
>>
No. 236538 ID: a594b9

>>236489
Just go "yes mom"
>>
No. 236922 ID: e62a92

Mom couldn't have thought he- she was probably upset because he made a mess. Sammy has always been aware of how much Mom hates messes. She- she's just upset because he messed everything up. She can't think he had that kind of accident, he knew that wouldn't have made any sense.

"Yes Mom," he mumbled.

"Do you understand me, Samuel? This is unacceptable. I do not care how terrifying your nightmares may or may not be."

"Yes Mom," again.

She pushed him down onto the floor, next to his wet sandles and books.

"You are going to clean this mess up, right now."

"Yes Mom."

"And this will not happen again."

"Yes Mom."

She let go. his ear stung. His cheeks burned. Everything was blurred by the tears welling up in his eyes. He saw the vague shape of her brown pelt and blue nightgown as she stalked into the blade of light cut by his open door. Maybe he should talk to dad. Maybe he should talk to her once she calmed down. As quickly as he could, he cleaned the mess, grabbed his wet clothes from the bathroom, and brought the sheets down to dry. As he passed Mom and Dad's bedroom door, he could hear her shouting and Dad saying something he couldn't quite make out. He just wanted to leave. The way she treated him wasn't fair.

He dressed sliently, collecting his things for class with shaky paws and a lump in his throat. He made a sandwich for lunch, but couldn't force himself to choke down any breakfast. He left early, not wanting to see anybody, glad to be going to school.

Standing in the dew as a bruised dawn sun painted the clouds with purple and red, he managed to calm down. Sammy was downright relieved when the yellow bus juddered down his street. He'd been half afraid Mom or Dad or even Becca would come out of the house.

He climbed up the step and onto the bus when he heard snickering. As he walked toward an empy seat toward the middle of the bus, he saw various furs snickering behind their hands, pinching their noses and waving as he walked past. Did he stink? He didn't smell anything.
>>
No. 236925 ID: 212f24

Do you have a mirror to look in? Maybe it's something on your face. If not, just sit down wherever you usually do. Maybe they're not even snickering at you. Maybe it's about something different.
>>
No. 236946 ID: e62a92

Sammy glanced at his reflection in the dusty bus window, but couldn't see anything out of place. His eyes weren't even red. They must all be laughing about something else, he decided.

There were snickers and low, murmured whispering for the duration of the ride, but Sammy just tried to ignore it. It had to be something else.

Even after he left the bus and went inside, the waving hands, pinched snouts and snickers followed him down the halls. It had to be him. It moved with him like a wave. At least half the students and almost all of the girls were snickering at him wherever he went. What on earth was going on? He had to collect himself. Up ahead, there was a short, dark corridor leading into the bathrooms. He quickly ducked inside and almost immediately smelled a heavy perfume.

Katy sort of hung around with the popular girls, but she was on the fringe of the group. She was a tall, thin, athletic maned wolf who would have fit right in with Emma and her friends, but she had a reputation for unclean behavior. They still acted friendly to her, but even Sammy had heard the things they said behind her back. She pressed herself against his body almost as soon as he spotted her, her black skirt stretched taut against his thigh, her breasts rubbing against his chest through her short, pink t-shit.

"I knew it Sammy. I knew you weren't as pure as you pretended to be." She wrapped her long fingers around his shoulders, her claws pricking delicately through his shirt.

Her long, thin muzzle was split in a savage grin, and she slowly licked her long, white teeth, "You could have asked, Sammy. Any time you wanted it, it was here for you." She opened her mouth, slivers of her yellow eyes barely glimmering in the darkness. He smelled the almost-sweet scent of her breath, and some strange, musky odor mixed in with her perfume, as her muzzle slowly moved toward his.
>>
No. 236952 ID: 7d8185

push her away and demand to know what she is talking about. why is everyone saying you smell, you don't smell anything.
>>
No. 236953 ID: a594b9

>>236946
Push her away and ask what's going on. You have no idea what she's talking about.
>>
No. 236955 ID: fd6d7e

This is wrong Sammy. You're a male lion. You're the one who's supposed to be doing the raping.
>>
No. 236968 ID: 56dc25

>>236952
We know exactly what's going on here. There are rumors going around- the same thing that Emma Li accused us of. Perhaps she spread them, perhaps someone else did, but regardless they're mocking us for (supposedly) sleeping with Mika. Implying that we stink because we got her stink on us. These girls (and some boys) are foolish and sheeplike, easily deceived and led into unkind behavior by a few sinful gossipmongers who delight in being cruel to others just so that they can watch them squirm in discomfort. Don't let them win, Sammy. Don't give them the satisfaction of watching you break over this kind of social antagonism. Keep to your principles and know that your dignity is yours to keep, not their to take from you. As long as you know that you did the right thing, they have nothing on you. No matter what happens.

Katy clearly believes the rumors, or she wouldn't be pressing herself on us like this. Gently push her away and explain that you're being slandered, and regardless of what stories some people have seen fit to smear you with your feelings on this sort of thing have not changed, though you are flattered by her attentions.
>>
No. 237106 ID: 1026d2

A succubus wants you. If you reject her she might take what she wants anyway.

I'm not sure what you might want right now, but it might be a good idea to ask her what she means by "Not as pure as pretended." At some point.
>>
No. 237375 ID: 383006

Sammy pushed her arms to the side and shoved her away. She staggered, arms pinwheeling, into the flickering flourescence of the dim hallway. She hit the wall with a surprised bark.

"What is going on?" Sammy asked, "Did Emma say something? It isn't true. She's just being a horrible person and lying about me. I don't know why."

Katy smoothed her shirt, glancing at him through her eyelashes. "Yeah. She's a bitch," she replied, laughing a little and glancing down at her feet. "I guess I didn't believe her at first, but she said that when she asked you on the subway what was up with you and Mika, you just stood there and didn't say anything, didn't try to defend yourself or anything. I was all 'Sammy woulnd't do stuff like that' and she was all 'no, really, he never gave an explanation or anything.

I should have figured she was just messing with you. S- sorry." She glanced at the ceiling, the doors, anywhere but Sammy's face.
>>
No. 237387 ID: a594b9

>>237375
Tell her that nothing sexual is going on between you and Mika. You're just friends studying together after school, and you would really appreciate it if she spread the word around.

Ask why she just tried to jump your bones. Why's she interested in you? It's flattering, I guess.
>>
No. 237390 ID: 13cc3a

no hugs, that's too flip floppy, just say sorry about shoving her. and say you didn't defend yourself because you didn't feel you needed to.
>>
No. 237395 ID: 583d5d

Hug her and ask her if she's alright, she hit the wall and is probably really embarrassed.

Also, tell her that you'd rather get to know her first before thinking of anything like 'that'.
>>
No. 237408 ID: 1578e2

>>237375
You know Sammy, the bible does proclaim that we should be fruitful and multiply. You've got a chance here, you know.

Just saying.
>>
No. 237442 ID: 56dc25

>>237387
You're not studying with Mika, and shouldn't ask someone else to lie on our behalf. More than that, asking her to spread the word that we are associating significantly with Mika in any way will only lend grains of truth to the rumor- and the story that you're sleeping with her is far more interesting than innocent studying and will win out, because people in general care more about things being interesting than about them being true. Don't do this.

Apologize for shoving her; it was wrong of you to respond violently to her advances. This morning has been kind of stressful and you're not dealing with it well. Unless I miss my guess, Katy has been on the victim end of this kind of rumormongering before, and might have advice for dealing with it if you get her on your side.

Explain that Emma didn't ask anything on the train- she was just making pointlessly cruel accusations, and you thought it would be better to just ignore her until she stopped pestering you about obvious nonsense.
>>
No. 237944 ID: 383006

"Sorry for pushing you," Said Sammy, letting the awkward silence lengthen. "So, this kinda thing has happened to you before?" he finally asked.

"Yeah," Katy said, adjusting his top and looking in the general direction of Sammy's face. "I mean, they've never just made something up I don't think, but, you know, they go spreading stuff around and exagerating stuff. That's why I figured there was something going on. I dunno, it was stupid. I should have known better. Sorry."

Sammy was a little embarassed himself. He'd always heard about Katy's immorality and had certainly never talked to her. She'd pretty much confirmed at least some of it just then, but he guessed he felt a little flattered, and anyway, she probably didn't deserve to be treated quite as bad as she was.

"That's OK. Look, on the train, Emma didn't ask me anything at all. She just started making all these cruel accusations. I didn't defend myself because I didn't think I needed to. I thought it would be better to just ignore her till she left me alone."

Katy sighed, putting her paws on her slim hips and looking Sammy right in the eyes. "That wasn't a smart move, Sammy. It just made you look guilty. Everybody saw you two walking off together, and, I mean, look at it from Emma's perspective. When you didn't say anything at all, like, not anything, she figured at least something must have been going on and you were just too ashamed to own up. I mean, at this point, I don't know what you can do about it. Just keep your chin up, I guess. If it's any consolation," she glanced breifly to the side, "I believe you."
>>
No. 237949 ID: 583d5d

You could ask her to hang out. She seems nice, and maybe you could help her with her morals. It would probably make her feel better, and she could help if Emma shows up again.
>>
No. 237967 ID: a594b9

Ask if she's interested in the bible.
>>
No. 239004 ID: d677cc

>>237949
Sounds good enough.
>>
No. 239044 ID: 383006

"Well, maybe we could hang out some time, Katy. There are some passages that maybe would help you." Sammy said, looking at her hopefully.

"Passages?" asked Katy, her face seeming to drop

"In the Bible, Katy. It really will help you out if you're in trouble," Sammy said, reaching for his bookbag.

"Uh, sure, yeah, maybe later Sammy," she said, hurrying off down the hallway.

Sammy wasn't quite late just yet, but he took the opportunity to hurry to class as well. He felt better after having talked to Katy, and it was easier to ignore the mocking gestures of his classmates. He focused on his classes, trying to ignore both his classmates and whatever might be happening, trying to decide if there was anything useful he could do while he was at school.
>>
No. 239054 ID: 56dc25

>>239044
Kind of botched that one with Katy, Sammy. She'll need a more delicate touch if you want to help her; not everyone takes well to overtly being told that they need to turn to Jesus to better themselves, even when it's true.

Ah, well. Unless you feel like righteously confronting Emma or otherwise trying to publicly fight against this humiliation, which would be a bit of a gamble, I'd just get through the day.

Have to decide what you're going to do afterward, though- the university again? Go see what Mika wanted? In the latter case, you'll need to use some subtlety unless you care to make others believe that there's truth to the rumors.
>>
No. 239108 ID: 476456

>>239054

But on the contrary if you ever need to deliberately repel people thats probably one of the best ways.
>>
No. 239396 ID: d8aa80

Sammy decided that the direct approach probably wasn't going to work if he really wanted to get through to Katy. He had written her off as almost demonic before, but he realized that she was struggling and maybe he could help her.

Other than that, he wasn't sure if he should try anything else. Should he go to the university? His mom was pretty mad, but the stone had obviously done something, as the pain in his thigh constantly reminded him. What about confronting Emma? It seemed risky.

Maybe he should talk to Mika, but he didn't want to make the rumors worse. He shuffled through the day in a state of indecision, not accomplishing much of anything. As he walked out of the school after the final bell rang, the constant taunting was much easier to ignore. As he stood waiting for the bus, he heard sobbing coming from the parking lot.
>>
No. 239438 ID: 365adf

>>239396
Well the most obvious course of action would be to go see who is sobbing.
>>
No. 239441 ID: a594b9

>>239396
Investigate the sobbing! We should help whoever it is.
>>
No. 239520 ID: f35afd

Sammy decided to check out the parking lot to see if someone was in trouble. He walked around the side of the brick building. The school was built on a grassy hill, bordered by slim trees on three sides not facing the road. The students who had their own cars could park in the wide concrete lot in back, but they always got to clear out before the busses even got there.

The gray, cracked lot was mostly empty. The teachers' cars were in their marked spots along the front of the lot, and a small dented, red sedan was parked near the back of the student secion. He walked closer, over the faded lines of the pavement. The hill sloped downward much more sharply past the back edge of the lot, and Sammy could see past the line of trees into a huge dirt lot full of turned earth, stumps, and broken trees. Yellow construction equipment sat silently under the midday sun, silent.

He could see Katy silhouetted against the raw wound in the earth, sitting on the bleached pavement, slumped against the back tire of the dented red car. Her face was pressed against her knees and her long, glossy mane cascaded over the tip of her muzzle. Her skinny arms were wrapped around her calves as she sobbed brokenly.

Sammy was halfway across the lot, walking slowly, not entirely sure what to do.

He could hear the bus pulling up to the front of the school.
>>
No. 239521 ID: 4f6e37

>>239520
BANG
THAT
WOLFCHICK
or maybe just talk to her idk
>>
No. 239526 ID: 583d5d

Ask her if she's okay, find out what's wrong. Who cares about the bus, this is way more important!
>>
No. 239537 ID: 69bee4

a person is more important than missing the bus! Would Jesus have ignored a person in need just because he was running late? It is your duty to assist those in need, to mend the soul of harm. Offer what you can, I think just a touch to her shoulder and a word of kindness may be enough to start. Believe in the lord to handle the rest through your mane and heart.
>>
No. 239605 ID: a594b9

Go talk to her. Now. Maybe she really, really liked you? Maybe you can help her without relying on the bible. Just so long as you... y'know. Keep your relationship from becoming sinful. NO SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE, SAMMY!
>>
No. 239608 ID: d677cc

>>239520
Katy could probably use someone to talk to right about now.
>>
No. 239616 ID: 921817

30And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
>>
No. 239677 ID: fd6d7e

>>239605

Oh please when did anyone ever tell you you couldn't have sex before marriage? Your parents? Pfffyeahright. Did they even tell you how to use a condom?
>>
No. 239974 ID: 383006

Sammy ignored the bus. He didn't know what had happened, but he felt somehow responsible. There was no one else around as he approached. The squeal of the busses and the chatter of conversation filtered dimly past the side of the building. Sammy walked carefully closer. Katy was unrestrained. Her body shook with heaving sobs and a glistening string of snot hung from the end of her slender muzzle. The black fur on her forearms was wet with tears. The white tip of her tail curled over the back of her skirt, not hiding her white underp-

Sammy averted his eyes and remembered the story of the Good Samaritan. Someone who was willing to help, who wasn't restrained by purity laws against being touched by blood and did the right thing when the saw someone in need. He -he wasn't thinking about Katy like that, she was just somebody who looked like she needed help. She was a person, sure, but she had done at least some of the things that he had heard about. He reached down and touched her lightly on the shoulder.

Katy lept to her feet, shouting in surprise and hurridly trying to straighten her clothes and wipe her bloodshot eyes. "Fucking Christ, Sammy, you scared the piss out of me!" she sniffed and wiped her snotty nose on the back of her arm.
>>
No. 239980 ID: 1578e2

>>239974
Slap her right in her filthy mout--

Nah don't do that. Just ask what is wrong and why she is crying.
>>
No. 239982 ID: d677cc

>>239974
Apologize for that. Not so much because you were in the wrong but because she seems to be a bit of a mess right now.

Ask what's wrong!
>>
No. 239988 ID: a594b9

>>239974
Sheepishly apologize, and ask what's wrong.
>>
No. 239989 ID: 69bee4

Sit down next to her, if you have tissues or something, offer them to her... or anything that might work as a corellary. Then ask whats wrong, despite probably having some clue of the answer, its important to support people and give them their peace.
>>
No. 239995 ID: 6550ad

Be shocked by her sacrilegious language, but try not make it too obvious.

Ask what's wrong. If you have any tissues with you, give her one to wipe off her tears.
>>
No. 240002 ID: 383006

"S-sorry!" Sammy stuttered, somewhat shocked. "What happened?" he asked. He really wished he had a tissue or something, but he was out of luck.

"It's nuh-uh-uthing" Katy said, trying to keep her composure and failing miserably as more tears made dark lines down the sides of her muzzle. "I f-felt real bad after I tuh-talked with you, so I wuh," she snorted, "Guh," she sobbed, reaching behind the car and digging thought a massive scuffed black purse with a rhinestone skull on the side. He could hear more sobbing and various things clattering around before she blew her nose loudly into a green square of fabric. "I'm a f-fucking mess, Sammy, just, uh, gimme a minute. W-what are you doing here anyway? Don't you r-ride the bus?"
>>
No. 240004 ID: c59f60

admit that yes you ride the bus but you felt that asking her what was wrong was more important.
>>
No. 240014 ID: a594b9

>>240002
Say yes, but you heard her crying. It wouldn't be right to just leave someone alone like that. You wanted to make sure she was alright. Um, and you should be sure she knows you weren't rejecting her outright.
>>
No. 240020 ID: 69bee4

remain ignorant.... mission accomplished!

Moving on, say yes to taking bus, but that you felt knowing she was alright was more important.
>>
No. 240021 ID: d677cc

>>240014
Pretty much this.
>>
No. 240029 ID: e31d52

"Well, I thought that being a good samaritan was more important than getting home on time. I'm sure my dad will understand."
>>
No. 240106 ID: 383006

"uh, yeah, I do," Said Sammy, "but when I heard somebody crying, I went to see if there was something I could do. I, uh. I wanted to make sure you were OK, and.. uh." Sammy wasn't too sure how to say that he wasn't rejecting her before, or if he even wanted to do anything besides help her.

Katy closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. There were tear stains on her top and her eyes were bloodshot, and her narrow chest rose and fell rythmically as she calmed herself down. She only hicoughed a couple of times as she gave him a lopsided grin. "It sucks. I, uh, I just didn't think anybody was around. You kinda caught me off guard," She looked down, "Like I was saying, I felt bad about everything, so I went to talk with Emma. Ugh. I fucked it all up, man. You don't even want to know the shit they said to me. I-I mean, I know they just pretend to be my friend, but... It was bad, OK?" She looked back at Sammy. "I dunno, it sucks. But, uh, thanks for, you know. I can, like, give you a ride home, I guess" She gave a harsh bark of a laugh, "Look at me, I look like shit. You probably just want to get out of here instead of dealing with a fuckup like me."
>>
No. 240108 ID: d677cc

>>240106
Tell her you'd like the ride home, but if she feels like she needs to talk about it more she's perfectly welcome to.
>>
No. 240110 ID: c59f60

accept her offer. you don't mind. also offer to be a real friend, and that you will try to not talk about the bible too much.
>>
No. 240122 ID: 69bee4

Everyone makes mistakes, and at least she was willing to admit she might be wrong, unlike captain assumethings-mccausescandalpants.

Give her a quick, friendly hug, she probably needs one. Accept her offer, although maybe with the caviot of being dropped off a block or two away from where you normally go... as you can explain, you don't want any trouble with the parents over missing the bus.
>>
No. 240133 ID: 56dc25

>>240106
Tell her that she should never call herself a fuckup for trying to do the right thing, even if it didn't turn out well. The fact that she tried is what matters. Smile encouragingly.

And we would appreciate a ride, yes, although if she wants to take a minute or three we wouldn't mind. After all, it's not like the car will be leaving.


...actually, she could probably drop us off at the university a lot faster than we could get there on our own, if we want to drop by and talk to that professor again.
>>
No. 240145 ID: e31d52

A ride would be most excellent.

Uh. Do you have a hankercheif?
>>
No. 240224 ID: e3f578

You know Sammy, there's something off about you and your idol. There's an untapped presence in your soul, a feeling, an expression. Jesus may have been a lion and so are you, but lemme tell you something. You don't have The Jesus in you. No, I think you are a David. Remember how David was a badass? There's this chill in the air, Sammy, and you seem to radiate a spirit similar.

David would take Emma by the horns like Goliath and set this shit straight. Hell, Jesus wouldn't take this shit. He'd get all diplomatic up in this bitch. He'd charm all the ladies into goodness. No you don't need to spread the word of Christ. You need to spread the charm of Christ.
>>
No. 240294 ID: 583d5d

"You probably just want to get out of here instead of dealing with a fuckup like me."

No, you want to help her! She needs you right now. Emma seems like a bad person, and Katy only tried helping you. Helping her get through this is the right thing to do. She seems like a good friend.

Hug her and say "Never say that about yourself." It should make her feel allot better.
>>
No. 240297 ID: 9c9284

"I don't know who taught you what it means to be a friend, and if people like Emma are your only frame of reference then I've got news for you. A true friend cares for their friends."
>>
No. 240357 ID: 8278f9

>>240297
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
>>
No. 240443 ID: 788856

"Yeah, I guess I need a ride, if you don't mind," said Sammy, scratching the back of his head. "And, uh, I don't think you're an eff up either, Katy. You were just trying to do the right thing. Those girls aren't very good freinds."

"Yeah, they're bitches," snorted Katy, pulling a slim cigarette from a crumpled package and lighting it. She blew a thin stream of smoke form her pursed lips. She leaned against the driver's door, staring off into the distance.

"Well," said Sammy, "I, uh, I don't mind talking with you, or something. If you need a friend." She looked surprised as he awkwardly embraced her. She smelled like stale smoke and sweat and Sammy could feel her short fur still slightly damp from tears. He quickly released her and surreptiously wiped his hands off as she slipped into the driver's seat.

The car had obviously been well-used. Fabric hung from the ceiling in strips and bubbles, and the gray seats were stained and dotted with cigarette burns. The dashboard was bleached and cracked, and a mass of papers and CDs were crammed under the only remaining sun screen. A mass of neclaces and bracelets hung from the rearview mirror, and the floorboards were coated with a layer of trash.

"Yeah, sorry, uh, it's kind of a mess," Katy said, blowing another cloud of smoke out of her open window. "Hey, uh, thanks for dealing with my stupid shit, Sammy." She stared out of her open window as the engine whined before finally coming to life. "You're a nice guy."

Sammy thought about Matthew 7. He had made the same sort of judgments about Katy that Emma had made about him. He didn't know what he could do about Emma, but he felt that he should do something. "Thanks, Katy. I think you're a good person too."

Katy gave another harsh bark of a laugh. "Okay, let's quit touching each others' dicks for a minute. You're going to have to tell me where to bring you and all."

She shifted the car into gear as they drove away from the empty campus.
>>
No. 240455 ID: e31d52

oh god do not let your mother see this vehicle unless you want her to have a heart attack
>>
No. 240468 ID: 56dc25

>>240443
Have her drop you at the university. You need to talk to that professor and tell him that his rock blew up. Who knows how long that'll take.

From there... well, I don't suppose that you know Mika's phone number. Making it to her house like she asked would be quite inconvenient at this point and possibly get you in trouble both socially and with your parents, should it come out; perhaps there's a student directory at your home that you could use to find it and contact her that way.

Either way, thank Katy for the ride. She's not particularly well-spoken and seems to have a fondness for a number of less than entirely proper activities, but those are little sins. Jesus said, after all, that the greatest commandment is to love one another; everything else is secondary. And Katy has shown herself to be at least less cruel than certain other girls we might name.

>>240455 is very right that your mom will not likely see things that way, though. She's very preoccupied with appearances and the surface of things.
>>
No. 240496 ID: f4963f

>>240443
Are your parents expecting you right back from school? If so, ask her to drop you off a block from your house, somewhere out of sight.

If you are not expected to be right back, then go ahead and ask her to drop you off at the university.
>>
No. 240641 ID: 788856

Sammy asked Katy to take him to the university. An easy silence settled between them as some poppy electronic music filtered from the tinny speakers. It was only a short drive to the university. Katy pulled up to the curb and dug through her purse while Sammy unbuckled his seatbelt and got ready to leave. "Here," She said, pressing a peice of paper into his palm. "It's my phone number and my email. If you want to hang out or something."

"Thanks, Katy, and thanks again for driving me here," Said Sammy, getting out.

"Ha! I fuckin' owe you Sammy. Don't worry about it." She waved, driving off into the city.

Soon enough, Sammy was in the bowels of the Kościuszko building again, knocking cautiously on Dr. Browne's door.

The office was just as cluttered and hazardous as it had been on his first visit. Dr. Browne shouted in surprise when he saw Sammy, sending an avalanche of miscellaneacy cascading from his desk and causing his towers of papers to sway dangerously.

"Sammy! You're ok! I was worried about you after that thing -" he stood, walking around the desk and pulling Sammy into the room. "Close the door, close the door. We must talk." Dr. Browne looked more rumpled than usual, and his paws were hot, almost feverish.

"I emailed you early this morning, and when I got no reply I feared the worst. First, take this," he continued, digging through his desk drawer and quickly presssing a plastic chesspeice into Sammy's paw. It was a black pawn.

"You must have questions."
>>
No. 240646 ID: 6550ad

Ask what the black pawn is for.

At this point I don't think the doctor is going to consider us crazy, and we need information, so tell him about the dream. Ask what's the meaning of it. And if the stone he gave to you did any good.
>>
No. 240649 ID: 788856

Sammy asked what the pawn was for and began to describe the dream when Dr. Browne interrupted.

"Yes, I was there for the first bit. The stone, and this pawn as well, are objects I have empowered. I can project my dreaming body to their locations while I sleep, so I was there for the first part. Right up until that ghost tore me apart," he shuddered, "I used only a little of my dreaming body last night. Otherwise it would have been visible and possibly startling to you. I only intended to investigate, you understand, to see if I could determine what, exactly, is occuring. As of yet, I have no operating theory, although I can tell you that when you sleep, you are being physically dransported to other worlds.

I suspected this might be what was occuring before, but I had to make sure it was the case." His eyes gleamed in the long shadows of the afternoon sun. Dreaming body? Empowered objects? Sammy wasn't entirely sure this was a person he should be associating with.
>>
No. 240652 ID: 6550ad

>>240649

This kind of guy isn't right up your alley, but so far is the only one that is giving you real answers. And even if it sounds crazy, you have to admit that the things happening to you at nights are too vivid to be just dreams.

Listen to what he has to tell you, even if it's just out of courtesy. I mean, we're not talking to some crazy bum, this guy is a University doctor.

Ask if the pawn is going to help him project more of his body into your dreams. And why is this happening to you, from all people.
>>
No. 240655 ID: f4963f

>>240649
Ask him what could be causing this.

Make sure he wasn't somehow physically injured from what happened in your dream last night.

Also, explain to him that you're having a hell of a time explaining dirt-filled beds and flaming goop to your parents, because you know they won't believe that you're disappearing to another world during your dreams. Ask him if he has any suggestions.
>>
No. 240680 ID: 1578e2

>>240649
Well, you are already going to hell for dabbling in the occult. Might as well enjoy the ride, Sammy.
>>
No. 240687 ID: 56dc25

>>240649
The kind of person you should be associating with is the kind of person with genuine answers to what's happening to you. If this guy has some, then unless he's actually a bad person you should be more than willing to talk with him- and he doesn't seem that bad.

Tell him that he's not looking well, and ask if he's okay. Did that ghost seriously hurt him last night?

Also, mention your horrible lack of access to online facilities except when using public computers.

>>240680
Wrong. The Bible itself has a number of points at which priests or prominent biblical figures use what can be directly described as magic and everyone continues to revere them as holy, so God can't object that strenuously. That's more Old Testament than New Testament, admittedly, but it's still so. Besides, this stuff came to Sammy; Sammy didn't come to it. That means it's either a curse or a gift, neither of which can change if someone's going to heaven.
>>
No. 240688 ID: e3f578

Panic out loud that the bible has nothing on this and you have no idea what to do.

This possibly isn't Satanic magic mumbo jumbo Sammy. You got your God in this world with all its stuff, what happens outside this world? Does God encompass outer dimensions? Let's ask about these outer worlds and his research of them, like for example, how in the hell would a university teacher know this stuff.
>>
No. 240690 ID: 788856

Sammy decided that he really didn't have much of a choice. Even if Dr. Brown was some sort of occultist, he seemed to at least have some familiarity with what was happening. Sammy hoped he could avoid dealing with anything that would imperil his soul.

"So, does the pawn help you or something? Did you get hurt last night? Why is this happening to me, anyway? It's getting harder to try and explain dirt-filled beds and supernatural goop to my parents when I wake up."

Dr. Browne's serious expression didn't change.

"I can empower any sort of small object in various ways - its nature is largely irrelevant. It is highly unpleasant to have my dreaming body destroyed, but no permanent damage has been done." He tried to smile reassuringly, but Sammy found it vaguely sinister instead. "As for dealing with your family, I cannot offer significant assistance there. Unless you can find an excuse to sleep elsewhere, perhaps. As to why this is happening to you, I haven't the faintest idea. There must have been some sort of catalyst, some kind of instability. Were you having strange dreams beforehand? Did you hear voices or find notes or messages, like something was trying to communicate with you? Something must have happened relatively recently before the first incident. I was hoping you could assist me there."

Sammy wasn't sure he should spill the beans about the train station. Things were getting dangerous, but he hadn't even told Mika that he'd gotten Dr. Browne involved in the first place.
>>
No. 240692 ID: 476456

>>240690

"Doc you ever seen those movies where the guy who's all confident he knows what he's doing with the occult and ends up being a giant fish man? Yeah, just be careful man, I like you."
>>
No. 240693 ID: 6550ad

Don't tell him for now. Next time we see Mika, we'll tell her about the doctor and maybe we can even convince her to come and have a chat with him.

For now, tell that you aren't sure, but you'll think about it.
>>
No. 240695 ID: e3f578

>>240690
Do it. Mika likes you and thinks your a cool dude. A friend of hers went missing for Pete's sake. Now you might be able to prevent that and get her friend back with this man's help, if that means breaking your promise for the sake of your life and her friends, she better understand. It's just some homeless dude to her.
>>
No. 240714 ID: b36dbd

Tell him now. You don't know when's the next time you'll get a chance to talk to Mika, and the longer you wait, the more chance you have of disappearing like her other friend.
>>
No. 240718 ID: c59f60

explain all about the place with the high=speed rusting and the thing in the blanket.
>>
No. 240720 ID: 56dc25

>>240690
Do not break your promise to Mika if at all possible. Explain about encountering a guy, and what he was like, but leave out references to where you were or who you were with, and if he presses explain that you would rather not say.

Get information on why this all matters, and what he's known about this from before. The information flow is much too one-way here, and you need to know more. How did he first encounter this kind of thing, and learn about other worlds, empowering objects, that kind of thing? Get him talking, and keep asking questions for as long as you can- up to an hour or two, if you have to. This is more than important enough to spend as much time as it takes on it.
>>
No. 240834 ID: 788856

Sammy was torn between keeping his promise to Mika and trying to find out what was as happening. As much as he hated betraying his friend, he had to get some answers before things got worse. He told about the man in the blankets and the rust, but left out Mika and where the event occurred. Of course, Dr. Browne's next questions concerned exactly that. Feeling sick at betraying his friend, he told Dr. Browne the whole story.

Doctor Browne waited until he had finished, one small paw under his chin, concentrating intently on Sammy. "We must go there. I have to know the source of the anomaly to have a chance of learning the cause of your distress. Perhaps you should collect your friend as well. Perhaps tomorrow? You are the one at risk - you decide. You have my contact information."

"Wait a second," Sammy said "I've been honest with you, so now I'd like some answers. How did he first encounter this kind of thing, and learn about other worlds, empowering objects, that kind of thing?"

The afternoon sun had faded from gold to red as dusk settled over the campus. Dr. Browne stood with his back to the window, his face masked in shadows. Even still, the light caught and shone in his eyes. He was a small fur, thin, unassuming, but Sammy shivered. "Those are questions that are irrelevant to your current troubles, Mr. Winters. I feel that the answers would be most distressing to you. Let us deal with the problems that we can solve."
>>
No. 240845 ID: e31d52

>>240834
"I've ridden in a truck through a desert that knew no light, watched strange men peddle in slaves and woken up with a coin that has lettering from no present civilization, and I've nearly been done... things... by a white THING with burning blood, not to mention the effect this has had on my life, social and at home.

"Try me."
>>
No. 240848 ID: bf1e7e

>>240834

He's probably right, Knowing how he knows these things would probably be even more dangerous. Consorting with occultists is bad enough, but I'm sure that jesus would understand. You shouldn't be asking about things that you don't need to know, that's going to far!

At this point you should probably go talk to Mika. I'm sure that she'll understand why you told Dr. Brown if you explain what happened.
>>
No. 240851 ID: 476456

>>240834
"aint no occultist wanna help someone for nothin'"
>>
No. 240852 ID: 8e18cd

>>240834

I dunno. Curiosity killed the cat, but you should politely ask for answers, since it's affecting your life. Ask the professor if he can at least advise something or explain since your last 'expedition' left have affected his family.

The more we understand what is happening, the better.
>>
No. 241019 ID: 788856

Sammy didn't really want to get involved in things he shouldn't, but he couldn't keep himself from asking a few questions.

"I've already seen some things, Dr. Browne. I was in this awful desert that had never seen light, been to a strange market where people sold slaves, not to mention what happened last night," Sammy shuddered, "I am not asking to know things I ought not to, but if you can tell me anything. These dreams have started to mess with my real life, at least tell me why you're helping me."

Dr. Browne walked over to the pile of papers that had fallen on his floor and began to sift distractedly through the papers.

"I have been traveling through portals since you were in diapers, Sammy. The world you say 'had never seen light' certainly once did. I have been to the city you probably spied in the distance more than once. Unique wares can be acquired there." He set an irregular jet-black polygon that refracted strange patterns of light onto his desk. "In some worlds, the laws of physics are different. Your body would simply disintegrate as soon as you arrived. In others, you would go mad. Trust me when I say it is better not to know." He began to stack the papers in rough piles on the desk again, setting certain ones to the side.

"As to why I am helping you," Dr. Browne continued, "I am an investigator of unusual events, as I explained previously, and what is happening to you is certainly unusual. I would like to help you get to the bottom of it. Since you are having problems with your situation at home, I suppose I could give them a call to explain to them why you are getting home so late, unless you would like to use my phone. If you have some other idea, I'm more than willing to help." He looked back up at Sammy again, a sheaf of papers in his hand, as dusk slowly filled his office.
>>
No. 241023 ID: a594b9

>>241019
Oooh maybe he should talk to our parents for us. Oh yeah and we should check our email to see if the analysis of the coin is complete.
>>
No. 241028 ID: fd6d7e

Ah, maybe the man in blankets is from another world? Dr. Browne said "In some worlds, the laws of physics are different." Maybe the man came from a world where metal rusts instantly? The portal to that world could be near the wall in that train station. That would explain how the man got there, why cans were rusting, and why you have been falling into other worlds! You went halfway into another world at the train station, and that left you wobbling in and out of focus through a fourth dimension. I wonder if it's really affected by you sleeping, or if it's simply turning around periodically at the same time every night. Tell me Sammy, what do you think about trying to stay up all night?

The professor said "In some worlds you would go mad." Maybe that's what happened to the man in blankets, which explains why he won't talk to you. Maybe his brain rusted!
>>
No. 241191 ID: 8e18cd

>>241019

Talking to our parents would be great. Oh be mention to talk to your Dad instead of mother. He's more understanding.
>>
No. 241192 ID: 6550ad

Yeah, maybe the doctor can call for us, tell Dad that we're helping him out and that's the reason we're getting home late.
>>
No. 241193 ID: f4963f

>>241019
Wait, so what are we going to tell Sammy's parents? "Your son was over here talking about the paranormal with me"?

At any rate, thank the man for his time, Sammy. We're going to owe Mika an apology, but considering your life is on the line, we can hope that she'll be understanding.
>>
No. 241233 ID: 788856

Sammy theorized that maybe the train station anomaly was a hole to another world, and maybe he got stuck half way through when he went there. asked Dr. Browne to talk to his dad. He also asked if he could use Dr. Browne's computer to check his email. The small Tibetan Fox pulled the chair out for Sammy and tapped something in to the keyboard before extracting the phone from its tomb of junk.

Sammy checked his email. He had an urgent message from Dr. Browne asking to contact him immediately, and an email from Mika. Mika said that she saw everyone messing with Sammy but couldn't really do anything about it. People complimented her, and they didn't believe her when she denied doing anything. Most of the time she was too embarrassed to say anything. She said she understood why Sammy didn't talk to her at school.

There was no email from Professor Lee.

He heard Dr. Browne talking to his dad. Browne was explaining that Sammy had come to talk more about the university and had lost track of time. He chatted in a casual, convincing tone, laughing several times. Dr. Browne wasn't looking at him. He wasn't sure if he should do anything else, or just head home.
>>
No. 241255 ID: e31d52

>>241233
We should pop by Lee's real quick and talk with his... assistant? The eager girl who we let test the coin. Maybe Brown will be able to tell us where it came from.

Also, ask Brown if there's anything we should know about that is REALLY REALLY NASTY. Warning signs. Things like that.
>>
No. 241282 ID: 56dc25

>>241233
Send a reply email to Mika, explaining what you've done, telling her about the professor and what he's said both about himself and about you, apologizing for spilling information that she asked you to keep secret but this is kind of getting to you, and asking for her support in sorting this out. Also for her phone number if you don't have it.
>>
No. 241314 ID: 383006

Sammy replies to Mika's email:

Dear Mika, I met a professor at the university named Dr. Browne that apparently has knowledge about the supernatural, and maybe even some supernatural abilities himself. He scares me, but he seems to want to help, and I don't think he'll call the police or anything. He believed me when I told him about what has been happening to me, and he sort of cornered me into breaking my promise when I tried to get more information from him. I'm sorry I broke it, and I promise I'll make it up to you. He wants to talk to you too and go visit the train station with us. I hope you understand, Sammy.

He also looks her phone number up on the internet yellow pages. He knows her name and address, after all.

Sammy thought about trying to contact Professor Lee, but remembered that he had to set up an appointment beforehand. Most of the professors had probably gone home by this point anyway.

Before he left, he asked Dr. Browne if there is anything in particular he should watch out for. The answer was not encouraging.

"There is not much sense in worrying about it, Sammy. You have no way to detect, much less defend yourself against, the more dangerous sorts of things you may encounter. Keep the pawn and I will be able to protect you more ably tonight."

With that, Sammy left. Streetlights flickered to life to push back the gathering darkness with their washed out sodium glow as Sammy made his way into the subway station. The day had been long and exhausting and he shuffled on to the dingy car happy, at least, that he wouldn't have to do any explaining when he got home. He stood with one hand on the brushed steel bar in the mostly empty carriage when he noticed Emma sitting cross legged near the font, her nose in a book.
>>
No. 241316 ID: e31d52

>>241314

Walk up behind her, and, without warning, ask if she's taking AP classes. If the awnser is positive, I'llbe very impressed.
>>
No. 241340 ID: 8e18cd

>>241314

Oh boy, here we go... Ask her why she did it. Don't mention what. Tell her that we know it was her.
>>
No. 241357 ID: 56dc25

>>241340
Even if she did totally screw us over... turn the other cheek, right? We can ask her why, tell her to stop, but it would be wrong of us to strike out at her or do more than tell her that she's doing a bad thing- the Bible is quite clear that gossiping is wrong; "A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue." In Romans, it even says that God decrees that slanderers deserve death. It's a very serious sin.

So don't lose it too much, Sammy. She might make your life suck now, but she'll be burning in hell if she doesn't change her ways, so she deserves compassion and pity. Even if pitying someone like that is kind of hard.
>>
No. 241863 ID: bf1e7e

Maybe at this point, with all the crap that has gone down today, it might be a better idea NOT to go confront Emma? I think you've dealt with enough stress for right now, it's probably best to just head home.
>>
No. 241868 ID: 1ca2ce

43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
>>
No. 241885 ID: 1ca2ce

and in another place it says
14 ¶Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
>>
No. 242085 ID: e31d52

>>241885
>>241868
Sometimes I forget how the Bible can have good advice.
>>
No. 242146 ID: f35afd

Sammy decided he shouldn't be angry with Emma - that was definitely not the Christian thing to do. Instead, he should pity her for being such a cruel, spiteful person. He felt sorry for the state of her soul. Even still, that didn't mean he should do nothing.

He walked up and touched her on the shoulder and began to speak.

Immediately, she shot from her seat, screaming and tossing her book at his face. The paperback novel went wide, fluttering past him as it thumped onto the floor of the carriage. Emma had adopted some kind of defensive stance before she recognized Sammy and stood up straight.

"What the fuck do you want, asshole?" she sneered.

The few other furs in the carriage were adults, and studiously ignoring the altercation.
>>
No. 242147 ID: e31d52

>>242146

"Just wondering how you were doing." pick up the book for her and hand it to her. "Sorry for scaring you like that."

Also check what kind of book it is. She must have been really absorbed in it - haven't you ever been deep in reading something and had someone come up behind you?
>>
No. 242148 ID: 476456

Be a gentleman, go pick up that book she threw.

while saying uh.... i dunno say something.
>>
No. 242149 ID: 1578e2

>>242144
Leviticus 24:14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
>>
No. 242150 ID: e31d52

>>242149
Man, Leviticus is the single most hateful book, isn't it?
>>
No. 242151 ID: 1854db

Calmly ask what you have done to offend her.
>>
No. 242154 ID: e3f578

>>242147
Add that you're sorry to led her to believe that you and Mika were together and that she accidentally spread a lie around school. Yeah, make it so that's your fault because oh man, that is a a mega subtle burn. And apologize for the fact that his insinuating silence led her to get in a conflict with her friend Katy. Friendship should always be treasured and he didn't want to get in the way of that.

Be sickeningly innocent Sammy. Make her change her thoughts about you by literally making you so innocent she could puke.

Say her Sin was really your Sin and that you'd like to make it up to her.
>>
No. 242156 ID: c37cd8

Stay confident, Sammy. If she insults you, you can't let her know it makes you feel bad.
>>
No. 242160 ID: f35afd

Sammy picked up the book. It had a mostly white cover with some pictures of trees and things at the bottom and was called One Hundred Years of Solitude. Sammy had never heard of it. He handed it to Emma.

"I'm sorry for scaring you like that," Sammy began, "And I'm sorry for letting you believe that Mika and I were together so that you'd accidentally spread it around school," Emma snorted derisively, "And I'm sorry that my insinuating silence caused trouble with you and Katy-"

Emma burst out laughing. "Okay, the shit is going to start coming out of your ears in a second. You can fuck the poor and the guttersluts of the world all you want, I don't care, but when the most holy pure kid in school turns into a manwhore, I'm going to tell my friends about it. How did you expect to keep this a secret, seriously? And I hope to god you used protection when you fucked Katy." She put the book quickly into her bookbag, and put her hands on the back of the plastic bus seat, looking up at Sammy.
>>
No. 242165 ID: e31d52

>>242160
"Except I didn't have sex with any of those women. Emma, I haven't had sex with anyone. Unless suddenly hanging out with someone counts as that. Hook me up to a lie detector, if you want."

She seems honestly mistaken!
>>
No. 242166 ID: 476456

"pfff you gotta prove it first"
>>
No. 242168 ID: 701a19

>>242160
"She needs Jesus in her life, and nobody else was evangelizing his glory to her. My motives are pure, and I'm not about to fall into debauchery and sin. Not with God at my side."
>>
No. 242169 ID: e3f578

Sex without Marriage is a sin. It's for babymaking I mean jeez, get with the program Emma. You got to point this shit out Sammy my boy. You follow the bible. It's a good book, a fun book. Tell her after she's done reading hers, she should start on that. Might lead to inspiration. Sounds like she into deep thinking with a book title like that. The bible is really deep.

Don't look embarrassed, frail or angry. Act so calm that she starts doubting your incapable of lying... well anyway. Just be kind, she'll get more hella confused.
>>
No. 242172 ID: fd6d7e

>>242169

Yeah, but where does the bible say sex without marriage is a sin? Sure it tells you to kill people who have sex with someone's wife, or maybe just pay him back for it I forget, but if she's not married, then it's okay!
>>
No. 242195 ID: 1578e2

>>242160
"She's scaled inside too it's crazy woman. You wouldn't have been able to say no any more than I could -- and don't even get me started on that Katy bitch. Woo!"

Go ahead and act like you don't care, Sammy, maybe it will take the fun out of making fun of you.
>>
No. 242196 ID: 0b2a05

"Wanting it to be true doesn't change the fact that it isn't."
>>
No. 242197 ID: e31d52

>>242195


>8I
>>
No. 242199 ID: 716eb0

>>242172
Actually, what the bible says is that if you have sex with someone, you are married to them. The public ceremony means jack shit, its the consumating the marriage that comes after it that matters. So no, having sex outside of marriage is not a sin unless, you do it with two different people, or your partner has done it with someone else before.
>>
No. 242221 ID: e31d52

>>242199
... Huh.

Learn something new every day.
>>
No. 242513 ID: d8aa80

Sammy believed that sex outside of marriage was sinful. His church taught that there were prohibitions against fornication and sexual immorality in 1 Corinthians, and the only approval of sexual activity was in the context of marriage. He personally always thought that sex was by its very nature dirty and gross, but he was pretty sure that was not his church's position at all.

"Both of those people had souls in peril, Emma, and I was ministering to them. I'm not about to fall into debauchery and sin. Aren't you just jumping to conclusions and wildly guessing anyway? The bible has a lot to say about that kind of thing. It's a good book." Sammy felt pretty calm, and Emma seemed more confused than anything. She cocked her head to the side and gestured as if clearing cobwebs from the air.

"Wait, wait a second. Are you saying that you are such a freak than when I even implied you'd had sex with somebody that it turned you into a mute, blusing retard? Because that is hilarious."

Well, Sammy supposed that was better than her thinking things that weren't true. "I, I guess you could put it that way," he said.

"Wow," Emma said, staring at him dumbfounded, "Just.. wow. Well, sorry I guess. Not a lot I can do now, though."
>>
No. 242530 ID: e973f4

>>242513
Holy crap, you got an actual apology out of her.
>>
No. 242531 ID: ef5f86

>>242513
"S'okay- what's "One hundred years of solitude about," ?"
>>
No. 242536 ID: f03589

Ah, shucks- she's being mean about it, but she's apologizing. That's more then I expected
Accept her apology, ask her about the book she's reading, correlate to things you've read to if you see parallels. Try not to bring th bible in too much- you'll make her think you've only read the good book.
Yes, he reads the Good Book, from fri' till monday- that's how the weekend goes
>>
No. 242554 ID: 6550ad

Well, she's not so bad after all. She wasn't conciously spreading lies, she honestly believed the shit she was saying about you. Now she might go telling everybody that you're a prudish retard, but hey, you can't win them all.

Say that it's ok and ask about the book, "One Hundred Years of Solitude".
>>
No. 242555 ID: e31d52

>>242513
Tell her she can at least play damage control: She's in a position to do so, at least.
>>
No. 242563 ID: fd6d7e

>>242513

Okay, now we're getting somewhere! Sammy's pastor told him exactly what sex is and that it is expressly forbidden. Sammy has probably never thought to check in Corinthians 1 exactly what Paul has been saying about it, because it never was a problem before, but now that he's surrounded by temptresses, he probably feels that he should take a closer look at that section of the bible.
>>
No. 242589 ID: e5665b

>>242563
1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
>>
No. 242590 ID: 365adf

>>242513
"You could be less of a crazy, rumor-mongering bitch, you loose-lipped std-ridden whore."
>>
No. 242621 ID: bf1e7e

>>242555

Of course, she probably doesn't WANT to do that.

>>242590

Don't do this. This is not a very christian thing to do. At all.
>>
No. 242624 ID: e3f578

Sammy's reputation will be fine now. More people will ask her more about it and she'll just say "Oh, I got it wrong. Sammy's a heavy-duty christian nutjob. Wouldn't even let a fly land on his junk. He started preaching towards me and everything. It was pretty weird, wasn't mad at all at what I said. Just sorry that he led me to believe that when my suggestion embarrassed the fucker."

Then it will get around. She'll spread it around school even if she doesn't intentionally do it. It will slip out one way or the other. Sammy's done good enough damage control. No one will give a fuck in a few days anyway, students getting laid isn't really that all a big deal if people don't assume the person is a whore, like Katy.

The real problem is if if someone notifies the parents of the rumor than Sammy's home life will go to shit as his Mom forces him to wash his balls off. Dad will still continue to be a cool bro though probably get real tense about protection and say he should wait for marriage, the basic talk.
>>
No. 242682 ID: e5665b

Kid- little off topic, but you ever hear of a guy called HP Lovecraft?
>>
No. 242843 ID: 1854db

Oh well... we did the best we could. Still not going to try to make friends with Emma, but things will gradually improve from here on.
>>
No. 242862 ID: 1578e2

>>242621
>not very christian

Really? Chiding someone for their sins isn't christian? Here I was thinking that's what half the bible was about.
>>
No. 242938 ID: e3f578

>>242862
Jesus was never a total dick about it. He just said it was best overall for humanity to stop sinning for both their afterlife and mortal life. Something about less sinning keeping shit less complicated or something.
>>
No. 242967 ID: e31d52

>>242862
Jesus was always pretty damn chill.

Well, that is, until they turned a temple into a market, but that was understandable.
>>
No. 243446 ID: d8aa80

Sammy was surprised that he'd gotten an apology at all, and decided not to press his luck by asking for any more help. He asked her what her book was about, but didn't question further when she said he wouldn't get it. Sammy didn't read very much anywawy, especially not fiction books.

He decided that if he was really curious about his church's stance on sex, he could talk to Reverend Paula about it. He had more important things to worry about. Emma went back to reading and Sammy enjoyed the silence for the rest of the trip.

It was dark when he walked down the sidewalk past the cheery houses in his subdivision. He could hear crickets chirping, vauge sounds of people talking through the warm glow coming from shaded windows. He quietyly opened the back door and walked from the deepening gloom into the bright, white light of his Mom's empty kitchen. The kitchen was spotless, gleaming under the bright neon lights. It was silent except for the air conditioner's quiet hum, and a plate of food had been left for him in the refrigerator. He could vaguely hear music drifting from the dark opening to the den and guessed his dad was listening to the radio in the living room. He could imagine his mom in her room upstairs, and Becca watching TV in her room.

He was relieved that he wouldn't have to explain anything to his parents, but it had been a long day without many freindly faces. The empty, sterile kitchen with only the clink of his fork on the plate and vague sounds of other life drifting from the dark doorway to the living room only sharpened his sense of separation from the world.

He cleaned his plate and put it away, stopping at the doorway before he went upstairs to shower. Sammy wondered if there were any preparations he should take or anyone he should talk to before he went to bed.
>>
No. 243448 ID: 365adf

>>243446
Rubber sheets, you little bed-wetter.
>>
No. 243452 ID: 6550ad

Same as the last night, I guess. Fully clothed, knife, flashlight, pencil, paper,stone and pawn... Because you didn't lose the knife, right?

And yeah, put something over the sheets in case things get "wet" again.
>>
No. 243454 ID: c37cd8

You could talk to your sister, rumors are a normal teenage problem after all.
>>
No. 243455 ID: 8e18cd

>>243448

Sounds like a good idea
>>
No. 243459 ID: 365adf

>>243446
Stupid jokes aside though, Sammy, you might want to sleep on the floor or something. As you said before, you are running out of excuses.
>>
No. 243461 ID: c6916c

>>243459
It's a bit late now, but we might want to consider buying a sleeping bag or something for the coming nights. Something we can wrap up and hastily shove under our bed. Perhaps a towel too, so we can mop off things like flaming goop without waking up our parents at 5 AM.

Actually, a towel sounds like a good provision to have nearby when you wake up. Your family certainly has spare towels somewhere, don't they?
>>
No. 243475 ID: d024cd

>>243446
Why don't you go talk to your sister?
See how she's doing?
By the way, why is she in a rolling chair?
>>
No. 243516 ID: 383006

Sammy decided he'd get some towels from the upstairs bathroom before he went to bed. He didn't have his knife anymore, or the stone, but he could get a pen, paper, pawn and his flashlight before he went to sleep.

Sammy went to talk with his sister, Becca. He walked through the quiet darkness of the den. His father's massive shadow reclined in his favorite chair, while classical music drifted softly through the air. Sammy could make out slow, calm breathing, barely audible, as he slipped quietly down the hallway that separated the den from the rest of the house.

The master bathroom was closed and dark, and dim light from the streetlamps outside filtered through the open doorway of the computer room to his right. He saw a hard line of light against the carpet beneath Becca's closed door.

He walked closer, listening, and heard low chatter from the TV. He knocked lightly, and when she shouted for him to come in, he opened the door.

Becca was 21, but her room was mostly decked out in whites and pinks. A large mechanical hospital bed dominated one side of the room, with a heavy wooden dresser and coffee table crammed against the far wall. A small entertainment center with a TV and stereo stood across from the bed. When Becca was a senior in high school, her Muscular Dystrophy transformed her from a thin but healthy girl into a cripple. Instead of college, she stayed home. Sammy wasn't sure who really decided to keep her at home, and she smiled less and less every year. Mom and Dad gave her her own TV and didn't care when she used the computer. They were glad when she began to make friends online, although they still monitored her activity.

"What's up, Sam?" She asked, almost buried in the blankets, pillows and stuffed animals that cascaded off the gigantic bed.
>>
No. 243518 ID: 6550ad

Say that you've had a tiresome day and some troubles in school and you didn't feel like going to bed without having a word with someone friendly.

Ask how's she doing.
>>
No. 243561 ID: 476456

;_;
>>
No. 243588 ID: c37cd8

Just so you keep this in mind, going to bed without seeing a parent is a bad idea. They'd be much more likely to check on you.
>>
No. 243609 ID: ee2e76

>>243516
"I'm "kay- how're you?"
>>
No. 243615 ID: ee2e76

>>243516
"I know that this kind of tedious, but can I ask for your advice?
There's this girl in school..."
>>
No. 245714 ID: 383006

A gathering of stuffed animals stared blankly into space as Sammy asked Becca how she was doing and then explained the problems he'd been having at school with Emma and Katy. Becca listened without saying much, tiny and lost in the vast mountain of pastels. The scented candles in the room couldn't completely mask the pervasive smell of antiseptics.

Over the course of Sammy's narrative, he could see Becca focus on his face, her expression changing from bland indifference to focused interest. When he stopped, she was smiling, gesturing with her frail, almost skeletal paws as she passed down some advice from her time as a girl in High School.

"Well, Sam, looks like you aren't going to have too easy a time about all this. I don't think Emma 's going to help you out in any kind of meaningful way, and I bet Katy's getting it worse than you were now. For somebody like Mika, it's probably not so bad. She's probably never gotten any attention at all from anybody and she's probably getting mostly sort of positive attention, really. I'm sure there are plenty of girls at school who want to sleep with you."

Sammy blushed, and was thankful for his concealing fur.

"Anyway, Even if Emma said something, it wouldn't matter. The truth isn't nearly as interesting as the story that Emma told, and people will keep passing on the more exciting lie. Sorry, it's just how people work. Most people won't be doing it out of malice or anything, it's just that it's a jucy tidbit or whatever, so they'll keep talking about it. Even if Emma did say something, it'll just keep the conversations going because people will talk about who is lying and who is telling the truth and all. Sorry I can't help you Sam. It just kind of sucks. Just try not to let it get to you I guess."

She sank back down into the bed, her smile fading, "Thanks for coming to talk with me Sam."

"Thanks for listening, Becca," he said, "I'd better get to bed."

"Well, I'm here if you need me," she said.

He walked back into the dark hallway, slowly closing the door behind him. As he made his way through the den, he didn't see Dad's massive shadow anymore, and the radio was off. They must be in bed already.

He quickly showered and slipped into his room with several dry towels. He didn't know if he'd be able to sleep on the floor, but his bed would probably be OK if he put the towels on top. He remembered to write his last dream down in the journal in his desk drawer, and put another pen and some more paper in his pocket. He had his mag light, a pen and some paper, and the pawn. Laying on top of the sheets and towels, wearing shorts and sandals again, he tossed and turned for some time before finally drifting off to sleep.

****

Sammy stood on one side of a massive, open plaza. Golden towers and less-identifiable structures spun into fantastic shapes all around him. A blank, white emptiness loomed over the panorama instead of a sky. Tall, impossibly thin towers linked with bridges and catwalks that swept in thin, graceful curves, short, round gleaming domes and spires, other shapes he found it difficult to understand. All gleamed, like gold or glass. Opposite him, across the plaza, a massive structure dominated the landscape. It was made of multiple concentric walls, some with unfinished, domelike roofs all nested inside of each other and rotated at odd angles. It seemed like there was some sort of structure in the center, but he couldn't clearly make it out. Whatever it was, it seemed to be waiting expectantly for someone to enter.

The area was utterly silent. No wind blew through the streets and the air was slightly cool. All Sammy could hear was his own breathing, and all he could smell was his own nervous perspiration. The infinite white void overhead seemed to produce some soft light that illuminated everything with a diffuse shadowless glow.

He could barely make out some kind of figure across the plaza, near the giant structure. It looked like roughly two thirds of a large statue made out of some dull gray metal, some sort of relatively simplistic armored figure. He guessed that before its destruction it had originally been maybe three times his height. Whatever had destroyed it had been cataclysmic - large chunks of the metal statue littered the area around it, and there were black scorch marks on what he figured was the impact zone.
>>
No. 245715 ID: e31d52

>>245714
Move slowly and carefully: How recent does all this look? Furthermore, can you tell whether this was intended or a work of nature? (Or, hey, both, God works everywhere, right? Maybe he was destroying an icon of worship he found particularily blasphemous.) Lastly, how recently have others been here? Is there dust?


Does it look like the Slave Bazaar?
>>
No. 245716 ID: 6550ad

Walk towards the statue and take a closer look. Also keep the pawn in your paw and look around as you walk, maybe you can see if there's any sign of the Professor nearby.
>>
No. 245798 ID: f4963f

>>245714
Approach the building... carefully.

Are there no other people around, Sammy? Just a city with no inhabitants?
>>
No. 245887 ID: 383006

The slap of Sammy's sandals echoed across the empty space as he cautiously stepped out into the plaza. There was no dust anywhere to be seen, no signs of decay, but the entire place was entirely abandoned. Maybe it had never been inhabited at all. The ground was a single smooth expanse of orange stone, broken up with brilliant flecks of metallic reds and yellows. The huge structure did not look damaged or broken, only incomplete, like a conglomerate of half-finished ideas.

He could see inside some of the nearby structures where they had open doorways or convoluted, bubbled windows. The rooms were mostly empty and where they had objects or furniture inside, Sammy couldn't discern any apparent purpose. He certainly didn't see the normal signs of clutter and habitation. The silence was stultifying, but he was afraid to speak. His sandals and his breathing seemed obscenely loud.

"I think I know where we are," the quiet whisper came from behind him, and Sammy spun, shouting before quickly clamping his muzzle shut. He saw a translucent, ghostly shape that resembled Dr. Browne shimmering in the air behind him. Long wisps of blue fog trailed away from his ears and fingertips as he moved, as if his substance was constantly generating and disappearing into the aether. "I did not mean to startle you," the ghostly figure said, "and you can see now why I did not use my entire body when I decided to investigate last night." Sammy had to agree. If he had seen this thing in the dark fog of the mountain valley, he probably would have screamed and fled. Two black spots roughly indicated where eyes should be, with a shadowy mouth that shifted and leaked mist making up the only features on the face.

"This is the Well of Worlds," it said, dribbling more blue mist, "I have heard of it, but never expected to see it in person. It is a powerful theoretical tool, capable of restructuring entire realities, but extremely dangerous at the same time. It may be safe to inspect the citadel that houses it," one ghostly mitten of a paw indicated the huge structure dominating the courtyard, "but do not try to operate it. Unless you are extremely strong willed, it will alter you permanently if you attempt to use it, possibly erasing you from existence."
>>
No. 245888 ID: e31d52

>>245887
Wow okay that's awesome.

But let's not even look. It might try to tempt us! This is all so strange...
>>
No. 245891 ID: f4963f

>>245887
Hmm. Let's walk around the perimeter of the building and keep a quiet conversation up with the professor. If his knowledge is any indication, this should be one of the few benign dreams we've had.
>>
No. 245894 ID: 6550ad

Head towards the citadel and look for an entrance. Ask the professor about the inhabitants of this world. Where are they, if they even exists anymore.
>>
No. 245902 ID: 1854db

I wonder if Emma's friend found this place too, and got erased?

I think we should look at that thing that has scorch marks around it.
>>
No. 245912 ID: e3f578

Sammy has the power of god on his side, his will is mighty
>>
No. 245937 ID: fd6d7e

>>245912

Yeah, uh, mighty and all, but probably best to leave reality warping wells for God to deal with. Sounds more like His sort of territory.

Any inhabitants probably got destroyed by the well... something like that can't be safe to live next to.
>>
No. 245941 ID: 476456

>>245887

"yo doc i'm just kind of winging it, anywhere in particular we should make our way to?"
>>
No. 245992 ID: d8aa80

Sammy continued walking forward across the empty courtyard. He decided to inspect the metal statue before he looked into the "citadel" that housed the Well.

Dr. Brown continued "I believe the Well could be used to repair the anomaly that has infected your true body, but in this form I cannot operate it, and I would strongly caution you to leave it well enough alone."

Sammy inspected the statue. A harsh, metallic stink suffused the area, and the ground was scorched and black in places. Warped fragments of some thick material that looked like plastic were scattered near the impact sites. He noticed something else as well. Meat. Dried blood and chunks of flesh lay near the broken fragments of the statue. Something else was strange, something was embedded in the center of the figure. More dried blood, wet organs, and meat. Someone had been embedded in the middle of the figure. The metal was almost two feet thick around the gruesome remains. Someone had been trapped in the center of this thing. Sammy vomited noisily on the ground, his retching echoing across the courtyard. He'd never seen a dead anything before.

Dr. Browne's ghost was inspecting something nearby.

"This looks like lead to me." He said, seemingly unperturbed by the gruesome scene. "And here, it's some sort of book" He was pointing to a massive tome, also made of metal, scorched and lying nearby. "It appears to be made entirely of lead as well. Who could need such a useless thing? It's too heavy to even open. There is a weapon here too, but making it out of a metal that soft is useless. It would be too heavy to lift in any case" He pointed out what looked like a massive lead maul. Looking at the strange artifacts helped to calm Sammy - he could focus on the mystery forget about the corpse.

"Why isn't there anyone here?" he asked, moving away from the remains.

"People do not come here to live. This entire city," He waved a trailing, misty appendage toward the fantastic skyline, "Was created through the operation of the Well itself. It is a product of imagination. This whole area sits in a null space between worlds. Nothing here changes without direct intervention. Everything is perfectly preserved as it was when the last thinking creatures were here."
>>
No. 245995 ID: f4963f

>>245992
It looks as though someone's possessions were turned to lead.

Let's leave the well alone for now and try opening the book despite its weight, hm?

Ask the professor what else he knows about the Well of Worlds.
>>
No. 246023 ID: 1854db

I think someone tried to create a golem body type thing by going 'inside' it but their imagination produced an undesirable result.

Check out the book a little then let's go visit the Citadel thing.
>>
No. 246026 ID: 6550ad

You could try and open the book, but it's probably going to be too heavy to even open, like the professor said.

Check out the citadel.
>>
No. 246147 ID: 383006
File 128753875338.jpg - (172.96KB , 900x700 , Well.jpg )
246147

Sammy tried to lift the book, but he couldn't even move the cover. It was a solid piece anyway - he didn't see how anyone could move it without bending it. The pages looked like individual sheets though. It seemed totally pointless. What really worried him the most were the massive trauma and scorch marks. It looked like someone had fired explosives at it. Repeatedly.

The corpse made Sammy uncomfortable. He decided to go inside, where he couldn't see it. Once he passed the outer shell, he could clearly see the strange device at the center. It was a mass of shining orbs and disks supported on long, complex armatures. In the center, a circle of bright light bubbled and writhed. The device was silent and still, laying in a disjointed array, but Sammy felt a tense sense of expectancy, as if the whole massive device was just waiting to be put in motion again. It gleamed in the shimmering white glow from the radiant pool, casting strange, broken shadows on the multilayered ceilings.

"This is it," Said Browne, "The Well of Worlds. A conceptual device that can alter reality. The only way to reach it is through a series of portals called the 'well road.' If we journey here in person, perhaps I can cure you." They both stood silently, gazing up at the massive device. "The worlds linked along the Well Road are apparently passing strange, and once you begin to walk it, it can be difficult to return. Perhaps we can find another way once I go to the train station with you and your friend. Perhaps, but it seems doubtful."
>>
No. 246156 ID: fd6d7e

oooooh shiiiiiiny
>>
No. 246162 ID: f4963f

>>246147
Getting to this place in person, hm?

This implies that travel is somehow possible from the real world. Ask the professor more about that. Even if it is going kind of in a weird direction for us.
>>
No. 246163 ID: 476456

I'm not sure letting him near the well is necessarily a great idea..
>>
No. 246166 ID: f4963f

>>246163
I kind of agree. I have bad vibes about that.
>>
No. 246375 ID: 383006

Sammy wasn't sure he wanted Dr. Browne to come here, but on the other hand, if it was a possible way to cure his condition, he had to at least consider it. Light played across both their bodies from the frothing pool.

"so, we could actually travel here from the real world? How?"

The ghostly figure laughed, "Real world? This world is just as real, no, more real, than the place we call home. It is an intersection that can alter the conceptual nature of things, after all. The myriad universes and existences all intersect through certain areas that certain individuals can discern and open. The Well Road is more difficult to find. We need to find some kind of unstable space - a tear or crack that leads to no place in particular. Pick up a scrap of something and take it with you before you are shunted back to our reality. You will need a physical object to concentrate on that relates to your destination. If we are successful, we could end up quite close to here on the Well Road."
>>
No. 246392 ID: fd6d7e

He's only vomiting blue ectoplasm. Seems totally legit.
>>
No. 246407 ID: f4963f

>>246375
I'm willing to bet that the train station is one such crack in reality- sorry, in your world, Sammy.

Go find an object to take with you. The book will probably be too heavy to be practical, as will the weapon. The statue fragments might be small enough, if you can stomach being in the area for long.

If there's anything small and readily available, go for it.
>>
No. 246610 ID: ae306f

Sammy left the Well, looking around the area near the corpse. He found a shard of the hard, plastic-like material. It was warped by heat and blackened. He had no idea what it was a piece of. The material was solid, roughly two inches thick, and a deep reddish-green throughout. He put it in his pocket.

Sammy spent the remainder of his time wandering through the city. The entire place, abandoned (no, he reminded himself, never inhabited), the fantastic shapes, gave way eventually to a wide field. The field was filled with vibrant colors that flowed gently in the still air, but they were indistinct smears, like an impressionist's painting. The whole mass behaved like a field of grass or tiny flowers, and it was cool and slightly damp when he touched it. The field extended perhaps a hundred yards before fading gradually into white nothingness. "What is over there?" he asked.

Dr. Browne's ghost shrugged. "Everything. Nothing. This area exists between and is connected simultaneously to all other worlds. Walking into that white nothingness could bring you home or tear you to pieces."

Sammy stood in the field of colors, staring into that incomprehensible white nothingness, until the world began to blur and shift, and he found himself back in his room.

****

Sammy quickly folded the towels and put them back on the rack before getting ready for class. He wrote down his last two dreams in the journal and put the fragment, roughly four inches long, into his desk drawer along with the pawn. He felt calm, for once. Although what he had seen was thought-provoking and strange, at least it hadn't been some horrible nightmare world. He could relax.

He went into the kitchen and sat down to eat breakfast with his family for the first time in three days. The family ate bacon and eggs together in a comfortable silence. Dad's chair creaked as he leaned back with his coffee over his empty plate. "So, Sammy, you must be pretty excited, huh? Big day in just a couple of weeks."

Sammy's chewing slowed. He tried to imagine what Dad could be talking about. The school year was coming to an end. He'd been so busy that he hadn't been paying too much attention. What could be...

"Have you thought about who you're going to ask? We can go pick out a suit."

Mom frowned. "He doesn't have to go to that thing if he doesn't want to"
>>
No. 246611 ID: bf1e7e

>>246610

They're probably talking about your prom, Sammy. Just tell them that you haven't really thought about it, since we all know that you haven't.

It's probably best to focus on your current problems before worrying about who to ask to Prom.
>>
No. 246613 ID: 365adf

>>246610
The appropriate response is screaming about how girls are filthy and Jesus doesn't want you touching no touching no don't touch never touch never
>>
No. 246641 ID: 1854db

>>246610
Oh, the prom. Any girls you have your eye on, Sammy? Romantic relationships are perfectly normal, you realize. Even if sex is gross... you can still bathe afterwards y'know.
>>
No. 246650 ID: 8ff26a

Sex isn't gross. You guys are so mean to Sammy, you should be trying to normalize him, if only a little. Hey Sammy, your hero Jesus? He hung out with prostitutes. Back then you were expected to have sex, it's the Roman Catholic church that decided to make all sorts of rules about it.
>>
No. 246658 ID: e3f578

Man I think we should totally just go to the dance because cool ol' Dad recommends it and mean ol' Mom is being all too protective of you
>>
No. 246661 ID: e31d52

>>246658
Foreal, man.
>>
No. 246680 ID: 56dc25

>>246658
I'm with that. Dad offers encouragement, generally, while Mom's overly controlling and dismissive of Sammy's capabilities and maturity. Therefore, go with Dad's advice by default in all situations.

Say that you'd like to go, but you haven't decided who to ask yet. You probably should.
>>
No. 247211 ID: 6550ad

If he's talking about the prom, tell Dad that you would love to go, but you don't have a girl to go with, because you're a big nerd very shy.
>>
No. 247482 ID: 1578e2

>>246610
Honestly though, if you want to dip The Old Barbed One into that Pangolin Hole, I'm sure Mika would appreciate an invite to the prom more than women who "are pretty" or "don't smell" or "aren't filthy".

But in reality, Sammy, you have bigger problems. Just fob it off with not having any women you are interested in taking at the moment, and preferring to focus on your studies or something. Makes you sound like a good kid that isn't going to end up with Pangolions too early in life.
>>
No. 248504 ID: ee38fb

>>246610
Oooh, prom?
Why didn't you tell us?
You should invite that pretty wolf girl you met?
>>
No. 267144 ID: b7798b

Prom! With everything that had happened to him recently, Sammy had forgotten completely. Thinking about it, he decided that maybe he should listen to Mom less and Dad more, and if Dad wanted him to go, he probably should. Mom had specifically forbidden him to see Mika again, so he didn't really see a way to ask her. Asking Katy had its own set of problems. She was nice to him, sure, but he didn't really know if he liked her very much. She was very, to put it nicely, coarse, and he was afraid of giving her the wrong idea.

Besides, he had more important things to worry about. He muttered something about not really knowing who he was going to ask yet, and then slipped outside into the warm morning air, away from the delicious scents of breakfast and into the predawn morning.

As he waited for the bus, he wondered what he should do about the more important situation: The Well of Worlds and Dr. Browne. He'd sent Mika the email about contacting Dr. Browne, and he knew Browne wanted to both meet with her and go to the train station to investigate, but he wasn't entirely sure Dr. Browne's motives were innocent or entirely focused on helping Sammy. Even so, the Well seemed like the only lead he had to curing his condition.

The bus trip passed in silence. Familiar smells and sounds filtered past him as he neared the school building and he wondered what he should do about his increasingly-tangled life.
>>
No. 267168 ID: 8bbd68

You said it yourself, Katy is nice, your mother won't have problems with her. If you're going at all, best to ask her. Whether or not it's giving her the 'wrong idea' is something else to think about another time.

... Maybe you should go see Katy before doing anything else.
>>
No. 267169 ID: f5e4b4

>>267144

Don't get stressed out about the prom, you don't have to make a choice yet and we'll see how things develop with Mika and/or Katy.

Talking about Mika, you should see her after class and ask if she read your email and what does she think of it, and if she wants to go see Dr. Browne with you.
>>
No. 267174 ID: f5e4b4

>>267168

>O.C.D. mother.

>Telling her that we're going to the prom with the smoker girl with reputation of being a slut.

Clearly nothing can go wrong!

Just leave your mother alone. Talk to your dad if you need to talk with an adult about it.
>>
No. 267287 ID: b7798b

Sammy arrived at school, thinking about Prom as well as the issue of Dr. Browne as the classes drifted past. Her was fairly certain that his mom would definitely have a problem with Katy too. Just the smoking or the car would be enough. The reputation would probably give her a stroke. He couldn't really think of a way of handling the situation with either her or Mika very well. Maybe he should just ask somebody else entirely or just not go, as disappointing as that would be to Dad - and maybe to himself, just a little.

When he had the opportunity, Sammy made his way down the quiet, antiseptic halls to to check his email. He glanced around nervously in the hot, cramped computer lab before placing his claws on the disturbingly sticky keyboard and opening his inbox. Still no reply from Professor Lee, but he did have something from Mika. The fans hummed softly as he read.

Sammy, I'm not sure what to think, but I trust you. I was mostly afraid of cops or something arresting him. You said you were scared of this guy. I want to be there when you go with him. Promise me you'll keep him from hurting the guy. I want you to promise. Mika

He thought about what he should say to her, as well as what he should tell Dr. Browne. Today? Tomorrow? Never? He surely couldn't let his condition persist.
>>
No. 267295 ID: 8bbd68

The less she knows, the better. And she knows the least about Katy right now.

Go tomorrow, because by then everyone should be all ready, no problems, nothing comes up and stops anyone going. Besides, for all you know Katy might want to go with you... maybe.
>>
No. 267296 ID: f6360f

>>267287
>prom and what your life is supposed to be
Aren't there any girls who have legitimately caught your eye, Sammy? Someone cute and seemingly a nice person in something vaguely resembling your social class, who your dad would approve of and your mom would probably disapprove of because she's a- erm, 'honor thy mother' aborts that thought- but at least wouldn't completely blow a fuse over? Maybe someone you've met at bible study or something.

If not... well, finding someone in the remaining time isn't impossible, but it's probably not going to be the easiest thing in the world. Start mentally running through candidates in your spare time.

>Mika's email and the horrible wreck that your life actually is
Tell her that you will make sure she's there if at all possible, and that you'll try to see that no one gets hurt... but that you're not sure what exactly Dr. Browne can do, as he's bizarre, enigmatic, and vaguely intimidating. Evidence would suggest that once he starts something, you might not be able to stop him and you're not willing to make a promise you might prove unable to keep.

All you can promise is that you'll do your best, try to do the right thing, and trust that God has given you the gifts to succeed.

Set up the meet for tomorrow after school, and email Mika and Dr. Browne about it. You might consider asking Dr. Browne to provide transportation, as he likely has a car and you had a rather nasty time getting there the first time. It could also speed things up immensely.
>>
No. 267339 ID: f5e4b4

>>267296

Pretty much this. See if you can remember some nice girl, maybe from sunday school you could go to the prom with.

Going with Katy or with Mika would be cute, but for now let's not count on it. It would blow the situation up, and not just with your mother, but with everyone else in the school. Your life is chaotic enough already as it is.

And yeah, set an apointment with Mika and Browne for tomorrow. If you could email Browne and convince him to drive you there it would also avoid anyone seeing you going to the slums. We had enough of that shit already.
>>
No. 267345 ID: bffa2a

Why are you worried about prom? You are going to die alone in some kind of hell and the only person that says he might have a slight chance of saving you probably took the devil to his prom. I wonder if god can even retrieve your soul from this hell you go to every night, I don't think he did for that ghostly girl. You are going to die. Die alone. There will be no afterlife for you.

Also, I think Mika just thinks of you as a friend and nothing else or that's the vibe I've got from her so far. I wouldn't be suprised if she has someone already to take her there, if she wants to go at all. Katy most likely has no trouble at all of getting a date and you two only just got to know each other so I can't even imagine why she would go with you. Really, it's your last days on earth and you should just spend that on how you want people to remember you. Last moments with your family and friends before you dissapear or dithering about a prom that you will never reach.

Tell Browne tommorrow. Tell Mika you want to talk about things with her today since she's the only one who knows and that you are going to die. Also to discuss that if push comes to shove does she really want to give a promise that involves cutting ties to the slight chance you might have. Not that you would let anyone hurt anyone willingly, that's just not christian. Send Katy your email and cell number with a text explaining that yes you would like to get to know her if she can put up with your eccentricities. There, now you can get to know the people in your life and keep up with your delusions of a prom.
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No. 267355 ID: b7798b

Sammy sent emails to both Dr. Browne and Mika.

Dr. Browne; I will talk with Mika today, but with or without her we will go to the train station tomorrow. If you can help with my parents and provide a car, I would really appreciate it. Thank you for your help, Sammy

He had to think a little harder for Mika's

Dear Mika, I don't know if I can make a promise, but I'll do what I can. I don't want anybody to get hurt. Dr. Browne wants to meet you too. I told him we would all go to the train station tomorrow. I also want to talk with you about some things today if you can. Thanks, Sammy

Sammy also sent his email to Katy. He didn't have a cell phone and didn't know if he should send her his home phone.

He didn't know what good it would do. As he sat staring at the glowing monitor, he realized that he would probably never see prom. He was going to die the same way that Mika's friend did - disappear forever. Would he end up like the ghost he'd found? A mad, cold wandering spirit? Could God hear him in those horrid worlds he'd seen?

"Hey!" He jumped in his seat, turning quickly and almost upsetting his chair.

"Did I scare you?" It was the high, atonal voice of his friend Clayton. The skinny Viscacha adjusted his gray vest as he sat down next to Sammy.

"I haven't seen you in forever. Hey, you know who you should ask to prom? Are you going to prom? I'm asking Marcelia Koepsell to prom so you should totally ask her sister. You remember, from church?"

Sammy was too shocked to interrupt the torrent of language, so he let Clayton continue. He remembered Maricela's sister, though. He thought her name was Margery, a long fingered bat that went to his church. He remembered her being nice. She always smelled like shampoo. Maybe it would be better to ask her than either Katy or Mika. It was all so complicated.

"Yeah, I was talking to Marcelia last night and she said that her sister thought you were cute," Clayton pushed his glasses up from the end of his snout, "anyway we could all go together. Oh, and hay! I was talking to Reverend Paula and she said you were going to be helping in the food thing down across the tracks tomorrow! That's so cool. I'm pretty surprised you want to do it though, because of the poor people and the d..." Clayton stammered to a stop, embarrassed, and flattened his long ears against his head. "I mean, er..." The awkward silence began to stretch while Sammy struggled to arrange his thoughts.
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No. 267365 ID: bffa2a

d.. what d.. what? What was he saying, I want to know. Just when it was getting intresting. Tommorow? that's nice. You can do your final good deed and then probably face losing your soul forever.

The poor aren't poor because they diss god. It's the capitalist system that is wholly against god and creates the squalid conditions that breeds heretical thoughts of gods abscence. Hey, bit like your current condition. And you're there to show a little light in hopes that their dark conditions won't crush their souls. Yes, you are a little intimitated but after what you've been through it's nothing.

I'll tell you the truth. I wouldn't bring anyone else in this miserable existance then those already involved lest what you go through befall on them. Say you'll think about it and don't. If you somehow survive, you won't, then you can start thinking about forming a couple with a devout virgin and have sex only when you want kids. Now you'll just break their heart or worse when you dissapear. Is that a memory you want to leave?
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No. 267511 ID: f6360f

>>267365
>Are you actively trying to drive Sammy into madness and depression? Because while I have no real objection, could take the story to interesting places, I'd like to know if that's the end we're shooting for here.

>>267355
Thank Clayton for the tip regarding Margery, though. And make sure you have her name right before you even consider talking to her.

Anyway, say that you felt like you weren't doing enough for people and Reverend Paula said that was a good way to start. You'll see if it works out. That should hopefully smooth over the awkwardness.


You'll need to know the exact timing on Reverend Paula's event, because it appears that you may have double-booked yourself. That's kind of bad. Figure out if you have ASAP, and if so, adjust your timing/talk with people before they start agreeing to your poor scheduling.
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No. 267551 ID: f5e4b4

>>267365

He was probably gonna say diseases.

>>267355

Thank Clayton and tell him you'll think about Marcelia's sister. Also yeah, ask him about her name. Then tell Clayton that you two should hang out more often (and you should, you gotta take a break from time to time or all this supernatural crap will drive you insane.) and try to remember if the "food for the poor" thing collides with your appointment with the doctor tomorrow.
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No. 268063 ID: 0b5a64

Sammy reflected that it probably wasn't right to bring anyone else into the wreck what was left of his life was almost certain to become, but he thanked Clayton anyway, and confirmed that Marcelia's sister's name was, indeed, Margery.

He had certainly double-booked. He was supposed to go to the church after school tomorrow, and had asked Dr. Browne to provide a car tomorrow as well, although he hadn't given Browne a specific time or location.

If he didn't cancel the soup kitchen, he would be close to the train station anyway, and could just tell Dr. Browne to pick him up from there, but it would be close to evening when his shift ended.

Did he really care about helping filthy poor people that much? It had seemed more like an excuse to be able to talk to Mika or check out the train station again to Sammy at the time.
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No. 268112 ID: bffa2a

D:

I now know why you are going to hell. Sammy, you are a bad boy. God wouldn't let the faithful go into hell, it must be you. All your life Sammy, all your life you've thinked you would go to heaven just because you've played the lip service. It dosen't work that way. Have you ever done anything good in his name? Or have you just taken everything for granted? Sammy, I think you might deserve this and you're just sorry for yourself.

Sammy, do you really BELIEVE or was it just nice to think you're better than everyone? God knows the truth, the devil takes his own. You little bastard.
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No. 268117 ID: f6360f

>If he didn't cancel the soup kitchen, he would be close to the train station anyway, and could just tell Dr. Browne to pick him up from there, but it would be close to evening when his shift ended.
That's fine. Seems like a workable plan.

>Did he really care about helping filthy poor people that much?
It is never wrong to help one's fellow man, Sammy.

Remember the story where the poor woman donated a tiny little bit of money, and Jesus honored her above the wealthy who donated much because it was all she had? You are wealthy- wealthy in funds, but also in the life you were raised to. You therefore must do proportionately more than others in order to be equally righteous. Resting on your self-assurance that you're a righteous person isn't going to make God look upon you with favor.

Strive to avoid complacency and hypocrisy, Sammy. If you want to call yourself a good Christian, walk the walk. If you're not willing to work for the good of others, you might as well cash in your chips now and stop making bullshit claims.
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No. 273039 ID: 383006

Sammy was confused about himself as well as his situation. Doubt plagued him. Was he a bad person? Was he damned?

No, he decided. No. That's not what he was taught, and that's not what he believed. As much as he might dislike certain people or activities, he didn't think that his gut reaction could condemn him. Struggling against his disgust was what proved he was a good person, after all. Jesus couldn't have really wanted to associate with beggars and prostitutes. It was because he could master the mortal part of him that rebuked such people that proved he was really divine.

Sammy shook his head, trying to focus on what he was doing. Looking at the dates again, he realized he was supposed to go to the soup kitchen today, and had promised Dr. Browne that they would meet tomorrow. He was so tangled up that he'd forgotten what day it was. It wasn't really surprising, with all that had happened. It was hard to believe that it was just five days since everything...

Sammy said goodbye to Clayton and walked into the bright fluorescence of the hallway.

Soon enough, it was time for lunch. Sammy walked alone from the hot summer air into the dim, musty interior of the cafeteria. He wasn't particularly hungry, but he got a taco snack and a fruit cup from the white plastic tables and tried vainly to slide unnoticed into the busy cafeteria.

He tried to ignore the giggles and whispers as he gripped his molded plastic tray. He unconsciously lowered his eyes to the vomit-colored tile, and the smell of fried grease and spilled food made him queasy. He could pick his name out of the cacophony, and the huge, black garbage cans stunk with sour milk and rotting scraps of food. He felt dizzy as his eyes darted nervously around the room.

He saw Mika, alone at a corner table, saw Emma laughing with her friends, saw other cliques and pairs and groups all shouting and chewing and -

Somebody bumped into him from behind. They were already gone by the time he turned around. He thought about just throwing his food away and leaving.
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No. 273115 ID: f5e4b4

Ok, it's time to pull your shit together or you'll have a mental breakdown.

Realize that people aren't making fun of you more that they're making of fun of anyone else in the school. I mean, it's high school, everybody is picked on.

You're a good kid and a good christian that accidentally got caught in some time-space bending shitstorm. You shouldn't let it change you.

Now, if you aren't feeling right, just leave the food and go outside, get some fresh air, maybe do some other activities unrelated to what's happening before you have to go to the Soup Kitchen later. Like studying, or something. Just don't make a scene in the middle of the cafeteria, that's not gonna really help you.
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No. 273159 ID: 8a991b

Sammy needed some air. He threw the food away and stalked out of the noisy cafeteria, ignoring the shouts and snickering.

As he passed Mika, waved awkwardly with one claw and looked up at him with her black, beady eyes. Her tiny mouth opened to say something, but Sammy brushed past her into the bright summer afternoon.

There were a few students sitting in the courtyard chatting under the shady awnings over the concrete benches, but Sammy didn't really know any of them. He walked across the cracked sidewalk around the back of the cafeteria and leaned against the cool brick of the building.

Rich green moss clung damply to the corner of the concrete slab at the base of the building, and Sammy glanced randomly at the condensation dripping from a tarnished pipe, away, down the slope of the trimmed lawn into the shadows of the sparse woods that surrounded the school.

Off to his right, he recognized Katy's slender figure as she smoked (strictly against school policy) in the parking lot. He was hidden by the broad shadow cast by the back of the building and only heard the drone of the cicadas and the coughing hum of the industrial air conditioner.

He felt a little calmer. He still wasn't really used to the rumors being spread, but he tried not to let it bother him. He let himself stare off into space, wondering if he should do anything before his last class.
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No. 273184 ID: f5e4b4

Remember to apologize later to Mika for not talking to her in the cafeteria.

For now, if you think you're calmed enough, you could say hi to Katy, ask 'sup and all that.
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No. 273224 ID: 8a991b

Sammy decided that he should probably talk to Mika today. He'd emailed her, but he was sure she'd have some questions. He could probably slip away after he was done at the soup kitchen. Besides, it might be nice to just talk to her.

Being away from all of the noise and stench and people calmed Sammy greatly. A few grasshoppers took to the air as he walked across the strip on lawn and into the parking lot. Katy's ears perked and she quickly tossed the cigarette before she noticed it was Sammy and waved him over.

"Yo, Sam, what're you doin' out here?" She pulled another cigarette from the crumpled pack with her black lips. she flicked a scuffed, red lighter in her cupped paws as she puffed the cherry to life with her slender muzzle.

"You want one?" she asked, then grinned and stuffed the pack into her giant, hideous purse.
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No. 273239 ID: f6360f

>>273224
Tell her no thanks. Politely and casually, not disapprovingly. She already knows that you disapprove, won't help things.

Explain that you wanted to get some air and you noticed her over here, so you thought you'd say hi.
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No. 273305 ID: 383006

Sammy told her "no," trying not to sound judgmental. He had no idea if he was successful.

She grinned, turning away to exhale. "Kidding," she said, her long, narrow muzzle silhouetted against the clear blue sky.

"I just wanted to get some air, so I thought I'd come over and say 'hi,'" Sammy said. The sounds of other people talking and laughing were muted, distant. He could smell the asphalt, cigarette smoke, and Katy's musky perfume.

"It might be dangerous out here," Katy said, winking conspiratorially and casually draping a slender paw across Sammy's shoulder. He winced involuntarily. "What would people think if they knew you associated with rapscallions like me?" She leaned close, gesturing to encompass the mass of the school, the cigarette dangling loosely between her fingers.

She straightened, taking a step back and leaning against the door of her car. She looked away to exhale, her dark eyes half-closed.

"Thanks for yesterday. I know you didn't have to deal with my bullshit or whatever, but it was nice having somebody I could talk to without having to worry, you know, without them wanting something," she rolled her hips forward, placing her free paw loosely between her legs, against the taut fabric of her short black skirt. "Or them being bitches about it or whatever. I'm not hanging with Emma and her cuntlickers anymore anyway." She sighed, ash dropping onto the pavement. "So," she paused, "nothin' you want to talk to me about?"
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No. 273310 ID: e3f578

Say that you're just taking a break and getting some fresh air. You've taken more than you can chew right now in life and not exactly what sure to do. Family knows something is up but are mistaking it for the wrong thing. Through one misconception, your school thinks your some pervert deep down with a goody-two-shoes front out of nowhere. Then you just feel plain unsetteled for reasons you can't really understand. Just a few conversations and BAM, laughs are everywhere and people insult your integrity. Make some vague statements regarding your "adventure" and don't get her caught up in this mess. It's just good to let a little bit of the stress vent right now. She's friendly enough.

Say stuff like your life feels like it's about to unravel into a horrid mess.
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No. 273315 ID: f6360f

>>273305
Say that yesterday was no trouble. She's not the only one who appreciates having someone to talk to that won't criticize them much. Your life feels like it's gotten completely out of control lately.

As for what people would say- well, somehow at the moment what people say feels like it's going to be rather mean regardless, so there's not much point in worrying about it.
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No. 273316 ID: 69bee4

If you don't feel like saying anything too much, you can go for something mentioning that your familys attitudes about your life are bipolar and annoying, things others do freely can get scorn for you. Things have been changing fast recently, big events like prom on the horizon make everyone else act more than you do. Plus you just feel things have been changing too fast, and hat something lurks in the future.

Don't forget to thank her for listening to you.
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No. 274421 ID: 45a51a

Sammy opened up a little to Katy. Leaning back against the car, staring up into the bright blue sky, he talked about how life had gotten so complicated. Other than the rumors at school, he talked about how hard his family made it for him to do things that other people took for granted, and how he had been tangled up in adventures that unsettled him. Everything seemed to be changing. The future just seemed way too uncertain.

Sammy paused. He knew he had to get to class. Katy had leaned against the other window, saying nothing. He could occasionally see the plume of blue-grey smoke out of the corner of his eye, hear her slow breathing. She stood, dropping the cigarette butt and grinding it under her heel.

“Thanks,” Sammy said, “You aren’t the only one who appreciates having somebody to talk to.”

She grinned, slapping him on the shoulder, “Any time, Sam.” She turned and walked, the tip of her tail wagging under her short red shirt. It had felt good to vent with somebody who he felt wouldn’t judge him and who wasn’t involved in the mess he’d made of his life.

As he walked back to the school building, he saw Mika looking at him from the far corner of the courtyard. She turned away, pretending to talk to the girl next to her as he slipped through the doors.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, and soon enough, he was in front of the church, waiting for his ride to the soup kitchen. There was a beat up brown hatchback parked in front of the church, and a tall, thin Labrador Retriever in jeans and a t-shirt leapt out as soon as the bus arrived, jogging to the door and grabbing Sammy’s paw in both of his. “Neil Coutts,” he barked, “You must be Sammy Winters. Paula told me I’m taking you to do some good downtown. Hop in!”

Sammy didn't recognize him, and wasn't sure how to break the ice, or if he should ask any questions at all.
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No. 274490 ID: f6360f

>>274421
Try to be cheerful and enthusiastic. Remember, things like this are what you make of them. Confirm that you're indeed Sammy with a smile. While traveling, explain that you've never done this sort of thing before, and you'd appreciate his telling you basically what the plan is and how it works, maybe introducing you to a few people.
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No. 274655 ID: bffa2a

Oh man, Mika might be pissed at you for pretending she wasen't at the diner. Next time you might like to at least wave.

Anyways, greet the man and try to appear at least a little bit enthuastic. He'll probably give you the usual talk, like don't look them in the eyes or you'll get shanked and how to check for lice afterwards.
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No. 274941 ID: f7166d

Sammy tried to seem enthusiastic, answering that he was, indeed Sammy while surreptitiously wiping his hand on his pants leg. Before he got to the scuffed passenger door of the car, Neil Coutts had already dashed around the side and opened it for him. Sammy slid into the stained fabric bucket seat and buckled his seat belt.

The car started with a whine and a cough, and Neil began to talk, gesturing expressively with one hand, while he drove out of the suburbs. Sammy half paid attention, thinking about Mika instead. He hadn't said a word to Mika for over two days. The least he could have done was waved. Maybe he should find a way to talk to her while he was in her neighborhood, especially after the email he'd sent her earlier today.

Sammy tuned back in as Neil was explaining that everyone on the staff was friendly and all of the regulars were no trouble. The people they dealt with were mostly undiagnosed schizophrenics and old people who had been abandoned by their families, or had no families left. There were always a few runaways and a few drugheads, but they needed help just as much as anybody else. "As long as you don't mind getting dirty, it's no problem. This is the kind of thing that really makes me feel like I'm living a Christian life."

Sammy was regretting his decision more and more. Dealing with filthy people in a filthy environment for a few hours sounded hellish. He had to remind himself that Jesus had to deal with the same kind of horror, but then again, the Cub of God was perfect.

They pulled up to a small concrete building near Dickory Street and Neil popped the trunk and bounded out of the car. "Come Help me with the stuff, Sammy!" he shouted, his arms already full of bags and boxes.

Sammy helped him unload bags of frozen chicken breasts and vegetables into the somewhat acceptable kitchen in the back of the building. The room was obviously scrubbed, but the building was old and run down. Paint was faded and stained with smoke and grease, the grills and pans were dented and the linoleum was cracked and peeling.

A female plott hount threw him a stained white apron that he gingerly tied over his shirt, and soon enough he was put to work ladling the rich soup into bowls.

Sammy sweated profusely, and not just from the heat radiating from the kitchen behind him. The people were bedraggled messes. Drooling, filthy creatures wearing torn, stained clothing. They sat in clusters, eyeballing him suspiciously, slowly ladling mouthfuls of soup with shaking paws. The smell was overwhelmingly terrible. They reeked of body odor and waste, with some having less-identifiable but equally terrible smells.

The worst were the ones that were almost-civilized looking. If not for their ragged faces or crazy eyes, Sammy could almost imagine them being like normal people.

The other staff members were friendly, touching, hugging, shaking hands with the creatures that staggered through the door. Sammy felt like he was going to vomit.
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No. 274945 ID: bf1e7e

>>274941

Try not to worry about it Sammy, I'm sure you'll be okay. Maybe those people that could almost be normal will be able to accept god's love into their lives if you can show a good example of a caring christian, and they might be able to actually BECOME normal people! You're making a real difference in their lives, doing some genuine good. Just try to focus on that, not on the people. It's something that you can be proud of.
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No. 275003 ID: bffa2a

>Cub of God

Yeeeeessss. You know what I can imagine Sammy? You, here. I can see Neil serving you another rancid bowl of soup and they'll whisper how it came to this for little Sammy. They'll see your crazed eyes but they don't know why. They don't know where you go every night but you know. You know. Can't you see yourself behind those eyes- Whoops, pay attention to your work, don't want to get burned do you?
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No. 275008 ID: f6360f

>>274941
Sammy... you're doing good here. Why do you think they're eying you suspiciously? It's probably because where everyone else working here is being friendly and caring, you're busy looking down on your fellow man. And some of these are the people who need help the most- the people who are down on their luck and might be able to pick themselves back up again before too long if other people are there for them. You should feel good about the fact that you're able to be one of those people, helping keep them from sliding all the way down.

Jesus might have had to deal with this sort of thing, but so do all the other staff members here, and they're no more perfect than you are. You don't have to be perfect to do this, Sammy. You just have to bring yourself to care, to do what Jesus said and remember that all people are family who should love one another above all else. That's what it means to be Christian.
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No. 275073 ID: 383006

Sammy swallowed his bile and tried as hard as he could to smile. He could see the grease floating on top of the bowls of soup, the splashes of gravy across his once white, now mottled brown apron. Horrid, babbling, wrinkled, filthy faces floated again and again across the other side of the counter. Ladle after ladle splashed into creased, Styrofoam bowls. Sammy's rictus grin slipped into a lopsided, sickly grimace but he managed not to run screaming before the last tattered shape shambled into the bruised light from the setting sun.

Sammy shuddered. He hoped he'd never end up on the other side of that counter. Neil bounded up to him, clapping Sammy on the shoulder. "Good job, Sammy!" he inhaled deeply, staring into the middle distance past the door as he slowly breathed out. "Don't you feel like you've really done some good here?" Sammy felt like he'd barely survived. He really wished Neil would quit touching him. Neil squeezed his shoulder and then slapped him on the back. "Well, Sammy, we're going to clean up here. Why don't you go get some air?"

Sammy thanked Neil and then made his way outside. The evening air was cool, and Sammy watched the sun disappear below the line of trees at the end of the street. He wondered if he should try to talk with Mika while Neil and the other workers cleaned up. Her house was only a few blocks down the street.
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No. 275085 ID: bf1e7e

>>275073

You should probably go see her. You can apologize for giving her the brush-off at lunch and maybe take your mind off of your ordeal.
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No. 275116 ID: bffa2a

Sure, why not. It'll be pretty dreary just waiting there. She did seem a bit upset at you though for ignoring her so you probably won't get any sympathy from there.
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No. 275407 ID: a16838

Sammy decided to try and talk with Mika. As the sun disappeared behind the trees, he made his way down the cracked sidewalk, trying to remember which house was Mika's. The few unbroken sodium lamps spilled infrequent pools of yellow light across the faded pavement and uncut lawns and crickets chirped in the narrow alleys between the peeling shacks.

He could see dim light from behind faded curtains, and hear voices and music from tinny speakers. Other houses sat silently, windows cracked and roofs sagging. Sometimes, low growls would come from the shadows behind the rusty, chain link fences. He glanced around, trying to remember the specific house, his pace slowing as he thought back to the bright Saturday morning when his life had changed.

He stopped, looking at a dandelion growing through the cracks in the sidewalk, bounded on three sides by little lines of grass that had worked their way through the worn concrete. The sodium lamp buzzed overhead, cutting the flower off from the deepening darkness, when he heard a cough.

He flinched, glancing up, and saw a hunched shape standing on the lightless porch to his right. Two small eyes twinkled in the dark.

"Sammy?" Mika said, "What are you doing here?"
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No. 275507 ID: afa406

tell her you were in the neighborhood with the soup kitchen and all and wanted to pay her a visit, you felt sort of bad brushing her off like how you have been, even though she's a good friend of yours.
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No. 275598 ID: 383006
File 129619031221.jpg - (144.97KB , 900x700 , Slums.jpg )
275598

"Hey, sorry about not really hanging out much," Sammy said.

"Nah, it's fine," said Mika. Sammy couldn't make anything out. She was just a dim shape cut out by the harsh glare of the sodium lamps.

"So, can you tell me about Browne? I'm going with you tomorrow. I- uh. I mean, I want to go with you tomorrow. I- I just want to make sure he doesn't do anything weird. What do you think is going to happen?"

Sammy scuffed the toe of his shoe against the sidewalk. Surrounded by the light, he looked for an answer in the darkness. He didn't know what to say.
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No. 275628 ID: f6360f

>>275598
Start with the (relatively) easy answers- tell her about Browne. Tell her everything you know- how you started out seeing him as just some quirky professor, but it's rapidly become clear that he's heavy into this sort of thing. I mean, following you around as a ghost, and into your dreams? Recognizing the alien landscapes on sight? It's a good bet he'll know what's going on, if nothing else. But what he'll do with that information... who knows?
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No. 275639 ID: e3f578

Anything man. Probably poof the hobo off to another place or reveal his true nature. Tell her you don't thinks it's a homeless man anymore. It's probably some weird creature from another world that took her friend away and is poofing you off when you sleep.

But also you got a feeling that Browne is going to end up betraying you, grab something extremely powerful from wherever he and you go to and try to take over the the world(s) in a half-joking manner.
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No. 280537 ID: f7166d

Sammy looked up at Mika's indistinct shape, barely catching light reflecting in her eyes.

He explained what he knew about Browne in as much detail as he could - the ghost that followed him in his dreams, the recognition of the alien landscapes, the strange books and items that were in his study. The truth was, he didn't know what Dr. Browne really intended or what he was actually capable of.

He told Mika that he was sure The Guy wasn't just some homeless man, and probably has to be the source of both Mika's friend disappearing and his own extraspacial problems.

Sammy still didn't trust Dr. Browne. He felt like he should stay on guard and keep his eyes open. Mika agreed.

"This is a little too serious for us, isn't it Sammy?" she said and sighed heavily, leaning against the peeling rail that lined the porch. "When me and Dee first started messing with all this, we thought it was awesome. It was like being a hero from a movie or something. Like, the government would come try to take him away and we'd have to lure him into our room with a trail of M&Ms or something. Or, like, we'd have hijinks getting him to understand how our world is different or whatever." She paused, and Sammy thought he could see tears glittering in the darkness.

"That isn't what happened, though. Then I drug you into all this. It's all on me, Sammy. I never should have-" she turned away, "you'd better go before your people get worried. I'll see you tomorrow." Sammy thought he heard her sob.

She was right though. He told her he'd see her tomorrow as cheerily as he could, and then trotted out of the lamplight and down the cracked sidewalk of the rotting slum.

There was no room in his tangled thoughts for the black alleys and dim lights of the shanties crouched in the gloom, and soon enough he was back at the soup kitchen. Neil was leaning against the side of his sedan, and waved enthusiastically at Sammy when he trotted up.

"Hey there! We're all cleaned up if you're ready to go!" he barked, leaping to his feet and opening the passenger door for Sammy before sprinting to his own door and slipping inside. "Everybody said you did a great job tonight, Sammy! We'd be glad if you help us out next week!"

Sammy was just ready to get home. He wondered if there was anything he should do on the ride home, if there was anything he should do when he got home, and if there were any preparations he should take before he went to bed.
>>
No. 281227 ID: 70e5c6

Given the fact that some of these worlds can be spontaneous in their environments, I'd suggest putting on some heavier clothing, at least a long sleeve shirt in case of cold. I'd probably suggest proper shoes too, or at least socks and sandals if nothing else. And of course, the regular stuff. The black pawn, etc.

Maybe a blunt instrument like a hammer or something? Maybe dad has a tool shed?
>>
No. 281498 ID: f5e4b4

Yeah, heavy clothes, and if they're old, better. You might lose, or have to dispose of them and it wouldn't be easy to explain to your parents where did you lose your new, expensive threads. Also proper shoes. You never know if you're going to show up in a world with a landscape covered in sharp rocks.

Same equipment than the last time, pawn, flashlight, pen and paper, etc.

See if you can take something you could improvise into a weapon with you. Like a hammer, or some gardening tool.

I can't think of anything else at the moment.
>>
No. 281925 ID: f7166d

Sammy had more interest in thinking about tomorrow and Mika and what would happen that night than he did about talking with Neil. He thanked the excitable Labrador and walked past the large houses and clipped grass of his own neighborhood.

Behind closed blinds, Sammy could make out the silhouettes of various folks laughing, talking, eating together. He could catch snatches of sound from televisions and conversations as he walked slowly between the streetlights, porch lights, and small pools of shadow.

No pools of light and wisps of conversation marked his family's house. He passed the kitchen door and slipped into the small garden shed that, along with the spreading limbs of an old oak, were the only darkened shapes in the empty back yard. He removed the combination lock and, mindful of spiderwebs, took a hammer from the wall clips mounted above Dad's toolbox. He quickly replaced the lock and slipped through the kitchen door. Light from outside glinted sharply from the polished white tile of the kitchen, and a plate of sandwiches, neatly bisected, sat on the table in the darkened room. Sammy ate quickly and washed the heavy stoneware plate, moving quietly up the stairs. He could hear dim television chatter from his sister's room, past the heavy shadows of the den.

He stowed the hammer under his bed and quickly showered before putting on an old shirt, long pajama pants and socks with sandals. He slipped the hammer into his pocket, along with the black pawn, flashlight, pen and paper.

He lay in the darkness for an interminable amount of time before sleep finally claimed him.

****

"So, here again," coughed the wraithlike form of Dr. Browne's dreaming body.

Sammy looked around at the vast golden shapes of the wondrous city and the huge bulk of the half-finished citadel that housed the Well of Worlds.

Everything was just as he had remembered it from last night - the giant metal statue with the meat inside, the scorch marks and strange plastic fragments, the white void of the sky and vast, empty city spread out around him.

He could see his reflection in the polished stone courtyard with its embedded metallic red and yellow flecks.

Dr. Browne hissed, as the blue mist trailed from his ghostly body, "I would believe it is mere chance that we have returned here tonight. Luck of the draw, as it were. Whatever it is that has affected you does not seem motivated by any sapient process.

As to your email, will the girl be accompanying us? I will provide a vehicle and meet you at the school, or some other arrangement. Really, however would be easiest to collect one or both of you. It makes no difference to me."
>>
No. 281956 ID: e3f578

>>281925
Maybe Jesus is helping you direct your attention to significantly important worlds now. Jesus always did have the air of "Luck of the Draw" in a few of his miracles. Even if miracles are rare, actual sites these days it shouldn't be too much of a stretch to assume this isn't a coincidence. Picking you and Mika up after school will work, again, as long as both pairs of parents know you're going to be out and about with a University professor for a project. Investigating the man as soon as possible will minimize the dread of this whole situation.

I wonder if there are any significant dangers here. Look around a tiny more for a differences, moving of objects, trails, stuff of that sort. Use your dream journal for helping remember some details, unless we didn't bring it and that's back home waiting for another dream to be put into it.
>>
No. 281999 ID: f6360f

>>281925
Tell him that we expect Mika to come, yes.

Picking us up at school... well, it probably wouldn't be great for our reputation if we were seen getting in an unknown man's car with Mika, and that's the sort of thing that might get back to our parents eventually. Still, do we ever care? We can make some nominal efforts at misdirection- pick us up a couple blocks away, or Mika goes home normally and we get picked up then meet her down near the area, or something to that effect. Won't hurt anything, might shield your reputation a little if everything goes all right and you don't end up horribly screwed by whatever supernatural crap ends up hitting the fan.
>>
No. 282043 ID: e948aa

As for tomorrow, I second a pick up a couple of blocks away. I'd suggest splitting up and finding a rally point, so you two aren't seen walking together.

I'd also suggest trying to find some sort of camera, video or audio capture device. Surely Dr Browne or Sammy or Mika's family has a camera, or perhaps even a cell phone? Can't really live without one in this day and age.

I'm also wondering what the possibility of pulling more things like creatures out of your dreams are, Nightmare on Elm Street style. Impossible as that would be to explain to everybody.

For now, I'd say explore. Scout the area for anything that may be useful to bring back this time around. Couldn't hurt.
>>
No. 282056 ID: c148e6

"You can pick me up at the bus stop down the street from the school" Sammy said, thinking that it might be better if a stranger isn't seen picking them both up together from school. He'd tell Mika to either meet him there (but not leave school together), or they could pick her up when they got to the street, whatever was better for her. It didn't matter that much, but Sammy figured it was an easy step that could avoid any more trouble at school. "Oh, and if you could please call my parents first, I would appreciate it."

"It will be taken care of," the ghostly figure coughed and began to drift toward the broken citadel that housed the Well. "If you need me, I will be inspecting the Well. Perhaps I can glean something that will assist us when I travel here in person." It glanced over its thin shoulder with the two dark points that vaguely marked the position of its eyes, "Be sure to bring the fragment that you took with you last time we were here when we visit the train station tomorrow. It will assist greatly in attempting to access the Well Road."

Sammy remembered the strange fragment of plastic that he found. There were several others, scorched and melted, scattered in the blackened area near the statue with the corpse inside.

Unlike Dr. Browne, Sammy wasn't entirely convinced that his return to the Well had been entirely accidental. Maybe he was getting a gentle guiding hand that would reveal some important clue he'd missed the first time. He avoided the statue - it made him uncomfortable - but looked across the courtyard and walls of the buildings for anything strange. He found a few more nicks and scratches in the ground. To his completely novice eyes, he suspected they could be bullet holes. He also found an area almost directly outside the open archway of the citadel where the glittering stone of the courtyard was cracked as if a huge, heavy object had been dropped. He thought he could sort of make out tracks originating near the crack and moving off into the city, but if they were footprints, whatever made them would have to have been huge. Each marred area was five or six feet across. Sammy was purely guessing anyway, he had no real expertise or training in this area whatsoever.

Sammy thought about trying to bring another creature through with him. He had no idea whether or not it would work, although he did know that small objects in his pockets or hands were transferred. Hopefully, he wouldn't get a chance to try.

Sammy thought about taking pictures tomorrow. It would probably be a good idea. He didn't have a cellphone, but he thought his sister Becca had a digital camera. He could wake up early and talk to her before school. Other than that, there wasn't much prep time. They'd be leaving right after school tomorrow unless we wanted to ask someone else there to come with him. He knew most kids had cellphones, but guessed that Mika probably didn't. He was glad he'd showed up somewhere safe so that he could focus on his plans. He didn't know if he should bother with anything else, or just relax and wait for the dream to end.
>>
No. 282212 ID: 1854db

>>282056
Taking pictures inside these worlds is a fantastic idea and I wish we had thought of it before.

Follow the 'footprints'.
>>
No. 282293 ID: e948aa

Cautiously follow the foot prints, after bringing them to the attention of Browne of course. I'd say let him take the lead. you can't really kill a ghostly figure... can you?
>>
No. 282301 ID: 653ea0

Taking photos... I doubt it would be that easy. It's worth asking Dr. Browne, though!
>>
No. 283232 ID: 383006

Sammy was curious about the scuffmarks and went to talk with Dr. Browne. He stepped quietly into the grotto that contained the bubbling, brilliant fluid visible past the rim of the Well of Worlds. The Machines that rose up all throughout the empty shell of the Citadel still held that waiting expectancy that he remembered from last night. He felt the pregnant pause that seemed to draw him forward, to want for him to will them to stir and begin to create.

The translucent form of Dr. Browne hovered near the edge of the Well itself, gazing into the white, semifluid mist the brilliance of which cast odd shadows across the curving walls. Sammy approached, looking away from the blinding light emanating from the Well.

"Dr. Browne?" he whispered. The figure shifted, the slightly darkened spots where eyes should be revealed nothing.

"It is beautiful, Sammy. More beautiful than anything..." He spoke softly as well, drifting away from the Well reluctantly.

Sammy waited until they were outside before he asked his questions. "Should I bring a camera tomorrow?"

Browne seemed to consider for a moment. "It won't hurt. Anything that reflects light can be photographed, although certain phenomenon may expose the film still inside, or interfere with digital equipment."

Sammy had to remember to ask his sister tomorrow if he still wanted to borrow hers.

"I found these tracks, too," he said, pointing to the vague trail of scuff marks leading away from the Well across the glittering expanse of the courtyard.

"They appear to originate from the Well," said Dr. Browne. Tell me if they lead anywhere interesting.

Sammy followed the tracks past the fantastical shapes that lined the wide avenues of the empty city. They lead out into the field of painted flowers. Here, the prints looked to be massive, asymmetrical boot marks at least six feet across. They disappeared into the white void that marked the boundary of the world.

Close to the white void, Sammy thought he could make out dim whispers. He strained to make out their secret words before the world began to melt and shift...

****

Sammy woke slowly. In the close darkness of the predawn hours, he planned his day.
>>
No. 283319 ID: e948aa

For the love of Christ put the hammer back before your parents think you're a psycho
>>
No. 283337 ID: f6360f

>>283319
He can probably just conceal it in his room. It's quite unlikely that anyone will go looking for it or be searching his room, after all. And that would both avoid the need to go wandering through the house with a hammer and allow him easier access to it if today's endeavors leave him in the same predicament.

Remember to talk to your sister about borrowing her camera.

Aside from that... eat a good breakfast and get ready for your day, Sammy. Plans are coming together, you'd better be at your best to face them.
>>
No. 283373 ID: 468af0

If it's early enough and no one is up, sneak the hammer out of your room. Put it back in the shed if it doesn't make too much noise, otherwise leave it outside. Think of something you could do to do with the tools as an excuse if they find you in there or find you with a hammer. Show interest in DIY or Engineering, your father and maybe even your mother would like that I would think and if they trust you, wouldn't think you would be using the hammer for anything bad.

Then continue your usual morning routine. Bring a notepad or something (but not the dream diary) and other dream items with you in a bag in case you might need them.
>>
No. 283438 ID: f7166d

Sammy slipped out of his bed and hurried through his morning routine. The sun hadn't even begun to peek over the horizon, and the house was dark and silent. He kept the pawn in his pocket and put an extra notebook in his bookbag. After he showered and dressed, it was easy to slip back out to the shed through the glittering dewdrops and cool predawn air to put the hammer back where it belonged.

He ate breakfast alone in the bright, sterile kitchen and listened for sounds of movement. The house was silent except for the buzzing florescence and the tick of the mantle clock. He watched the hands slide down across its face in a sort of quiet meditation until he heard stirring from the den. He quickly crept through the heavy shadows as the pink dawn light began to filter through the windows. A pool of soft light spread from under Becca's doorway, and he could hear music coming from the other side. He knocked softly and heard her shout "Come in!"

Sammy slipped inside. The animals and frills and smell of antiseptic were there. Becca's emaciated body was ensconced in her throne of pillows with her sticker-covered laptop sitting on the bed next to her. Sammy put a tray across the arms of the bed and set a plate of eggs and toast on it. "You're up early," Becca said, cocking her head to the side and grinning, "And breakfast in bed, no less! Thanks Sam." She grinned and nibbled at the food.

Sammy could see the screen of her computer. There were various browser windows open and an IM with text scrolling past.

"Who are you chatting with?" Sammy asked.

"My friend Kaley I met," Becca said, dabbing a dollop of runny yellow yolk with a corner of her toast. "We were talking about music and stuff and we started chatting. So what's up with you?" She waved distractedly in his general direction.

"Nothing much," he said. "Just wondering if I could borrow your camera."

"What for?" she asked, glancing occasionally at her computer screen.
>>
No. 283440 ID: e3f578

>>283438
Something to help with writing a report on a project you're working on with the professor.
>>
No. 283449 ID: f5e4b4

Yeah, you're doing some research with the professor today, he asked you to bring a camera.
>>
No. 283518 ID: f6360f

>>283440
Do not mention fictional reports. Sticking to truths- if vague ones- should suffice, and lying to our sister sets a poor precedent. Not only is lying immoral, even if Sammy were one to do so his sister has a hard life already, and she's been supportive of him when he's needed it in the past. She deserves better.

Saying that you're going on a short trip with the professor today and thought that a camera might be useful should suffice.

After that, spending some time with Becca talking before school wouldn't be a bad idea. She must be lonely, and you've been quite wrapped up in your own affairs of late. Not to mention that she's an eternal font of friendly advice on all matters social, so you could share some of what's going on in your life that has nothing to do with bizarre supernatural crap if you wish.
>>
No. 284042 ID: 4a3a02

Sammy told Becca that he was going on a trip with a professor from the college and he thought it would come in handy. "Neat," she said, a little yolk dripping down her chin as she fished the camera out of her bedside table. She'd put little colorful stickers all over the aluminum body. They were scuffed and worn, small dents and scrapes marred the body as well. None of them were recent.

He spent some time talking and laughing with Becca. She made fun of the expanding circle of girls in his life, and told him to keep his head up. Watching her smile made him smile, and as he rode the bus toward school that morning, he felt cheerful, excited, and ready for whatever might happen.

The day seemed to fly by and Sammy was barely even aware of the contents of his classes. He had the pawn, three peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, an extra notebook, the camera and the flashlight in his bookbag. The day was exceptionally hot and humid, but to Sammy it felt refreshing as he jogged past the gate and outside the schoolyard.

As he walked quickly down the sidewalk, a familiar rusty car pulled alongside, and Katy grinned as she kept pace with him.

"Hey, where you headed? Need a lift?"
>>
No. 284111 ID: f6360f

>>284042
Smile back and tell her that you'll take a rain check; you've got someone else coming to pick you up just down the way. Thank her for the offer, though. If she asks questions about who it is, explain that it's a college professor and change the subject- to what she's planning to do with her evening, for example. It's fairly clear that she wants to strengthen your friendship (well, she probably wants to make it romantic, but regardless) so you might as well learn a bit more about her when you've got the chance.
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No. 284113 ID: 69bee4

>>284111
can't really disagree with any of that.
>>
No. 284125 ID: 15565a

Sure why not take a lift with her. Hell, tell her you're visiting a professor guy with Mika. Let her come with you if she wants to. If she ask why you never mentioned it before, say that you didn't want to bother her or drag her into anything. Maybe after you get there, if she still wants to go, mention it might be dangerous and give her one more chance to decide, you don't want her to get hurt.

It seems like a good day today, be happy! Everything has been going well so far. Up early, have everything you need, no problems with the hammer or your sister. Katy has smiled and is even offering a lift!
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No. 284132 ID: f6360f

>>284125
>Sure why not take a lift with her.
Because the professor is about to pick him up.

>Hell, tell her you're visiting a professor guy with Mika. Let her come with you if she wants to.
Or not, because all this supernatural shit is not only impossibly difficult to explain but also potentially lethal. It would be wrong to bring someone into it when we don't have to.
>>
No. 284143 ID: 15565a

>>284132
I couldn't remember where the professor was picking him up, and if it would have taken time to get there, but sure.

She doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to, but she could help if she does and Sammy needs all the help he can get.
>>
No. 284150 ID: f6360f

>>284143
>She doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to
How can she possibly make an informed decision about this? It sounds completely crazy, and by the time we could prove anything it could be far too late to go back. Any "choice" that we give another person would be a cruel joke, because they can't possibly understand. The only moral thing to do is face our demons only with those who have already seen them, and keep everyone else from finding out about it if possible.

What's more, it's apparent that not everyone reacts to the guy in the same way- Mika's seemingly untouched, apparently her friend switched worlds uncontrollably while awake, we do so whenever we sleep. All we'd gain would be a sympathetic/understanding ear, and we'd potentially be murdering someone for it- because if she died we'd be guilty as surely as if we invited her to swim with us in a pond full of crocodiles.

We should just enjoy our developing friendship with Katy and keep her at a very firm remove from that side of our life.
>>
No. 284196 ID: 383006

Sammy almost got in the car. Everything had been going perfectly today. Maybe this was an opportunity - maybe it would all be OK. She could decide when they got to the station, maybe she could even help! He took a step toward the car, and then stopped himself.

"Nah, thanks though. I've got some stuff this afternoon that I have to take care of. What are you up to?"

Her smile fell, just a hair, "Nothin' I was just gonna hang out or whatever. Maybe some other time I guess?" She gave a harsh bark of a laugh.

"Yeah, some other time," Sammy said, feeling vaguely uncomfortable. He didn't know what was going to happen at the Train Station, and didn't want to risk something happening to her. If she would even believe any part of his crazy story.

"Well, see you around," she said, waving as she drove away.

Sammy hurried on to the bus stop. He had to wait for a few buses to roar past before Mika plopped onto the bench next to him with a grunt.

"Hey Sammy," She said, "Are you nervous?"

"A little," he replied, looking at the empty lot across the street through the heat haze rising from the blacktop.

Cicadas chirruped in the hot, close air as they sat in silence until an unfamiliar old red pickup truck pulled up to the bus stop and the door swung open to reveal Dr. Browne and his hideous tweed jacket. He adjusted his glasses with his small paw.

"You must understand that I am unused to giving rides to strange children. Can we please leave before someone acquires unpleasant ideas?"

Mika clambered awkwardly onto the single, wide bench seat and Sammy followed more gingerly. The fabric on the seat was threadbare and the console scarred, but there was no trash and the only stains were on the floor mats. Sammy buckled his seatbelt and soon they were underway.

"You must be miss Parker," the professor said, "I am Dr. Browne. Hopefully, we can work together to find an acceptable solution for young Mr. Winters as well as the individual that you have discovered at the train station. I understand that you are on friendly terms."

"Yeah," Mika said nervously.

After a few more minutes of the rumbling engine and the clunk of the gear shift, Dr. Browne tried a different tactic.

"Why don't you tell me everything that happened before you met Mr. Winters?" he asked, sliding his glasses up his muzzle again.

By the time Mika had finished her story, they were pulling into an empty lot near the woods. "Interesting." was all Dr. Browne had to say.

"Winters, you have the object?" Sammy checked his pocket. He'd remembered the strange plastic fragment. Dr. Browne reached under the seat and withdrew a matte black shotgun with what appeared to be a rather short barrel and exited the truck.

"Whatever you do, do not let the creature touch you," he said. "Well then, lady, gentleman? Shall we?" He hopped from the cab.

Mika looked up at Sammy with nothing but worry in her little black eyes before she stumbled out of the truck and began to lead the way through the woods.

Sammy wondered if there was anything he should do - how he should attempt to prepare himself for whatever was about to happen.
>>
No. 284205 ID: f5e4b4

Just stay close to Mika, be on your toes and be aware of anything happening around you. Keep the camera at hand.

Let's hope the professor knows what's he doing, he didn't mention that he was going to need a shotgun for the job.
>>
No. 284221 ID: e948aa

>>284196
If your camera has a video mode, prepare to record the entire encounter. If the professor does anything crazy, you'll have it on film to show to the authorities.

Remember not to accidentally bring the camera too close to the metal-destroying field.

If things get heated, try to persuade the professor not to do anything violent. Jesus would not approve.

Oh, and if he goes nuts, Mika may be in danger. She's a witness and doesn't have the power to travel to other worlds, so if he's really a bad guy, she's useless to him now that he's gotten the information he wanted - and a threat. He probably won't fire on YOU, though, because you're useful... at least until he can gain the powers you have. Be prepared to protect Mika and cover her escape if shit hits the fan.

Other than that, be optimistic! The professor might just be being careful and the creature in the station didn't exactly seem friendly, though it didn't hurt you or Mika yet. Hopefully the shotgun is just insurance in case the creature becomes hostile. Jesus would want you to give both the professor and the creature the benefit of the doubt, wouldn't he?
>>
No. 285191 ID: 383006
File 129894699648.jpg - (153.61KB , 1000x700 , The Guy.jpg )
285191

The forest was quiet and cool, and neither Sammy nor his companions felt the need to converse. They walked through the dead grass, across the skeletons of the old tracks hidden in the dirt. All too soon, they were in the clearing with the squat, decaying bulk of the train station. The broken aerials and dangling wires cast harsh shadows under the blazing sun. Dr. Browne stopped and shaded his eyes with one paw, gazing into the darkness. "yes, a rift. Something like a gate" he muttered, "and something else."

Holding the shotgun loosely in in the crook of one arm, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden object. Sammy and Mika looked at one another, shifting uncomfortably in the heat as the cicadas droned their single, doleful note. Sammy couldn't make out the object - it was almost completely hidden in Browne's paw, but it must have been some kind of whistle because a shrill, warbling note cut through the cicada's droning and seemed to resonate inside of Sammy's skull.

Dr. Browne slipped the object into his pocket and held is free paw out to Sammy at Mika. "stay behind me. No reason for us to go into its lair."

Mika was looking increasingly distressed. Sammy pulled out the camera and turned it on, and then made sure to stand close and a little in front of Mika. He would protect her if he could, from either the guy or the Doctor. Scraping and dragging issued from the gaping, empty entrance to the train station. Sammy could see shadows shifting in the darkness, then a form, trailing what he guessed were sheets and blankets. Dim light glinted from something gold. Then it staggered through the entrance with an awful, strangled cry and into the bright light of day.

It towered over all three of them, huge and red with gleaming yellow eyes and jet black teeth and claws. Long, matted hair hung from its serpentine neck and tail, and down along its forearms. It was filthy but massive and muscular - bestial legs ending in huge, curved talons. The tatters and sheets hung off of it like rotting robes, and a giant wound shaped like a "Y" was suppurating in the center of its chest. No blood leaked from the injury - through it, Sammy could see stars, black space, smooth, green towers like glass. He quickly snapped a picture. He almost didn't notice the black, tattered book it held in its other hand.

Dr. Browne raised his shotgun, saying nothing.
>>
No. 285192 ID: bf1e7e

>>285191

Intend that it is immune to bullets and friendly.

Also, try to stop Doctor Browne from shooting it. He said he wouldn't hurt the guy!
>>
No. 285215 ID: e948aa

Keep Browne from shooting it as long as possible. We don't even know if it's killable, and I doubt we want to piss it off. Ask Browne what it is. Try to communicate with it.
>>
No. 285231 ID: 69bee4

Try asking it what it thought about your book, and if you can have it book. Truely, God would not have delivered that book among all possible ones into this being's hands unless it was part of his plan Sammy! Only god could possibly turn the tide of something this demon-like.
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No. 285350 ID: 6ba8b3

Don't nudge the guy with the shotgun, don't approach the creature and don't let Mika do either of these.

Just ask what the hell is he doing and if he's out of his gourd. Feel suitably guilty for using such a bad cussword.
>>
No. 285353 ID: 653ea0

Just ask Dr. Browne what he's going to do.
>>
No. 285368 ID: e948aa

>>285191
Tell Dr. Browne you need to talk to it. Step up next to him so the creature can see you better. Slowly and gently put your paw on the gun barrel and lower it when you speak.

Call out to it and say "Can you understand me? I just want to talk to you. I don't want to hurt you. I just want to understand why you're here and what's happening to me."

Jesus won't smile upon you for inaction, Sammy!
>>
No. 285374 ID: f5e4b4

I doubt this thing is going to be able to talk your language, but give it a try. Ask the professor not to shoot it unless it's strictly necessary. Maybe he knows how to communicate with it.

It's holding your bible, that's at least a good sign.
>>
No. 285376 ID: bf1e7e

Yes Sammy, have faith! The guy kept the bible, he may look monstrous but so did those horrible people at the soup kitchen, and they were still god's children too!

Remember, you are a good person; and god will have your back when you need it. Given that the guy is up and about, and carrying the bible, god must have sent him to help fix you!

On the other hand, Dr. Browne totally said that he wasn't going to hurt the guy and now he's pointing a gun at him. He might say that he wants to help you sammy, but he's a liar. He just wants the well of worlds, and is tempting you in order to get it.
>>
No. 285383 ID: e9c43d

This thing - Sammy had never even heard of something like this. He seriously doubted whether or not the shotgun would do any good against it. He also wasn't sure that it was violent. The bible was ragged and looks like it had been chewed, but The Guy still had it, after all. Maybe it was a sign. There was no reason other than its outward appearance to assume that it was dangerous or violent.

"Don't worry," Sammy whispered to Mika, stepping in front of her and alongside Dr. Browne. He wasn't sure who to trust, and wasn't sure that what he planned on doing was a good idea.

"Dr. Browne, you said you wouldn't hurt it," Sammy said, taking another step forward.

"Sammy, this is far worse than what I imagined. I thought perhaps some transient world-hopper, I never imagined... I know a little about what this is. These things are very unpredictable and dangerous. They have the ability to peirce the barrier between existences as an aspect of their essential nature, but something has ... been done to this one. Its power has been disrupted. The point is, it's dangerous. Don't go near it." he took a step away from Sammy, "I am an expert - let me handle this."

Sammy turned to the guy. It staggered forward, sheilding its eyes from the harsh glare of the sun. Pages fluttered from the bible like dead autumn leaves.

"Can you understand me?" Sammy asked, holding out his hand, "I just want to understand what is happening to me. Can you communicate?"

It cocked its head to the side, "Communicate?" it said in a smooth, deep voice that carried pain and loneliness. It was the loveliest voice Sammy had ever heard.

"I never imagined he could talk," Mika whispered, grabbing the back of Sammy's shirt.

"It is injured," Dr. Browne said, holding the shotgun tightly in both hands, "You have to understand that just going near this thing is what caused your current condition. Perhaps it would be better if you let me deal with it. You should probably take Mika and retreat."
>>
No. 285385 ID: e3f578

>>285383
We don't have to go near it to communicate. It's dangerous, yes, we have verified that and have been cursed, but was it because of it's own free will? Say to Browne you understand he's an expert and respect his expertise, but it can talk and think. Doesn't that mean it can be good, albeit dangerous? What if it's a mere child of its species that doesn't understand its power.

But, in the end, Brown may have some ominous motives, him doing what he does best is vital to you having a normal life. It would be so much simpler if it just destroyed the word of God without thought. Goddamn.

What would Jesus advise to us, even if the Bible doesn't really have much shit on this. You're a damn good Christian, Sammy. What would a Christian do?
>>
No. 285422 ID: 22ae4e

Don't run! If you do Browne will probably shoot it and if either of them got hurt, you would want to be there to make sure they can get away.

Step forward and talk to it, try and stand infront of Browne if possible, he has the gun, if it attacks it will probably go for you instead of the one with the best ability to protect Mika.

Ask it if it's okay, and if the injury hurts first. Then ask if it has read your book, and has learnt anything from it. Then ask about why you have a connection to the spirit world, see if it knows anything.
>>
No. 285425 ID: f5e4b4

Tell the doctor that you respect his opinion but you aren't going to retreat now. You're not just following him to take pretty pictures and post them on your twitter, your life it's a stake here. For what we know, only This Guy has the answers to what's happening to you, you need to be here. You don't need to get closer, just try to talk with him.

Start asking who is him, and how did he get here. And what happened to him, who or what injured him.
>>
No. 285440 ID: 6ba8b3

Tell Browne Mika is the only one in danger here that dosen't need to be. Browne can obviously handle himself, you are already living on borrowed time but Mika should be told to back off to a bit safer distance from you. You should stand in your place and tell it your name for starters. This of course dosen't mean to let it touch you, so remember to cover in fetal position and cry if it closes in on you. It's the universal indication of please don't touch.
>>
No. 285462 ID: 653ea0

Back up a bit and ask the creature why it's here.
>>
No. 285589 ID: e948aa

Browne isn't giving very much information as to why it's dangerous. We don't even know if killing it will prevent Sammy from ever being cured. For the love of christ don't retreat just yet. Ask Browne more about it. And try to communicate with it more, it's probably just playing parrot.
>>
No. 285690 ID: f7166d

"I'm not going to back away," Sammy said to Dr. Browne. "Mika is the only one here in danger who doesn't need to be. Why is it so dangerous, anyway? Even if it is, it wouldn't be right to do anything to it if it doesn't understand what its doing."

Dr. Browne sighed, an exasperated grimace on his face, "I shouldn't have to tell you why it's dangerous, Sammy. Even without this space-tearing wound, these things are extremely unpredictable. I don't know very much about them other than what I've told you and that they can be very dangerous. It's physically large. I doubt those claws are for picking flowers. Will you please take Mika and back away?"

Sammy ignored Dr. Browne's advice. "Mika, make sure you stay behind me. Maybe you should back up just a little in case something happens."

"The guy isn't going to do anything bad." Mika said, but she took a few steps back regardless.

Sammy was almost certain the guy was doing more than just parroting, but there was still a tiny doubt in the back of his mind. "My name is Sammy," he said, not moving from his spot, "Did you read the book I gave you?"

The creature held the book close, more pages fluttering to the ground. Its expressive eyes seemed to understand the importance of the object it held.

"How were you injured?" he asked, "How did you get here?"

It spoke, it's sonorous voice full of pain and confusion, "The gray men took me. They did experiments. I escaped, but everything went wrong."

"Why did you never talk to me before?" Mika shouted, her voice thick and full of emotion, "Why? Maybe I could have helped."

"Too much pain," the creature said, its glittering yellow eyes full of sadness, sorrow, "I would be dead without you."

Dr. Browne cleared his throat, and whispered to Sammy, turning his head to the side but keeping his eye on the creature, "There could be something I can do for this thing. Normally, closing gates is outside of my expertise, but maybe there is something I could do. You have to admit that the dimensional instability inside of it is extremely dangerous for everyone. Don't you think it would be best if you and Mika left so that I can work? I need to concentrate."
>>
No. 285691 ID: e3f578

>>285690
You are pretty much screwed over without his help, ask if you can actually help. It's your responsibility, you're the one that fucked up and got this way, say it's your duty to help. He'll need some sort of assistance anyway since closing the gate is beyond his expertise anyway.

Just tell Mika to leave. If she refuses, tell her to relax and that everything will be fine. Maybe wink at her for some additional emotional confirmation.
>>
No. 285692 ID: 6ba8b3

I see we're having trust issues. Browne dosen't trust it enough to actually talk to it beyond shooting it. Mika dosen't trust either of you. We don't trust Browne to not be a dick. It dosen't trust anyone but Mika.

The problem here is we don't know if being a dick is the logical choice here. But you weren't raised to be a dick so no leaving yet. Ask Browne/It if you can take it with you since you two are you going off world anyway. Ask It about well of worlds and if you/it can be fixed there. Ask if it would trust your promise to Mika since she cannot come with you.
>>
No. 285702 ID: f5e4b4

Fuck no, you're staying right here. Tell the doctor you won't distract him, but you need to be here. The creature is intelligent and it actually trusts Mika. It's more likely to listen to her and calm down if things get out of control.

You've been jumping through time and space every night for the past few days, knowing that you could just dissapear from this world at any moment. You're not going to start worrying about it right now.

Tell the creature that you're going to try to help. Have Mika tell him that it'll be alright.
>>
No. 285742 ID: 22ae4e

Try and keep Mika with you and the spirit, you could find out more about it. Ask it why it's here, and if it caused your spirit travel, and if it knows where Mika's friend disappeared off to. Answers are more important than Browne's orders.
>>
No. 285751 ID: bf1e7e

>>285690

The guy never did anything to hurt Mika the entire time he was here. Browne says that he might be violent and unpredictable, but you know better than that.

Ask the guy if he thinks that the Well of Worlds could be used to fix him. You were planning to try to go there anyway, if you can take him with you and he's truly as extradimensional as Browne says, he might know what to do from there.
>>
No. 285865 ID: e948aa

If Browne is telling the truth that he doesn't know much about it, he's got good reason to have the creature in his crosshairs. Then again, Browne could just be bloodthirsty and wanting to murder this thing for whatever reason. Still, it's obvious the creature could have easily killed Sammy or Mika if it wanted to. If the thing truely is unpredictable, it could very well be playing some sort of trick, but I seriously doubt it.

The fact that Browne claims himself to be an expert, yet doesn't know what this thing is also suspicious. Browne asking Sammy to leave is even more suspicious. I'm leaning toward this thing not being hostile.

I can't think of any way to go about doing this without horribly pissing Browne off. I say just don't leave.

Briefly and bluntly make a point that you and Mika would have been dead already if it were hostile, and Mika's been around this guy for quite a while.

Other than that, I don't know. Let's cross bridges as we get to them.
>>
No. 285866 ID: e948aa

OH, and also make a point that the thing very well may be able to cure you.
>>
No. 285883 ID: 653ea0

Mm, if it caused your problem it should be able to solve it, too. This creature is dangerous for sure, but we have no reason to think that he intends to do harm. Ask the creature what he wants to do now, does he still need to heal?
>>
No. 285884 ID: 36206f

Sammy wasn't going to leave. "Dr. Browne, I don't think its violent at all. Just hurt and scared. You say it's unpredictable, but it never did anything to Mika or me."

"Didn't it?" Dr. Browne spat, "What about Mika's friend? It has already killed one other person that we know of. Other children could have found it before Mika did. Their parents do not even have the hope of recovering their corpses."

Mika gasped. "He didn't do any of that on purpose!" She shouted. "He's just hurt!"

"Maybe we could take him with us," Sammy said. He addressed the creature. "Do you think you can help us?" He asked the creature, "Do you know what the Well of Worlds is? Did you cause me to travel when I sleep? Do you know where Dee is? Don't worry, I'm here to help."

"Well?" It looked confused, and stopped advancing. Sammy noticed small movements, the curve of its serpentine neck, it's long tail dragging through the brush. Everything about it was fluid, graceful. "They hurt me. I escaped. You will help me?" It cocked its head to the side, looking at Sammy with its large, soulful eyes.

"It doesn't know anything about any of that," Dr. Browne said, exasperated. The entire reason you have been altered the way you have is because you approached this thing. Its mere presence is dangerous. It existing here is dangerous. It tore the gate it traveled through apart because of whatever happened to it before. We can't go close to it and it endangers everyone who could potentially stumble upon it merely by existing." He visibly tried to calm himself. "Your good nature and idealism are laudable, but I think we need to take aggressive measures to ensure no one else is hurt. We can use the torn gate to access the Well Road, but I think we need to do something about this monster."

"No!" Mika shouted. Grabbing Sammy by the shoulder and shaking him, "You promised me! You promised me you wouldn't hurt him!"

Dr. Browne turned and snarled at Sammy and Mika, still keeping the shotgun trained on the creature, "What, exactly would you have me do? You have already murdered your friend with your selfish, petty behavior? Do you want to murder Sammy here? Is that it? Do you want him to disappear so that you never see him again and his parents cry themselves to sleep at night because-"

"Stop! Shut up!" She screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Sammy felt the situation rapidly spiraling out of control.
>>
No. 285891 ID: e3f578

>>285884
Tell Browne that that is enough. Mika merely got in over her head trying to be kind. It is unreasonable to shift blame on what happened to her friend and what is happening to you. Tell him if any of this is anyone damned fault, it's your own stupidity. Thank him for his input and expertise. Just please, let's not kill it. Let's just get it past the Gate and close it before anyone can get hurt. We can't kill anything that can understand a bible. Ask if you can just risk yourself, just you to get close to it and help it. You'll help it past the gate and everything. You just need this one chance. And you'll succeed. You have promises to keep.

Ugh I dunno. I feel these recent conversations with Dr. Browne means that a much better possible outcome isn't available. Anyone got a better idea? Maybe it is better to just let the Doctor do his thing and have Mika hate us for it. Not what Jesus would do, but we're Sammy. I really want to go and try and save Mika's friend though, wherever she is, if that's possible.
>>
No. 285894 ID: f5e4b4

Dunn dunn, Browne is a dick. Not beeg surprise. The thing is, we don't know if killing the creature is actually going to fix the problem. Browne seems to be convinced about it, but he's our only source of information, he might be lying or ignorant himself.

Anyways, murdering a sapient and defenseless creature just because it's dangerous is bullshit. The problem here is that the professor doesn't seem like he's going to be reasonable about it, and trying to yank the weapon off his hand would be a horrible idea.

Right now I only have one idea: put yourself between the gun and the creature. If he wants to kill it, he'll have to shoot your too. It's what Jesus would do!
>>
No. 285899 ID: 6ba8b3

Suddenly the company of a creature that might tear you apart on a whim seems better than one of your fellow man. Browne might be perfecting the art of being a dick. That dosen't mean he wouldn't know better than you and it might sound a good idea put differently but we're exhausting our other options before going for breaking the commandments.

The proper response here is "Would everybody shut up, please." Address it first and say that yes you will help it if it comes with you. You have made a promise. This should also address the problem of it's influence here. Tell Browne that you'll take responsibility for your life and should it kill you for some reason it won't be his fault.
>>
No. 285926 ID: 1854db

Browne says that the creature's presence is dangerous but it's already altered you. You should be fine. Walk right up to the thing.
>>
No. 285935 ID: 36206f

"Would everybody shut up, please?" Sammy said, disentangling himself from Mika and standing between Browne and the creature. "This is my fault. It's not anybody's fault but mine. Mika was only trying to do the right thing, and I don't think the right thing is ever going to be to kill a defenseless creature. We can take it with us, through the gate. Once we go through the gate it can't hurt anybody else. I'll take responsibility for what happens."

"I want you to understand the situation as completely as possible," Dr. Browne said, punctuating the statement by prodding Sammy in the chest with the barrel of the shotgun. "The gate this creature traveled through is torn completely apart - it no longer goes anywhere. Fortunately, this is what we require to access the Well Road and possibly cure you. It will be an extremely dangerous and uncertain journey, and even if we reach the Well there is no guarantee of success."

He paused, glancing over Sammy's shoulder to the creature.

"Eliminating the creature will in no way solve your problem. We will have to travel the Well Road no matter what. I am not even certain if someone can travel the Well Road more than once. What do we do about the next person who interacts with the creature and is left cursed? Do we leave them to their fate? Put them out of their misery? Even if we can travel the Well Road more than once, I do not fancy a life consisting of nothing more than transporting troubled youths." He paused again. taking a step back and lowering the weapon.

"I do not know what will happen when You travel through the gate, because you have been altered. I suspect that it would be impossible to use whatever is left of that gate if I bring that creature through it. I feel that we could possibly use the Well to heal it. I also feel it would be irresponsible to dump it on some other world.

"I have very little familiarity with these creatures, and that familiarity is purely through reading allusions to them in certain books. I have no idea what has been done to it, although, once again, I feel the Well could solve the problem. So, you say you will take responsibility for what happens. Let me hear this plan you have. Please do tell me the best solution to this problem."

Cicadas chirruped in the boiling air and no wind rustled the loose pages than drifted down from the tattered bible.
>>
No. 285945 ID: 6ba8b3

Oh goodie. Something that there is no right answers to, everybody loves those. So you can kill it for just being it and hope that dosen't cause anything unfathomable to happen. Also break some commandments and suffer through guilt heaped on you by Mika. You can take it with you and hope nobody else gets caught in this madness by accident. Mayby the gate will even collapse cutting any hope short. Leave it here in care of Mika and hope neither she or anyone else ventures too close to it.

It's not christian to kill somebody just because it's hurt and can't help itself. We can't leave it here just because we might not be able to save ourselves then. I'm leaning towards taking it with us if only to somewhere where people aren't quite as squishy and defenseless like here if not further. But I would also ask if it understands what the options are and why we are so concerned. Does it agree and what would it choose?
>>
No. 286073 ID: e948aa

The creatures seems to be a bit... dumb. I don't know if it's putting on an innocence act or not. Tell it if it doesn't want any more pain, to stay put and answer your questions. Do your damned best to communicate with it, and emphasize the fact that there's more pain at stake if it doesn't give it your full cooperate. It's closing in, slow as it may be, and there's obviously not much time left. Get the group to backpedal and keep their distance.
>>
No. 286096 ID: e948aa

Oh, and warning shots are nice too.
>>
No. 286102 ID: 653ea0

It can speak, so yeah... Communication could be fruitful. Shooting the poor thing could kill you all... But just "let's talk to it" isn't good enough. Quick, someone make a brilliant plan out of thin air!
>>
No. 286338 ID: 228c58

Sammy thought that the best option was to communicate with the creature. He explained as clearly as he could how dangerous the creature was to everyone here, and that it would make things more dangerous, but maybe they could help it if it came with them. He explained that it couldn't come closer or it would only cause more pain.

"Your injury is my fault? I caused all this grief?" the creature said, its musical voice mournful and compassionate. It took a step back. "I do not want to endanger anyone. This wound, it hurts, makes it hard to concentrate. I did not mean to..." Its huge body slid gracefully to the ground.

"You didn't know," Mika said, "It's not your fault." She looked away, off into the woods.

"I think we should take it with us, Dr. Browne." Sammy said. "It might make things harder for us, but maybe it can help somehow. You're right, leaving it here is too dangerous, but I can't agree to anything that would hurt you more."

Doctor Browne sighed, slinging the shotgun over his shoulder. "I have already made my opinion known. I suppose there is no point in waiting, although I suppose this is really your decision."

"I want to go," Mika said, "All this is really my fault. I- I'm sorry everybody. Maybe I can help. I don't know what I can do, but I want to try."

Sammy felt nervous and a little scared, but that sense of excitement hadn't died completely. Was he ready? Should he try to convince Mika to stay?
>>
No. 286339 ID: f5e4b4

The sooner the better, we should go already. Also, yeah, let Mika come. It's her decision as much as it yours, and she's aware of the danger. Also the creature obviously trusts her more, so it'll be helpful to have her around.
>>
No. 286343 ID: 653ea0

She'd feel worse if she was left behind. Also d'aww.
>>
No. 286347 ID: 6ba8b3

For what reason would she come? With her there Browne would now have two stupid teenagers to look after. Not to mention just trying to take care of yourself will be quite enough. Besides she has a full life of poverty, teenage pregnancy and dead-end jobs ahead of her. It's very likely you won't be coming back. Does she really want to risk it and leave her parents wondering too?
>>
No. 286377 ID: bf1e7e

>>286338

It's probably best if she doesn't come with you. She is the only one present who isn't actually in any danger, and going would -put- her into danger. And you know that you care about her, and don't want anything bad to happen to her if things go wrong. You know that you don't want that on your conscience.

Besides, if she goes along with you and something goes wrong, the torn-up rift will still be here and someone else will probably find it. Somebody needs to stay behind to be the one to warn everyone else if things go south.

You should probably give her a hug and tell her how much you appreciate her concern, though.
>>
No. 286384 ID: f6360f

>>286338
Remind Mika that she might die, but say that you're not going to stop her from coming; she knows the risks. She'd be going into a great deal of danger, but then, so are you. As long as you both know what you're getting into, her life is hers to lose.

>>286377
>Somebody needs to stay behind to be the one to warn everyone else if things go south.
You might mention that, though. It's a decent argument for keeping her relatively out of danger.
>>
No. 286627 ID: f5e4b4

I think Mika should decided for herself if she wants to come or not. She knows the dangers, she knows what has Sammy been going through, how her friend dissapeared, and that the same thing can happen to her.

If she still wants to come, let her come. Apart for the reasons I already mentioned, she wouldn't be of any help at home. If things go to hell, nobody will ever believe her, so no point in leaving her to tell the tale.
>>
No. 286632 ID: 22ae4e

Make sure she comes with you. The spirit seems to like her, so it may work to your advantage anyway. Besides, she wants to go.
>>
No. 286780 ID: 342f16

Don't let her come along. She'd just get in the way. On the other hand, were it Katy...
>>
No. 287067 ID: 55c4cf

Go left.
>>
No. 287221 ID: f7166d

Sammy has grave misgivings about letting Mika go. It would be dangerous, from what Dr. Browne was saying. Part of him wanted her to come with him too, though - it would be nice to have someone familiar with him, and maybe it would help with the creature. In the end, he decided, it would have to be her choice.

"I don't want anything to happen to you Mika. You heard what Dr. Browne said - we can't come back the way we came, and it'll be really dangerous. You aren't in any danger right now, and it might be best if we had somebody here to warn people, or something, but I'm not going to tell you not to go. Do what you feel like you need to, Mika."

Dr. Browne walked into the dim interior of the train station. "I'm opening the portal. If we're going, let's go."

Sammy turned, looking back at her as he began to follow the Doctor. Mika was looking down at her feet, then she bounded forward, stumbling and embracing Sammy in an awkward, sideways hug. She grinned, tear stains streaking the sleeve of Sammy's shirt.

"Thanks," she said, "I'll be careful."

They walked in, side by side, the creature following behind them.

When they entered the lobby, barely any of the dim afternoon light filtered through the gaping hole in the roof and past the trees growing through the cracked, dirty floor, but an unfamiliar white light glared from the blank concrete square where the anomaly used to be.

Dr. Browne stood in front of a circle of light that split the air and cast odd shadows against the far wall.

"I will go last. Everyone needs to concentrate on the Well. Sammy, hold the piece of material you found and concentrate as hard as you can on reaching the Well. The better we do now, the less distance we will have to travel soon."

Sammy hesitated, then stepped through, Mika holding tightly to his paw.

His vision was absorbed in whiteness - a blinding nothingness that consumed his senses. He heard nothing, and only vaguely felt Mika's claws in what he supposed was one of his paws, and the hard plastic grasped in his other. Sensations he had always been aware of were stripped from him - the feeling of clothes against skin, of breathing and a heartbeat, of subtle muscles moving, of having eyes, of having a body. He felt himself drifting, feeling the infinity around him and becoming part of it...

***

Sammy lay gasping for air on a cold, hard surface. There was air to breathe, a body to feel. He blinked, his vision slowly clearing, and saw his reflection in a white marble floor as ghostly fingers of mist drifted all around him.

"Sammy?" He heard a harsh cough and rose unsteadily to his feet. Mika was crouched on the ground nearby, slowly standing as well. They were in a massive chamber made of white marble with a vast, open doorway facing a familiar moonlit valley with a small town crouched in the dense fog banks below. He recognized it from several nights ago - the dream with the ghost, where he'd lost his knife.

The back of the chamber had a massive staircase that was almost completely obscured by the waterfall of mist that rolled down it, past them and glittered in the moonlight on its way to the valley below.

"Well, that was certainly poorly-done." Dr. Browne said, dusting himself off. The creature was standing nearby, looking around with its glittering bronze eyes. The mark on its chest no longer showed the strange glass buildings - past the edges of the wound, Sammy could see the dim interior of the train station at dusk.

"Fortunately, even though the gate was destroyed, it seems that our friend has been somewhat stabilized in the process. It should be safe enough for now, but I don't know how long it will last. It looks like our next portal is across the valley. We could attempt to wait until morning, or start our now. This place seems safe enough, but I honestly have no clue." Dr. Browne walked to the gaping archway and gazed out over the valley.
>>
No. 287231 ID: 653ea0

A misty place at night where you have already encountered a ghost... Mmm, might be best to wait.
>>
No. 287232 ID: e3f578

>>287221
we should try to get this done as quickly as possible. We almost got done ghostraped here last time and if it looks safe now lets hurry the fuck up.

You should let Browne know of that one Dark World with the foreboding sky that gave you a lot of dread should whatever in it find you. If we're going to worlds you've been to previously, that one is probably going to end up the most dangerous. His expertise and knowledge should let us prepare for that. On second thought, maybe going through the town for supplies could help a little bit before we bolt for the next portal.
>>
No. 287330 ID: bf1e7e

>>287221

It's probably best to press on, Not only are there crazy ghosts with magma hearts roaming this area (the one you met being one who was able to destroy the stone Browne gave you), and while the guy seems stable now you don't really know how long it is going to last.

And I mean, if the guy IS stable, that means that now would be the best time to try to reach the well road. Not only does it avoid danger to you, Browne, and Mika to get out of here ASAP, it is also probably your best chance to get where you need to be.

tl;dr -- gogogogogogogogogo
>>
No. 287343 ID: f6360f

>>287221
We have no guarantee that this place will stay safe. We don't know that the creature will stay safe, either. Better to keep moving. Tell the others of all the dangers you're concerned about as you go, so that they are better informed and able to react- start with the ghost that encountered you here; tell the others what happened there, what it was like. All of you need to be very careful.

Besides, these worlds are bizarre. For all you know, there is no morning here. And it's not like you brought enough food for a lengthy trip.
>>
No. 287389 ID: e948aa

Yeaaah, don't want to stay here.

Rush. Quietly. Keep close together.

Ask Browne how much ammo he has.
>>
No. 287435 ID: f5e4b4
File 129974697936.png - (2.84KB , 230x240 , 808de26bdfe33a56_angry_sun__the.png )
287435

Well, that's the thing about alien worlds, you don't know if it's going to be any more safe in the morning, or if it's even going to be a morning at all.

Heck, for what we know, maybe the sunlight in this world is dangerous.

So yeah, hurry up now.
>>
No. 287541 ID: 350e0d

"I don't think we should wait around," Sammy said, although he did not want to face off against the ghost again. He explained as clearly as he could what he remembered from before, using his notes as a reference. Dr. Browne agreed that there was no reason to wait, and Sammy honestly agreed. The entire place seemed exactly the same as in his dream. They had no idea when the sun would rise, if ever, and if it would be worse than the darkness and mist. Soon enough, they all stood on the edge of the massive entryway gazing out over the fog and moonlight and plotting a course through the center of the valley. They slipped one by one over the lip of the cool marble slab and began their climb down the sloping mountainside. The moonlight was bright, but the mist obscured any path that may have been present and the wet grass was treacherous. By the time they reached the base of the valley, everyone except for the creature was winded. The mist obscured almost everything at ground level. It writhed above them in fluid shapes and they could see each other only dimly in the pale light.

The lights from the town were dim orbs in the mass of fog, and Sammy's group made their way slowly toward them. They attempted to move as quietly as possible while still maintaining a reasonable pace and soon enough the dim, black shapes of old timbered buildings hove into view. Lanterns were hung liberally from sloping roofs and wide, hanging eaves of the buildings almost met over the narrow cobblestone lanes.

They heard almost nothing, although the mist seemed to swallow all sounds. Sometimes, sussurations could barely be made out from behind the heavy shutters, all firmly barred. On a wide avenue with rain barrels set under the drooping eaves, Dr. Browne cursed quietly. "I forgot my backpack," he whispered. "we have no food or water, and the only shells I have are the eight in the weapon and the eight extra I have in my pockets. I don't know how wise a course of action this is, but we could either hurry through or perhaps search for some supplies here."
>>
No. 287542 ID: f6360f

>>287541
Don't try to go inside or alert others to your presence. You've been here before and this world had serious hostile elements. There are much less dangerous worlds that you'll probably go through, and it hasn't been long enough for food to become a problem.

That said, you can at least stop briefly at the rain barrels for a drink. Not more than a couple minutes, though.
>>
No. 288242 ID: 244555

They moved silently through the mist-shrouded city without pausing to do more than sip from the rain barrels. Soon enough, the small party was making its way up the far slope. The mist was largely absent - only small pockets pooled in the folded pockets in the earth on the gently-sloping ridge.

They climbed carefully over the wet, grassy ground, and Sammy could see a single bobbing light far up on the crest of the ridge. They had begun to climb almost directly across from the town - far closer to the far end of the valley than when Sammy had first visited this world.

Everyone except for the creature panted and gasped for air as they finally pulled themselves up onto the ridgeback.

A few sparse trees and a dip in the ridge blocked the lantern-bearer from their sight, although the dim glow from the lamp was visible in the distance. Sammy hoped they couldn't be seen by her.

Dr. Browne indicated that they should travel further down the ridgeback road - away from the lantern-bearer. Waves crashed far below against the shattered basalt cliffs that cut sharply away to their left. Their breath misted in the cold mountain air.

The moon had not moved at all, although Sammy guessed that it had to have been at least four hours since they left the castle, probably more. He was both sleepy and exhausted from the climbing and tense stalking through the city.

"Here," Browne gasped, pointing to a series of steps cut into the basalt cliff. They were even more cautious here - the steps were slick and wet from dew and spray from the crashing waves, and the steps were narrow and sloped. On the far side of the cliffs, the moon shadows obscured almost everything - they had to use their flashlights to find the next step down. They couldn't hear each other over the crashing waves whipped into glittering whitecaps on the jagged shards of rock below. After maybe fifty feet of nervous, slow climbing, Dr Browne disappeared from the path in front of Sammy. Another few steps, and he saw the fissure in the rock wall leading into some sort of pitch black cave. He slipped inside and held his hand out for Mika.

Their flashlight beams revealed the extent of the cave - the floor was only about eight feet across, and then entire cavern maybe fifteen feet long, ending in a blank wall. The jagged walls on either side rose to a point some twenty feet above their heads.

"Here is the other gate" Dr. Browne gasped, leaning against the far wall. Sammy was hungry, thirsty and exhausted, and he was sure Mika and Dr. Browne felt the same way. The creature gazed stoically out of the opening, across the vast ocean.

"Once we leave, we can't come back. Do we rest here or carry on?" the Dr. asked.
>>
No. 288250 ID: bf1e7e

Well, the creature seems not to need to rest, but the rest of you seem like you probably should after that climb. He knows that you're friends though, and if he's as dangerous as Browne believes he can probably protect you if something tries to enter the cave.

You don't know where you're going to end up next, so it may be a good idea to rest while you have the chance and a concealed position.
>>
No. 288256 ID: e3f578

>>288242
I hope the next place is from your first dream, the one where you got the coin. Sure, it may have nude slaves and stuff but it definitely has food and water and friendly people. Ask Doc Browne if he can tell what the next world we'd be going to is. I'd still say you may as well continue but if we end up in a bad place worse than this, possibly with no people or towns, then it would be okay to rest.

How many hours has it been?
>>
No. 288262 ID: fc8fbb

The Doctor checked his watch. Sammy's guess looked to be fairly accurate: It would be about 8:00 back on Earth. Sammy also asked whether or not Dr. Browne could determine where the gates went.

"Unfortunately not," he replied. Sitting against the far wall and facing Sam and Mika with a sigh. He pulled a couple of candy bars out of his pocket and handed them to Sammy and Mika. "This'll have to do until we can find supplies."

The creature sinuously coiled around itself at the entrace to the cave, laying its head over its forelimbs and tail. It watched them eat and attempt to find comfortable spots on the cold stone, although its bulk did help to block the worst of the freezing ocean wind. It wasn't quite as frightning with the wound hidden. It seemed worried for them as it glanced from one to the other with its soulful eyes, but also calm and prepared. Looking into its brightDr. Browne took off his glasses and hung them from the front of his shirt. He held the shotgun across his chest and pulled his hat down over his eyes. He slumped back against the stone. Sammy didn't see how he could sleep like that.

Mika laid on her side near the creature, her head pressed into the crook of her elbow and her other paw laid across her eyes.

Sammy slumped against the uneven rocky floor. The candy bar was better than nothing, but it sat uneasily in his mostly empty stomach. He tried laying on his back, then his side. It was utterly dark except for a sliver of night sky filled with bright, alien stars, but the hard stones and bitter cold made sleep elusive. He heard slow, rythmic breathing coming from Mika and the Doctor. He saw the creature's huge shadow rise and fall as it breathed. He tossed and turned, hearing the waves beat themselves against the rock. Eventually, exhaustion overtook him.

****

Sammy found himself standing in another dark room. The floor was smooth, dusty concrete, and he could see brigh moonlight coming from the open doorway into the overgrown lobby of the train station. The moon was high in the sky - it had to be before midnight. He was still exhausted, confused, and couldn't think of a good way to take advantage of the turn of events.
>>
No. 288266 ID: e3f578

>>288262
Let's go buy the shit out of some food and drinks... or go get some decent snacks from home and hope you don't get caught if you have no money. The professor said he took care of notifying your parents so they probably think you just are on a few days trip to some fancy college thing, lets not void his entire story.

I feel like Katy offering you a ride earlier may have been a sign. She also could probably get you a snack or two if you gave a believable bit of the truth in exchange. Hell, maybe introduce the whole truth to her by showing yourself disappearing in front of her eyes, gaining a good ally back in the home world. If you're looking for specific snacks, trail mix might be the best along with preserved goods such as... well I suppose your going to be living on cheetos and chips for this adventure.
>>
No. 288290 ID: bf1e7e

>>288266

This is definitely the best idea. Sammy, if sleeping is taking you back home this is your chance to grab supplies somewhere where you AREN'T being harassed by ghosts with burning heart lanterns.
>>
No. 288339 ID: bf1e7e

>>288290

Actually, do you know how to Drive? If Doctor Browne's truck is still here, and so are his keys, you might be able to take it back into town to get some food. That would be super helpful.

Hell, maybe if you have time you could just get home and raid the fridge, possibly even grab some money for if you come back again so you don't have to come as far.

Hell, did you ever get that coin back? If you did that's always something you could grab, too.
>>
No. 288515 ID: f7166d

Sammy tried to focus. He staggered out of the train station and into the cool night air. Food would be a great start, although unfortunately, Sammy had no idea what the Doctor had told him. He though about Katy, but had no means to contact her. He hated doing more walking, but the night was much warmer and the sparse woods much less demanding than the struggle he'd recently endured. He thought about his coin too - he'd never gotten it back, or heard from Professor Lee again. That had been Monday - it was already Thursday.

Soon enough, he was walking across the gravel lot to Dr. Browne's pickup truck. Sammy had driven a little, but hadn't taken the test yet. He could probably manage if he had to.

He walked up to the shadowy shape of the Doctor's truck. The driver's door was locked, but apparently Mika had forgotten to lock the passenger's door and the Doctor hadn't noticed. His cursory glance didn't reveal the keys, although the truck was a standard and he wasn't sure he could drive it at all. He did notice a black booksack under the driver's seat.

Although the area he was in now was fairly abandoned, if he went any further he'd be in the ghetto. He needed to plan out where he would head toward and what he would do. Food was a priority, but where? He had about twenty dollars in his wallet and no cellphone.
>>
No. 288518 ID: bf1e7e

>>288515

Maybe you should grab that booksack? It may have something useful for Doc Browne. It would also probably be helpful for carrying things back with you.

Wasn't Mika bringing Canned Goods to the station for the guy? Did you see if any of those were still here?
>>
No. 288521 ID: e3f578

>>288515
Probably a Seven-Eleven or something in the ghetto. 20 bucks should be plenty enough for a day's worth of rations.

What's also important to note is the time distillation, how long do you think you were in the world's when you were asleep, they seemed like pretty short trips each, at most probably a few hours before you woke up back home when it was morning. Does this mean you'll be here longer than you would be considered asleep in the other world? Where are you getting this energy if you are technically awake 24 hours (awake home and awake in an alien world) since these dreams started? We should hasten everything as quickly as possible since we don't know how long you'll be back home and when you'll "wake" up.
>>
No. 288526 ID: f5e4b4

Hey, didn't the professor say that he forgot his backpack? Maybe it's that booksack. Check it out, or any other thing inside the truck. If we find his supplies, we'll have rations, water and ammo for the shotgun.

Also walking around in the middle of the ghetto can end up pretty badly. If you can't find the rations inside the truck, check if Browne had a map or something inside, maybe you can see the shortest way out of the neighbourhood there.
>>
No. 288528 ID: f6360f

>>288515
Check the booksack. It might be the one that the doc intended to bring with you and forgot; if so, you should probably carry it with you so that when you go back it comes with. You should also search the rest of the truck- some people keep money in their vehicles in case they forget their purse/wallet, or at least for tolls. Could increase your available cash, and as long as you're using it to benefit the expedition Dr. Browne would want you to take it.
>>
No. 288604 ID: 383006

It must have been the bookbag that Dr. Browne had talked about! He also found about six dollars in the console. The bookbag had six tan plastic packages that said "Meal, ready-to-eat" on them, and a canteen, as well as a jar of peanut butter and a box of cookies. The smaller pocket on the front had a first aid kit and a couple of boxes of shotgun shells. Mika's plastic bag with pet food in it was also on the floorboard. There was an atlas as well, but that wasn't very useful. No keys. Browne must have kept them on him.

Sammy had never figured out how his dream transportation worked, and wasn't really sure how long he'd spent in any particular place he'd went. Definitely not eight hours, that was for sure. He had some rations. He wasn't sure if he should just wait to transport back, or try something else.
>>
No. 288698 ID: 1578e2

>>288604
Just wait for transport for now.
>>
No. 288715 ID: f5e4b4

Hmmm... Well, we still have the black pawn, which is an object empowered by Browne. Hold it and focus on Browne and the dark world, with the ghost and the spooky village, the one you just left. It's worth a shot, I think.
>>
No. 288739 ID: e6fc3e

Sammy was so tired. He'd just wait. He had the bag, after all. He slipped in on backwards so it lay against his stomach, and leaned back in his seat. He reached into his pocket and withdrew the black plastic pawn. He held the small figure in his paw, rubbing the pad of his thumb across the smooth, warm surface. Maybe something would happen. He leaned back in the seat, concentrating on Dr. Browne and the spooky village. It was warm in the truck - the radiant heat from the remainder of the day still trapped inside. The seat was so much warmer and softer than the cold, wet stone...

****

He woke, falling back against freezing stone. Wasn't he just somewhere warm? It was dark - pitch black. He swayed groggily, catching sight of a knifeblade of sky winking with alien stars. His body ached, his legs were sore and his memories slowly filtered back as he woke up. He could barely make out Dr. Browne - a dim blotch against the far wall. Where was Mika? He remembered where she'd laid down - across and a little down from him - but there was only shadow and stone.

His sore legs and back protested as he slowly rose to his feet. The bookbag was heavy, too, he laid it on the ground. Had something happened to her? He clicked his flashlight on for a brief second and the light caught in the gleaming, open eyes of the creature. At least he saw Mika. She was pressed against its slide, her snout resting on its shoulder, it's long tail draped across her back.
>>
No. 288743 ID: 1854db

>>288739
Aww, they like eachother. That's cute.

Maybe you should get a bit more rest though.
>>
No. 288744 ID: f5e4b4

Well, first of all, check if your friends are indeed alright and sleeping.

Then take a look at your watch, or the professor's if you don't have yours, see how many hours have you been sleeping.

Then I guess you could talk with the creature. Start asking if it has a name, so we can stop calling it "the creature". Also a gender.
>>
No. 288746 ID: 6ba8b3

Try not to shiver at the thought it watching you like this every night, in the darkness, where you can't see it. Just waiting. Point at Mika and say "You know that could be incredibly dangerous? She could become like me or worse." Also yes, ask it's name. I hope you brought the plastic bag too. You'll start to look like a nice talking meal after couple of days.
>>
No. 288747 ID: 1854db

Err... I think everyone but the Guy is asleep. If we're doing any talking be quiet about it.
>>
No. 288761 ID: f7166d

Sammy crept over toward Dr. Browne, who'd apparently taken off his watch before he went to sleep and laid it on the floor of the cave next to him. It was a little after four in the morning.

He snuck back toward the guy, sitting in front of him and speaking in low tones.

"Don't you think that what you're doing is extremely dangerous?" Sammy said, feeling a little disturbed at the thought of the creature watching him sleep, "She could end up like me, or worse." Sammy was glad that he'd brought the bookbag with the food and medicine in it.

"The Doctor said there is no danger," the creature replied, it sounded hurt at the implication that it would harm Mika. "His ghost came out. It went through the gate," It's eyes shone. "Mika was cold. She moved up to me after you disappeared. I did not want her to be cold."

Sammy didn't really know what to say, so he changed the conversation, "What is your name, anyway? A-are you a boy or a girl?"

The creature grinned, it's jet-black teeth shone under the meager light from Sammy's flashlight, largely covered by his paw so as not to wake his companions.

"Why do you want to know?" the creature asked, its expression carrying a hint of mischief. Its expression shifted into a more serious mien. "As for my name, my kind do not name thing. I have existed for a very long time without a name, and see no use for one now. Names are cumbersome things that force you into a particular role. Right now, I am free," it sighed, "Or mostly free." It sighed, looking at Sammy with loss and hurt in its eyes, "I am truly sorry that I have caused you pain. I will try my best to help in any way I can. My people do not age, and although we become hungry, we will not die of starvation. We are very strong and difficult to injure or kill, but we do not mean harm. We travel, exploring the mysteries of the wonderful infinity of universes," It's voice carried a sense of calm and wonder.

Sammy wasn't sure exactly what to think about the creature, and if he should be worried for Mika.
>>
No. 288783 ID: 6ba8b3

Well if it promises to be careful. There is little danger now but that may change with time or dimension. For now it's stable. Be sure to tell that despite that Mika is lucky to have such a protector and you are sure if something goes wrong it'll get her out of harms way.

Does it really want us to keep calling it creature or can we call it by it's species? Also specify that gender pronoun might help alleviate this verbal communication problem. Not that it has a hypnotic angelic voice that makes you want to buy it flowers. What did it think of the book?
>>
No. 288812 ID: f5e4b4

Tell that you just want to know because among your species it's easier to identify someone by name and gender, just that.

Ask about what it just said about the ghost. Did the doctor just travel away just like you did? Ask if it saw your ghost "leaving" when you went to the station. Or if it saw you coming back.

Now that we appear to have some time, we should milk some information. Ask about the creature that hurt it. The "gray". Who is it? Why dit the grey hurt it? Is it dangerous for Sammy and his friends?
>>
No. 288919 ID: 9dab30

"You have to be careful," Sammy said, "We don't know how stable you will be when we keep crossing gates, or if we take too long," he sighed, "but I'm glad you're here to keep Mika safe." The creature seemed to reflect a sense of pride and happiness, "What did you think of the book?"

"It said many interesting things," the creature replied, appearing solemn.

"About your gender, or a name or even a species name," Sammy said, "It makes things hard as far as communication goes. Among our people, it's easier to identify somebody by name and gender."

"Would knowing my gender change the way you think about me?" the creature asked, that hint of mischief in its voice again, "There is no communication problem for you, though, even without a name. If you are speaking to me, I will know it. A name of any kind would be a burden for me."

Sammy decided to let it drop for now. "What about the Doctor's ghost? Did he travel like I did? Did you see my ghost? And what about the 'gray men' that captured you? Are they dangerous for us?"

The creature ran the tip of its triangular, deep blue tongue across the front of its black teeth, seeming to reflect on the questions. "No. A blue spirit came from the doctor's body when he went to sleep, although his sleeping body remained. It opened the gate and left, and I have not seen it return.

You tossed and turned, and then your body began to bleed through this reality. It vanished entirely for a significant length of time and faded back into existence a short while ago." Its expression was serious. "The gray men are a species I had seen before in my travels, although they had not before caused me harm. They have technologies that I do not entirely understand, and make a practice of attempting to use their science to explore other realities."

"Vuthoi," Dr. Browne said, startling Sammy, "Black eyes, a single ridge instead of separate teeth? Some of them have horns?"

"Yes," the creature replied, it's melodious voice humble, "You are much more knowledgeable than me on such matters."

"Perhaps," Browne said, "Although I appreciate that you may know more than you present. The Vuthoi have a variety of cultures and races, but some of them have focused on world traveling. The methods they have to rely on are much, much more dangerous than my own, however, so some of them have focused on attempting to find more stable methods of crossing gates. I imagine that is where you came in," he tipped his had toward the creature, "They use weapons that are much more advanced than what we have - ray guns and things - although their body armor looks a lot like what our military uses. More importantly, it seems you have recovered by supplies somehow," he looked at Sammy, "This is very beneficial. I scouted through the gate with my dreaming body last 'nigh,' and have some relatively distressing news. This gate leads to an abandoned building in a large city. The city appears to be under assault by an alien force of some kind, and both sides have been having shootouts in the street. I managed to locate the far gate, but the going will be dangerous. I don't know what the situation will be like when we go through. I was spotted close to the far gate, and fled rather than leading anyone back this way. We should probably wake Mika and have a breakfast." He stood and stretched, his joints popping as he yawned, "I am famished."
>>
No. 288921 ID: f5e4b4

Give the backpack to Browne so he can get those easy-to-eat meals for breakfast. Go and gently wake up Mika. Have breakfast and discuss best course of action to not get shot during an alien shootout.
>>
No. 288926 ID: 1854db

>>288919
I think the Guy is implying that you are trying to find out if you should be flirting with them. Heheheh.

Ask Browne if he was able to tell who the aggressors are. We should at least know who we should shoot if it comes to it.
>>
No. 288933 ID: 6ba8b3

We must go through a warzone? Did he happen to get a look at the sides and weapons that are employed? How about the routes to the gate, how do they look?
>>
No. 290194 ID: 383006

Sammy had no idea what the Guy was up to. He tried not to think about what the creature might be implying with its evasive answer.

It nuzzled Mika softly behind the ear, and she slowly woke up. There was a tiny smile on the end of her long muzzle, and she blinked blearily and smacked her teensy mouth as she stretched and looked around the cave in a state of mild confusion.

Dr. Browne opened two of the packages and showed Sammy and Mika how to activate the heating pack to cook the contents. He ate some peanut butter and cookies, and shared some with the Guy. As they ate, he explained the layout in more detail.

"There are two different species of aliens. I think the natives are creatures that float in some kind of metal skirt-thing with glowing spheres on the bottom. They have long arms with three fingers, a bright red, spherical head with glowing eyes, and some kind of spade-shaped hood. The whole thing might just be some kind of body armor or something, I have no idea. From what I can tell, they have weapons that are a lot like ours. The city is gray, mostly concrete. We will enter into a warehouse in a sort of crowded area that has been damaged by what I assume is artillery fire. There were ships overhead in a sky black from flame, flying and firing weapons that caused explosions in the distance.

The invaders are some sort of mottled, fleshy cone with two thick, featureless limbs. On top is a clear glass cube that seems to just rise out of the meat, with a bright red core suspended in the center. They didn't seem to use weapons. They could fire some kind of energy from their heads.

There was a wide street with barricades and some collapsed buildings a little distance from the warehouse. From there, it's a tangle of narrow alleys and broken buildings, with a few other plazas or piles of rubble in between us and the second gate. It is in another, smaller derelict building, although that one was made of stone and seemed quite sturdy. I have no real experience in making my way through warzones. Any good ideas are more than welcome."

"Well, don't look at me." said Mika, her eyes wide.

"I will try my best to protect Mika" the Guy said. Sammy noticed that the wound on his chest now showed the interior of Dr. Browne's truck at night.
>>
No. 290206 ID: f6360f

>>290194
Making your way through warzones... hm.
-Keep to cover, always. Move quickly from one relatively protected spot to another.
-Stay low, move fast. Avoid open spaces where someone might be able to see you for more than a few seconds at a time, so that they can't target and shoot you.

That's all I've got for basic advice. I would not anticipate stopping in the next world, though you might; everyone should eat up, drink up, go to the bathroom, and what have you right now.
>>
No. 290308 ID: 6ba8b3

Tactics for civilians? Okay then.

Everyone get a good feel for the direction, distance and look of the place you're going to. Keep moving at all times when in open and only rest in cover. If group is split up due to enemy just keep moving toward your destination seperately and try to cross paths on the way there. When you reach the portal wait as long as possible for everyone to reach it. But try not to split up.

Also if there's any overhead cover use it at all times. If those ships have any thermals you're going to be targeted immeadetly. Good luck and may cub Jesus look after you.
>>
No. 290337 ID: f7166d

"I don't know," said Sammy, "I guess we should all go to the bathroom and everything before we go through, and we should try to go fast and stay hidden."

Nervous energy radiated from the group in the cold, dark cave as they disposed of their trash. Dr. Browne reached through the blank stone wall, pulling open a gleaming, white disk that cast odd shadows against the rough stone walls. He gripped his shotgun tightly against his chest. "Here we go," he said, stepping through.

Unlike the gate onto the Well Road, there was no disorientation or sense of disappearing. He stepped into the light and was immediately inside of a huge, littered warehouse. It was hot and dusty, glaring light from outside shone through massive, broken windows on the front of the building, catching huge columns of dust particles that drifted chaotically through the air. Broken concrete pilings and dented metal barrels littered the open area near the front of the warehouse. The majority was filled with huge metal storage containers in a variety of colors, all rusted and many dented.

Mika followed quickly behind Sammy, then a bright flash and an awful screech, like tearing metal mixed with an almost-animal roar as the Guy destroyed the gate behind them.

They could hear the chattering of gunfire somewhere outside, explosions in the distance. The sun outside was huge and yellow with black fingers of smoke rising across its face.

Dr. Browne lead the way, followed by Sammy, then Mika, then the creature. They wove through the containers and out a large side door into an alley about eight feet across. They all stood blinking in the bright, harsh air, but the heat was a momentary blessing after the frigid darkness of the cliffside cave.

A tangle of massive concrete buildings spread out around them. Behind them were more warehouses with curved metal rooves, many collapsed into piles of concrete and metal that belched columns of greasy black smoke. They moved quietly down the alley. It abutted a wide street with tall stone buildings on the far side. There had once been a tree-lined median dividing the lanes of the road, but it had been reduced to dirt and rubble. They could see the broken fingers of skyscrapers in the distance, and see fast-moving ovoid aircraft scream across the sky, leaving lines of ear-splitting explosions in their wake.

Only a few feet to their left, the road had a makeshift barricade of strange, wheeless boxy vehicles and doors from the shops across most of its length, although there were blackened scraps of some of the vehicles where the barricade had been breached in several places. Keeping low, they ran as quickly as possible across the broad expanse of open space. A collapsed building covered most of the road several hundred feet to their right. They saw no one and no shots rang out as they hurried into the shade of the far alley.

They kept to the narrow alleys as much as possible, crossing streets as quickly as they could. They saw no one, although at times the gunfire seemed to come from around the next corner. They made good time until they came to an open plaza.

Dr. Browne stopped everyone as they crowded close to a splintered barricade. The plaza had a shattered fountain in the center, spraying a plume of water thirty feet into the air. Three of the creatures Dr. Browne had described were on the far side of the plaza, hunkered down behind more makeshift barricades. Sammy could see the red, spherical heads and pointed, metallic green hoods occasionally peeked around the side of the barricade, but they were pinned down by one of the other creatures. Its massive body was in front and to the right of Sammy and his group. It was a massive, greasy cone of mottled flesh some eight feet high and six feet wide, with a pinkish, undulating fold that moved it forward across the rubble-strewn ground. Two thick arms waved seemingly blindly, ending in useless-seeming stumps of flesh. The clear cube with its pitted red core that the creature had instead of a head did not turn or move, and released bursts of whipcracks that left little lines in the air and threw up little clouds of stone and wood from the barricades the other creatures hid behind. It was slowly advancing on the group behind the barricades, keeping them pinned down.
>>
No. 290342 ID: 1854db

>>290337
Hmm. Double check to make absolutely sure everyone is fully behind cover, then Browne should fire off a shot to get its attention. We can catch it in a crossfire, basically.
>>
No. 290356 ID: 6ba8b3

The waving stumps indicate it sees without eyes making just hiding difficult. If backing up some way and taking a side route from the right or left is possible do it. I would rather not go through such open ground.

If there's no obvious way around take everyone without a gun behind a corner to minimize exposure. The shotgun isin't going to do nothing to creature that big and you have to be too close to comfort anyway. Best you can do is take a potshot at the cube or appendages and duck behind opposite corner. Should it take the bait and follow the creature could probably take it out from behind.
>>
No. 290390 ID: f5e4b4

Yeah, if you can take a side alley or something to walk around this mess, I would advice doing it. Otherwise, get everyone ready to make a run for it, then tell Dr. Browne to shoot the cubehead creature a couple of times, then take cover.

Luckily it'll distract it enough so the cornered aliens can counterattack, giving you time to make a run for it in the confusion.
>>
No. 290403 ID: f6360f

>>290337
You do not want to draw attention here. Do not shoot anyone or otherwise participate in this war. Keep out of sight as much as possible and circle around the plaza and the combatants.
>>
No. 290427 ID: 3fa70f

We don't know who are the good or bad guys, if any. Helping them could give more information on THE OTHER WORLD but they could just turn around and kill Browne anyway. And that's only if helping them works and everyone doesn't get killed by the fleshmonster.

Best avoid it, it isn't your war and you don't know enough to take sides. Furthermore you don't know anything about how dangerous the enemy is, and fighting what you don't know is a bad idea.
>>
No. 290432 ID: bf1e7e

Definitely try taking a shot at the thing. If it is simply aware of its surroundings you have basically no chance of getting past it either way. The fact that the hooded aliens actually have cover and AREN'T massive (since the architecture is roughly appropriately-sized to you) implies that they are, in fact, the locals.

If the war is still -going- they obviously have a way to fight the thing. And they can probably point you through if you help them out, they'll almost certainly be thankful.

tl;dr -- Shoot it in its stupid cube head.
>>
No. 304616 ID: 383006

Sammy turned and whispered to his companions, "Can we easily go around?"

"I don't know," Dr. Browne whispered back, "We would have to backtrack. We aren't far, though."

Sammy had a niggling feeling that it would be wrong to abandon the creatures behind the barricade anyway, but had secretly hoped they could avoid the confrontation. "I think we should do something then. We don't know if the creature will see us or not, even though we're behind it. I say you take a shot at it, Dr, and then we run for it. Hopefully the other creatures will fire back when it's distracted."

"We shouldn't get involved," Mika hissed, trying to pull Sammy further down the alley, back the way they came. A series of explosions threw a cloud of grit across the sky from somewhere nearby, and they felt the shock wave through the pavement under their feet. "This isn't our war. We don't even know who the good guys are."

Sammy waited for his heart to stop racing before he answered, stubbornly refusing to retreat. "The big gray guy is the intruder. Everything we've seen so far has been sized about right for the guys with the cowls. This must be their home."

"Astute observation," said Dr. Browne, "Let's hope they're thankful."

"I should be able to communicate with them," the creature whispered, a massive, shadowy shape lurking in the alley behind Mika, "I can understand any language."

Dr. Browne waved for them to take a step back, then leaned around the corner of the barricade and fired his shotgun. The report was deafening up close, and Dr. Browne immediately slipped back behind the barricade. "I got it!" He shouted, "Right in the cube!" He peeked around the corner briefly. "It worked, It's coming this-" his statement was cut short as two holes appeared one right after the other in the barricade. There was a sharp crack from Dr. Browne's pocket, and a line of blood trickled down the side of his face from a scorched groove in his cheek. The stench of burned fur and seared flesh made Sammy want to gag. A few seconds later, they heard chattering weapons fire coming from across the plaza. Dr. Browne leaned out again, "They are shooting the hell out of it. Do we run, or see if our help here is appreciated?"
>>
No. 304745 ID: bf1e7e

If the thing can shoot right through the barricade, you should probably move whether you end up sticking around or not. Changing location is pretty much your immediate priority.

Try to keep in the vicinity though, if it turns back towards the cowl guys you might end up needing to help them out again, and if they take it down you might get a chance to approach them without getting shot.

In summary: Get the fuck out of where you are and to somewhere safe, try to keep tabs on what's going on once you've got a breather.
>>
No. 305020 ID: f5e4b4

Yeah, your position is compromised, make a run for it and look for another place to cover behind. If the thing is still alive, tell Browne to shoot it again, then run to another position before it has time to shoot back.
>>
No. 305044 ID: e83efa

You have distracted it so that the other guys could fire. It has probably turned to react to them now, but just in case Browne should move whilst hidden behind cover so that the creature loses track of him. Firing another shot would mean revealing Browne's position again, so only do that if the monster attacks the other guys.

Sammy and others... Uh. Hide? Run out and smite it in the name of the lo- Hiding sounds like the best idea.
>>
No. 305137 ID: 383006

They had certainly distracted the creature, now was the time to move. Keeping low, they dashed across the broken courtyard. Dr. Browne was first, shotgun ready, wincing in pain, then Sammy, followed by Mika and the creature. The hooded creatures had moved out from behind cover and were advancing on the creature. It's head was filled with white mist and laced with cracks. It listed drunkenly, spraying oily black blood as its limbs flailed wildly and and it fired its weapon in useless, random bursts.

The hooded creatures wore some kind of armor. It was green, like a pleated, metal skirt, and they levitated above the ground. Sammy could barely make out a bright, yellow light from underneath. Two thin arms with clawed hands were positioned on the front of the armor, holding strange, smooth weapons that chattered and smoked, tearing chunks of flesh from the creature. Their small round heads (or maybe helmets, it was hard for Sammy to see them clearly) had two round, yellow glowing eyes, peering out from the tall, spade-shaped cowls.

Sammy and his allies rapidly crossed the cracked, rubble-strewn courtyard. They crouched behind the barricade on the opposite side. The weapons from the defenders ceased firing, and Sammy heard something shatter loudly. He had to assume the gray monster was Dead. Sammy wondered if he should try to make contact with the defenders they'd saved, or just leave.
>>
No. 305446 ID: b64752

Don't waste time with idle chat. You know your destination so it'd be wise to continue on and not let them know more than you've already presented. Just because they are being invaded does not make them suddenly good guys. I'm sure they are grateful for your help and won't immediately fire on you, but it'd be better to just make it to the next area as fast as possible.
>>
No. 305449 ID: 1854db

If we can get some report on what areas are safe to cross, that would be of immense help. We should talk to them. Maybe we could even score an escort? I wouldn't straight up ask for one but requesting directions would be alright, I think?
>>
No. 305460 ID: b64752

Directions would be good okay yes. Also maybe see about procuring some sort of firearm for the service rendered to them? You may believe violence to be an unchristianly thing, Sammy, but we still don't know if we can trust the Doc all the way, and it would be good to have an extra bit of defense rather than the shotgun Doc has. You will not want to be defenseless if Doc is otherwise distracted and something comes for you, or worse, Mika.
>>
No. 305530 ID: 383006

Sammy decided it was best to at least determine the safest way to reach their destination, and maybe see if the defenders had any spare equipment or supplies. He turned to the creature. "Did you say you could talk to them? What do you think Dr. Browne? Is it safe to try and talk to them?"

"It might be useful to know the quickest way. I can tell them where we're trying to get."

They slowly rose from behind the barricade, walking slowly toward the center of the courtyard. The strange creatures hovered around the corpse of the gray creature. The cube was shattered - jagged fragments jutted from its stump of a neck. Sammy could tell that the appearance of the creatures was some sort of armor or suit. He couldn't be entirely sure they weren't completely mechanical. One listed slightly, green gas leaking from a puncture in its armor. The smell burned Sammy's nose, and he didn't approach too closely. The creatures chittered to one another, pointing excitedly at the creatures and gesturing. The guy leaned in looking as if it understood what they were saying. After a moment, it began chattering back at them. Dr. Browne told the creature where they were attempting to travel. Some chittering later, with accompanying gestures on both party's parts, and they were on their way. Before they left, one of the creatures shoved its weapon into Sammy's paws.

The device was smooth, made of some dull green metal with insectlike, organic curves. The creature held his paw in its metallic grasper, placing one paw against the handle, and putting his finger over a button at the top of the handle. There was a click. It moved his finger off of what he assumes was the trigger, then placed his other hand on a smooth tube on the underside of the weapon. It pushed one of his fingers against a groove in the weapon's underside, and he felt it press in, then pointed at the trigger. The mechanical digits of the defender moved rapidly and forcefully as it clicked in its harsh, mechanical language. Sammy felt like he understood the basics of the gun, and soon they were on their way into the debts of the ruined city.

The intelligence of the creatures served them well. Knowing where the fighting was allowed them to rapidly make their way to their destination without further incident. The destination building was old, and made of large blocks of fitted stone. A barred wooden door was set deeply into the wall, opened a sliver. They rapidly ducked inside, away from the smoke, dust and noise of the war zone. There was only a bare chamber with an ornate archway Set into the far wall.

"This is it," said Dr. Browne. "I would personally like to rest, although I feel like this may not be the best location."

If anyone can identify the source of the creatures in this world (the gray thing will be pretty difficult, but the other ones with the hoods and the skirts should be doable) then the character of their choice will get a "save" if something terrible were to occur to them. One guess per person for each of the two beings, you only have to correctly identify one of them. Put your guess and the character you want to protect (so, up to two characters could gain protection) behind spoilertext in your suggestion.
>>
No. 305537 ID: f5e4b4

Get some rest, the professor needs it. Just don't stay for too long, be alert and take turns to watch the perimeter. The good thing is that you're just in front of the archway. Set camp next to it, if the aliens attack, don't even try to fight back, just everybody jump into the gate.
>>
No. 305548 ID: b64752

>>305537

This is a good plan. It may not be the best location for a rest, but we don't know what awaits around the next corner, and it could be far more dangerous.
>>
No. 306119 ID: bf1e7e

>>305530

The hooded dudes are based on the Flatwoods Monster. For once JRPG playing pays off! I'm totally sticking my save on Sammy, poor guy needs a break.
>>
No. 306334 ID: 383006

That's right! Sammy gets a save. He's already saved, so I guess he's saved twice now.

Sammy and his companions decided to take a rest. They didn't know what was beyond the portal, but here at least they ahd thick stone walls and a heavy door and there was no immediate danger. After the stress of the warzone, it was nice to be able to sit back and rest.

The creature laid back against the door, its eyes glittering in the darkness. Mika clicked on a flashlight and leadned against the creature's side. It's dim beam cast heavy shadows across the smooth stone walls.

Dr. Browne leaned against the archway itself, slouching and pulling his hat down over his eyes. His hands rested lightly on the body of his shotgun. Sammy sighed, leaning back against the wall in between Dr. Browne and the Creature. He felt shaky and exhausted, but it had probably only been a few hours since they woke up. The creture turned sharply, looking at Sammy. "He's gone through the gate," it said. The doctor's body was still there, snoring quietly.

Then Mika began to retch. Snot was dripping from her nose, and she was shaking. "I- I don't feel good," she said. "I think it was that gas from that thing. I feel sick." She listed sideways, shaking and curling into a ball. She heaved, and Sammy felt a little queasy when he heard her mouth fill up with fluid. She managed to chew it back, tears streaming from her eyes."
>>
No. 306562 ID: 1854db

Uh, shit, we don't have any way of knowing what that gas was or how long the effects last. We have no idea how to treat her either. Ask the creature if they know anything about what's wrong with her. Also, does he know know where that gate led? If it led to the Well I think that Dr. Browne has decided to try to use it for his own ends.
>>
No. 306795 ID: 234c26

>>306334
Well, son of a bitch. Who knows how bad that gas was- or if anyone else was significantly exposed. Mike could easily die here, and what do you know how to do about it?

If you can figure out what you would need to treat her, then you might be able to go to sleep and get it from the real world. I doubt that the natives here would have any kind of medicine good for her, given their appearance. Failing that... shit, I don't know the first thing to do about a health situation that bad. Hold her hand to try and comfort her and pray, I guess, if nothing else seems viable. Won't hurt, and surely Jesus would have mercy for someone like Mika, whose good-hearted nature compelled her to enter into danger for the sake of a friend.
>>
No. 306880 ID: 383006

Sammy didn't know what to do. There was no way to tell what the gas was or how to fix it. He felt confused, but he pushed the feelings of helplessness away as he stood. The flashlight laid sideways on the floor , and as he walked across the small room, it cast his enormous shadow back against the wall. He supported her under the arm, helping her to sit up. Her body was moist, burning, dripping with sweat. The sharp stink of her sweat assaulted him. "Do you know what's wrong with her?" he asked the creature, "or where the gate goes?"

"I do not know," the creature said, it's large, shining eyes reflecting concern and fear. It leaned down, wrapping both Sammy and Mika in its massive arms. Sammy smelled the spicy, otherworldy scent and felt its smooth skin and soft, silky hair brush against his cheek.

Mika vomited loudly, convulsing as she retched. Fortunately, it was clear and thin - she hadn't eaten since they'd woken up - and sprayed mostly away from the huddled group. The pungent stink of bile rapidly filled the tiny room, overpowering everything else and making Sammy's eyes water as she continued to retch and heave.

Sammy forced back his own waves of nausea and closed his eyes, pushing thoughts of clean close from his mind. He could feel Mika's heat, the creature's warmth all around him. He could hear the creature whispering to Mika that everything would be fine, he would keep her safe. Sammy prayed. He knew Mika wasn't a Christian, but God could at least give her respite in her mortal life, even if he didn't have anything nice waiting for her after. She really didn't deserve the crappy life she'd been given, and had only tried to help those in need, to help her friends in the face of grave danger. She was a good-hearted person. Mercy, please, he prayed.

He didn't know how long they stayed there, but eventually her convulsions slowed, then stopped. Her breathing became slow, steady. Sammy opened his eyes. Mika's long tongue drooped from her open mouth and laid wetly across the front of her shirt. She was leaning back, eyes bloodshot and half-closed. Her claws clasped Sammy's hand tightly. "Oh God, Sammy, I'm so sorry," she said weakly, "I threw up on you. I-" She sniffled, snot dripping down her snout, "Thanks. I think I'm OK. I feel a little woobly, but I think I'm OK."
>>
No. 306888 ID: 1854db

>>306880
Lord be praised. She's alright.

She should replenish her fluids. Give her a little water. Also uh... maybe after she's feeling a bit more stable she could eat something. Start slow though, she shouldn't eat more than a few bites. If the nausea returns well there's no point in eating is there?
>>
No. 307032 ID: 234c26

>>306880
There are more important things to worry about than a little vomit here. I mean, honestly, what kind of shitty person would care about getting nasty stuff on them when their friend could be dying before their eyes? Hug her and tell her it doesn't matter and you're glad she's okay.

And thank God for answering your prayer. Even if she'd have been fine anyway, it can't hurt.

She could probably use some water. And if all else seems normal, you might consider going to sleep- find out what size clothes Mika wears, and maybe you'll be able to get both of you a change, as well as some more supplies, before the professor returns. No telling how long he'll be, after all.
>>
No. 309539 ID: 1c38f5

"That's OK," Sammy said, "I'm just glad you are OK." he silently thanked God for granting mercy to her. The acrid stench from the clear, slimy vomit splattered across the floor burned their eyes and made thoughts of eating for either of them fairly impossible, but Sammy got some water and helped Mika drink. He thought about taking a nap to go and get some clean clothes, but before he could really consider it, Dr. Browne started to stir. Sammy didn't think there was really very much vomit on either of them and hoped the awful stench was only because of the small, unventilated room they were in.

Dr. Browne began to cough and rub his eyes when he came to, sputtering and getting unsteadily to his feet. "What on earth happened? Oh dear god that smell! I don't care if we get shot, crack the door!" He pulled the collar of his jacket up around his muzzle and inquired as to exactly what had happened. Sammy explained that he guessed the gasses from the creature had made Mika sick, but she seemed mostly OK now, and Mika nodded and got to her feet as well.

"Okay, well, nothing immediate then," Dr. Browne said, "Let's go. It's some kind of plain grassy area through here that doesn't smell like vomit and there isn't currently a gun battle going on."

He reached through the solid stone archway, pulling open an oval of white light, as before. "Hurry up," he said, "I can't bear this smell much longer."

Sammy walked through with Mika, still holding her claws in his hand.

****

Sammy stood in a shimmering field of tall, green grass and the sky overhead was a slate gray mass of boiling, racing clouds. Wherever they were, it gave the impression of smallness - he could make out the curve of the "planet" easily with his naked eye. Obscured partly behind the planetary curvature was a tree with a figure sitting beneath it, and further away was a smooth, white mountain range, probably several hundreds of feet long and utterly dominating the skyline. He took several steps forward and heard the creature and then Dr. Browne emerge. It was utterly quiet and still, other than the roiling mass of clouds that made up the entirety of the sky. Something about it made Sammy uncomfortable, though.

"No wind." Dr. Browne said, "That's what makes it off-putting."
>>
No. 309679 ID: b64752

>>309539

Try to get a better look at the creature sitting beneath the tree. Keep as much distance as you can, and try to avoid detection if at all possible until you know what you are dealing with. Do you have binoculars? (Inventory check~~)
>>
No. 309692 ID: 1854db

>>309539
Right, well, first thing's first. What direction is the next portal? That will decide our next move.

This isn't really a sightseeing expedition, as tempting as it would be to explore.
>>
No. 309771 ID: 234c26

>>309539
Ask where the next portal is. You've got places to go.

That said, how long have you been awake and on the move? How much energy have you guys got? I can't imagine Mika is up for much more serious travel until she gets the chance to rest and eat something.
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No. 310162 ID: 1c38f5

Sammy guessed that it had been seven or eight hours since he'd woken up in the cave, and he hadn't eaten anything since then. Out of obvious danger, his limbs protested and he wanted nothing more than to rest. He doubted he could sleep, though.

"Which way is the portal?" he asked.

"That way," said Dr. Browne, pointing past the tree, toward the mountain. Sammy mentally went through what he knew they had. Shotgun shells, four MREs, a canteen with not much water left, Peanut butter, cookies, whatever else Dr. Browne had in his pockets, two flashlights and a first aid kit, plus the gun he'd gotten from the previous world.

The grass shimmered, and the clouds continued to race overhead, even though no wind blew.

Sammy stared under the tree, attempting to make out any details of the figure. It looked like a person of some kind, wearing a coat and a wide
brimmed had. It looked like whoever it was was napping under the tree.
>>
No. 310170 ID: 784a43

There's nowhere else to go but towards the tree! It's only one guy so he probably isn't much of a threat.
>>
No. 310181 ID: b64752
File 130746417554.png - (11.50KB , 500x500 , Sammy Van Helsing.png )
310181

>>310162

Onwards and upwards, let's meet this tired stranger. Also a wide-brimmed hat? If talking engages, you may need to request that hat as the first step into gathering the pieces to your class upgrade costume. You need that hat.
>>
No. 310563 ID: 8f855e

There was no apparent sort of danger, so they began to walk straight toward the stranger and the tree. As they walked across the tiny world, more of the white mountain rose above the curved line of the horizon. It was starkly white, and it's surface looked smooth. Sammy could make out a line of bumps along its crest, some faint ridges along the side. He noticed it became irregular toward either - folds, wrinkles, ridges. It vaguely reminded him of something he'd encountered before, but he couldn't quite place it.

He realized that the tree was now quite close. It looked like an oak to Sammy - heavy, gnarled branches radiating out from a thick, sloping trunk. Broad, green leaves rustled faintly, and the wide circle of shadow beneath it looked cool and inviting. The figure resting against it was also more clear. It looked like something out of a western novel - long, brown canvas coat, undyed linen pants and collared shirt with a pair of leather suspenders. The hat was a circular gray felt piece that Sammy rather liked, pulled down over the creature's eyes and obscuring its face as it slouched against the bark of the tree. That was where the creature's resemblance to the familiar ended. Sammy saw its slender fleshy gray tail draped over the roots of the tree, and could see its hands - three fingers and two thumbs without claws or paw pads - resting, fingers interlaced, across its stomach. Its legs were splayed out in front of it, ending in wide, black hooves with a long, curved talon on either side.

"He's a Vuthoi" Dr. Brown said, looking down at the creature apparently sleeping under the tree.

Jesus told me that you probably forgot about Vuthoi. They're discussed in >>288919

Mika grabbed Sammy's shoulder, her grip almost painful. "It's alive" she whispered, sounding terrified.

"Of course he is," Sammy started to say, before he turned and saw the horrified expression on her face as she pointed with one claw in the direction of the mountain. He could see it - loose, wrinkled skin, the hip and leg at the rear, shoulder at the front, long tail and neck on either side. Its arms, legs and head were still obscured by the curvature of the planet, but he could see it.

"It's breathing," she whispered, pressing against his side. Sammy hadn't noticed, but following the line drawn by Mika's claw, he could see the outline of its ribs, and the slow, steady rise and fall of its breathing. Realizing it was a living thing made the sense of familiarity even stronger. Where had he seen something like that before?

"It has to be a mile long," Dr. Browne said slowly.
>>
No. 310567 ID: 0d7a83

>>310563
well, from what you've heard the Vuthoi arn't inherently evil of anything, and I doubt the type that do crazy experiments on people dress like this. Try talking to him, maybe ask him what in the name of God that huge thing is.
>>
No. 310578 ID: 1854db

>>310567
He's asleep. Perhaps we should not disturb his rest. Besides, the Guy might not like the idea of talking to him, considering what his kind did to... uh, the Guy. Damned pronouns and not revealing gender.

Loose, wrinkled skin, long tail... sounds like an animal you've seen before, Sammy. White elephant? Shaved cat?
>>
No. 310585 ID: ec2b8b

hmmm a guy, dressed like he's from the old west, sleeping near a huge beast... y'know there were a lot of ranches and cattle in the west; maybe this guy is the owner of the beast?
>>
No. 310750 ID: 383006

Sammy wasn't sure what exactly it reminded him of. It was something from one of the dreams, maybe, but he couldn't quite place it. Mika was certainly upset by it, though.

"Hey, don't worry," Sammy said, "Maybe it's this guy's animal. He looks like a old west dude. Besides, it doesn't look dangerous or anything, I guess."

Mika smiled halfheartedly, letting go of Sammy's arm. "I guess," said, her voice wavering.

Sammy wasn't sure what the Guy would think about the Vuthoi on the ground. He glanced over, but the guy was just standing there. Its body was hunched forward, its muscular arms hanging down limply. The sinuous neck stood out horizontally and its face was blank, dull. Its waterfall of golden hair cascaded down the far side of its neck and across its back, shimmering in the light, but that was the only part of the creature that moved with any semblance of the liquid grace it normally possessed. It shuffled forwards behind Mika, staring off into the middle distance. Sammy didn't figure the creature would object to much of anything.

"Hello?" Sammy said, moving toward the sleeping Vuthoi.

"Howdy," the vuthoi said. His voice had a tinny echo, almost sounding like he was talking through a can. Something about it was unnerving. The Vuthoi cracked his knuckles, slowly disentangling his fingers and lifting the brim of his hat slightly with one knuckle. Sammy had never seen a creature like it. His face was the same dark gray as the rest of his skin, but he had no muzzle. He saw a pointed chin and wide cheeks, fleshy lips and two slits for nostrils below the brim of the stylish headwear.

"Name's Caphus. This is the world of the Sleeping One," he nodded toward the living mountain in the distance. Sammy noticed that instead of individual teeth, Caphus had a notched plate on his top and bottom jaw. He also noticed that Caphus's lips and tongue didn't match the sounds Sammy heard. "Where are you fellas headed?"
>>
No. 310755 ID: 1854db

Hmm... White, thin... do the mountains remind you of that strange woman with the fire-blood?

OH I forgot to mention something. When Mr Browne got shot at, something shattered in his pocket. We should ask what that was about.

Tell this guy... uh... well, just point in the direction you're headed. Do not tell him you're on the Well Road, that's an invitation for trouble.
>>
No. 310762 ID: b2997a

>>310750
His lips and tongue don't match his speech? Maybe he's using some sort of translating techology.
>>
No. 310808 ID: b64752

>>310750

Introduce yourself. After all, he gave you the same courtesy. May be reading into what he said a bit much, but it seems like he already knows about things like the Well Road and traveling like you do, but don't mention exactly where you are going, just the direction with a cool phrase like "just my next destination pardner" while tipping your air-hat :B

oh yeah see if he is generous enough to give you his hat or at least trade it for something
>>
No. 310898 ID: 8f855e

That was it! Sammy remembered now! It was the first time he'd gone to the place with the mist! The ghost, up on the ridgeline! Sammy remembered her talking about some strange power or something. Maybe this was related. Jesus told me I should probably link to the discussion with the ghost. >>235410 >>235871 >>235935

The dude had to be translating somehow, or maybe Sammy wasn't really hearing what he said. It made sense, though - how else would they be able to understand each other? It made Sammy feel a little more at ease to have figured it out.

Sammy decided not to reveal more than he had to. "My name's Sammy," he said, extending a paw, "We're just traveling on to our next destination." He tipped his non-existent hat toward the white mass in the distance. The vuthoi, Caphus, rose slowly to his feet in response. He was slightly taller than Sammy, and his eyes were large, almond-shaped, and pitch black. Sammy could also see some darker gray ridges on either side of his forehead. He returned the handshake, wrapping a long thumb around either side of Sammy's paw.

"That's a nice hat," Sammy said, but before he could continue, Dr. Browne interjected.

"I was here earlier and saw some... things near the Sleeping One, you said? I am concerned as to their danger, as we are traveling in that direction."

"I reccon that's the only direction to go," Caphus said slowly. "Nah, those are the Supplicants. The Sleeping One dreams, and its dreams roam in other worlds. People can feel its light inside of them, and call out to its sleeping brain. Eventually, it can pull them up here. See, the Sleeping One can connect itself to anywhere in all of existence while it dreams. It can jes reach out and punch a hole to anywhere in any reality with its hands. But where your dreams are all inside your head, the Sleeping One's dreams are real things that wander around outside its body."

"So, they aren't dangerous, then? Just to be clear?" asked Dr. Browne.

"Supplicants? Nah. Just little sacks o meat. Jes dreamin' away with the Sleeping One, like little pockets of its own mind now. Not much left to their brains, really," He sighed. "Feel free to set a spell if you like. Don't get many travelers around these parts."
>>
No. 310900 ID: 1854db

>>310898
Well, we are quite fatigued at the moment. We could sit for a moment. Tell him that you met something that told you a tale of how the Sleeping One affected other worlds. Describe the cold white being with flaming blood, but leave out the part of how you traveled between worlds and well, anything you don't really want to talk about personally.
>>
No. 310914 ID: b64752

>>310898

Hatblock'd :C

Doc Browne being a gat dam hat-hater is what this is >:I

Also accept Caphus's invitation to set down and rest for a while and the above suggestion to share about the ghost and what not is a good idea too. He doesn't seem terribly dangerous. At least, there hasn't been any mention of signs that say "dead lion storage" last I read.
>>
No. 311486 ID: 720797

Stay a while and rest with the nice stranger.
>>
No. 316729 ID: 0373d5

Sammy glanced back at Mika and Dr. Browne, who both shrugged. The guy stood behind Mika, staring blankly off into space. "Okay, I guess we can stay for a little while."

They sat on the soft grass, in the shadow of the tree's outstretched branches, and allowed their exhaustion to settle into their tired limbs. It was too early to actually sleep, so Sammy told Caphus the story about the ghost he'd encountered in the misty valley.

"Yup. I reccon the Sleeping One has a hand in that world. All the people who feel his light and draw on it eventually start to change. If nobody pushes Its hand out of the world, It'll eventually start to draw that world in and bring it here. Not on purpose, It's asleep, after all. Just wants to reach out and experience things. Its dreams are real in that world, the land changes and its ideas walk around. Its mind feels the minds that call out to It and It doesn't feel so lonely as It sleeps. I reccon some fellers killed the folk that were dealing with It, or some of 'em anyway, and that one turned into a ghost." Caphus sat cross legged in the grass with them. Dr. Browne had taken a spot leaning against the tree, glancing off toward the white bulk of the creature visible in the distance. Sammy lay on his back in the grass, head on the backpack. The guy had apparently just slumped to the ground. It laid sideways in the grass, limbs askew and glassy eyes staring at nothing. Mika lay against it.

Eventually, Sammy started to doze...

****

Sammy woke up in the cab of the truck, disoriented an confused. Moonlight illuminated the gravel parking lot. The moon was high overhead - Sammy guessed it was probably after midnight. He didn't realize how hungry he'd been before he drifted off to sleep, but he could feel his stomach growling now, and the bookbag was nowhere to be seen.
>>
No. 316731 ID: f5e4b4

Not much to do but to wait until you wake up in the other world again. The bookbag is there and you can eat once you're there. Going out of the car to find something to eat in the ghetto doesn't sound like a sensible idea to me.
>>
No. 318071 ID: 720797

If you're really really hungry... do you have any money? Are there any stores nearby which would be open at this time? How much time would it take to get back home? Would it be easy to sneak back in?
>>
No. 318154 ID: b64752

>>316729

It wouldn't do to just waste an opportunity to stock up on things that you need. Check how much money you have, if any, and determine whether or not there are any convenience stores near where you are currently at. There's usually at least one or two near rural or poorer urban areas. If you have the money, buy some cheap foodstuffs and water.
>>
No. 351744 ID: 383006

Sammy decided it would be foolish to waste the opportunity to stock up on supplies. They only had four MREs and some peanut butter and cookies, and not very much water. It wouldn't take him long to walk through the ghetto as long as nothing happened, but it would take several hours at least to walk all the way home. He knew there were some gas stations that stayed open all night and he opened the door and set out, walking generally in the direction of home. The gravel crunching underfoot sounded far too loud, and he jogged through the grass on the side of the road until he reached the first decrepit clapboard houses.

He felt exposed and alone as he stuck to the shadows, avoiding the flickering pools of intermittant light cast by the street lamps that actually worked. He didn't see anybody, although a few windows were lit from within. He could hear the weak, hungry wail of a crying cub through the thin walls of some buildings. Other times and thump, a scream, the quiet chatter of a TV. More than on the Well Road he felt a presence all around him - as if any number of the shadows held crouching figures waiting to pounce.

It was a little better once he made it out onto a main road. The streetlights all worked, at least, and he felt compelled to stick to the center of the side walk, hunched forward with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

There was a gas station, bright florescents streaming from its scuffed Plexiglas windows across the concrete lot. The supports for the awnings over the pumps threw long shadows out into the empty street. It must be late.

He pulled open the scarred door and heard an electronic chime announce his presence. A tall, thin crocodile behind the counter looked sleepily up at the sound of the chime, but the small TV next to his cash register quickly recaptured his attention. The smell of the place was offensive - cleaning agents losing a slow war of attrition against some noxious blend of odors that Sammy preferred not to think about.

The linoleum floor was a filthy, scratched black and white checker pattern, and the silence was filled mostly with Sammy's own footsteps and the metallic gasps of the air conditioning system. Water stains marked the drop ceiling, and Sammy could see the entirety of the store over the tops of the rows of shelves. There was a cooler in the back with sodas and energy drinks, and the gas station had the usual selection of goods - cereal, beef jerky, chips, some canned chili and salsa, a few toiletries, and other similar items.

Sammy checked his wallet. He had thirty four dollars and seventy five cents in cash. He needed to figure out what he should buy to take with him.
>>
No. 351751 ID: f5e4b4

Buy three bottles of water and as many MREs you can with the money you have left. If they don't seel them here, buy something similar, like instant noodles or something like that.

Wait, don't spend it all in MREs, buy also some sweets for you and Mika. Like a couple of chocolate bars. It'll be a nice detail.
>>
No. 351756 ID: e8cd4a

cereal, jerky, and maybe some toiletries. look for peanut butter bars if you get candy.
>>
No. 351773 ID: 1854db

>>351744
Get a few bottles of gatorade, and a few energy drinks. Jerky and trail mix would be good too. Don't get any canned goods unless you can get/have a can opener.
>>
No. 352727 ID: 01e367

Sammy looked around before deciding on some jerky, trail mix, and a few cans of ravioli. He made sure to get a can opener too. For drinks, he grabbed a six pack of water bottles, two big bottles of Gatorade, and two energy drinks. He thought it might be nice to get some candy for Mika, so he grabbed a couple of peanut butter bars. Trying to be as unassuming as possible, he hurried to the counter and placed his items in front of the skinny crocodile. The crocodile continued to stare sleepily at his little TV, scanning the items absentmindedly. After he'd set the bag full of items on the counter, his eyes slowly drifted toward Sammy, then sharpened in recognition. Sammy could see the green display behind the crocodile: $33.82

"Hey," the attendant said, pointing with one claw, "You're the kid from TV. Yeah, you're definitely him! The one that was kidnapped yesterday!"

Sammy threw thirty four dollars on the counter and grabbed the bag, trying to think of what to do.
>>
No. 352728 ID: 5cf5a4

Tell him you're not a kid and that you haven't been kidnapped. Hell if you was kidnapped, the kidnapper isn't a very good one if he lets you walk off to buy stuff. Grab the bag and wait for the change.
>>
No. 352730 ID: f5e4b4

>>352727

What, kidnapped? Don't try to hide your surprise and ask the clerk what is he talking about?

Assure that, as he can see, you haven't been kidnapped, you're right here buying some stuff for your family. People often mistake you for other lion cubs of your age. Be curious about the kidnapping and what the news said about it.
>>
No. 352735 ID: 01e367

"What do you mean, kidnapped?" Sammy said in surprise, "I'm just buying some groceries. Did somebody get kidnapped or something?"

"Two in the morning groceries?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. "No, you're definitely the kid. Your hot mom was freaking the fuck out on TV. I remember there being something about a reward, so you just sit the fuck tight right here while I call the cops."

Sammy had his groceries in his hand and his money was on the counter. There was no one else around, but Sammy was now aware of the black domes on the ceiling. Some of them had to have security cameras in them. He didn't know how long it would be until he faded out again, and he figured that the next night he would fade back in wherever he left from. He'd have to think of something - somewhere safe.
>>
No. 352738 ID: f5e4b4

Time to cheese it. Get running... and I guess you could find a subway station, get in the train and hide in the bathroom stall until you fade out. Can'think of a better idea right now.
>>
No. 352740 ID: 5cf5a4

Leave the money there and walk out quickly. If you know/remember/see where Katy lives, go to her place. If you know where a nearby payphone is, phone her and ask her if you can stay at her place for a few hours. She owes you remember!

Otherwise.. subway toilet it is!
>>
No. 352795 ID: 9f0ef4

It was time to go, so Sammy tucked his bag of food under one arm and ran, his cash still on the counter. He darted through the scuffed doors and out into the empty streets.

The sound of his tennis shoes slapping against the pavement sounded far, far too loud, and he expected to hear sirens any minute, to hear a helicopter chopping the air with its blades shortly before its spotlights pinned him to the sidewalk with their stark, white light. But there were no sirens. No helicopters, only the slap of his tennis shoes on the empty sidewalk, his panting, gasping breaths and the growing pain in his side. He saw a phone booth and ducked inside. He was near the edge of the ghetto, and headlights from the occasional passing car interrupted the silent stillness of the city. Mom had always told him that nothing good happened after two in the morning. He had three quarters, and the slip of paper Katy had given him with her phone number on it. He turned away from the street, trying to make himself more anonymous to anyone who would be passing by, and put the quarter into the slot. The quarter dropped through the guts of the phone with a noisy, metallic clatter before the scratched black handset came to life. He quickly punched the shiny metal keys, and waited.

It rang once, twice, three times. Sammy was about to hang up. This was stupid. It was early in the morning, what was he going to tell her anyway? This was stupid. He was just taking the handset away from his ear when he heard a familiar, albeit tired voice, "Hello? Who is this?"

She sounded mad. He tried to collect his thoughts.

"Motherfucker, it's two in the goddamn morning. You think this is funny?" He could tell she was waking up.

"It's Sammy," he said before he really thought about it too much.

The anger drained from Katy's voice, leaving it small and worried-sounding, "Oh, Shit, for real? Are you OK? Do you need a ride? What happened?"

Sammy wasn't sure exactly how to answer that.
>>
No. 352800 ID: 5cf5a4

Ask her to pick you up, and you will tell her when she gets there. There's only so much time you can talk on the payphone. Say you're okay and thank her for worrying.
>>
No. 352802 ID: f5e4b4

Hmm, I don't really like involving her into this, but I guess we have no choice now. Tell her that yes, you need a ride, you'll explain when she gets here. Tell her where you are and try to hide in a corner or something while you wait for her.
>>
No. 352871 ID: 1854db

>>352795
Tell her you're not kidnapped, first of all. Tell her we could use a ride, but you can't go back to your parents yet. Tell her we just need someplace safe to stay.

If she can come pick us up and get us to a safe place, we'll be better off next time we pop back in. If we actually make it to her house, we should warn her that we won't be around during the day. Only for a few hours at night.
>>
No. 353286 ID: 56f89d

Sammy asked her to pick him up and told her where he was. "What the hell, Sam? What's going on?"

"I can't talk very long," Sammy said, "I just need somewhere safe to stay for a little while. I'm not kidnapped or anything, I'll explain when you get here."

"Okay," Katy said matter-of-factly, "I'll see you in a few minutes."

Sammy hid in the entryway of a bank that was on the corner of the intersection, hoping the darkness would sufficiently mask his presence. He pressed himself against the rough brick and closed his eyes tightly as he heard sirens. It was probably an ambulance, but Sammy still held is breath and silently prayed that he wouldn't hear tires slowly crunch on the asphalt next to the curb. Then he heard tires slowly crunch on the asphalt next to the curb. He felt panic rising like unstoppable floodwaters before he recognized Katy's voice. "Sammy? You here?"

He exhaled in a rush, shakily stepping out onto the sidewalk, clutching his bag of food to his chest. "Holy shit, Sammy, you're looking rough," Katy said, her familiar beat up red car parked next to the sidewalk. She was leaning against the car next to the open passenger-side door, just as tall and thin as he remembered, crooked cigarette dangling from her long fingers. She was wearing some baggy pajama pants - pink with little green grasshoppers - and a black concert T-shirt with holes in it. Her long mane was pulled back in a messy pony tale with a big red scrunchie.

"Sorry, I look like shit. I had to just grab some shit off the floor," she said absently, walking around the car and slipping into the driver's seat.

She blew a cloud of gray smoke out of her open window as Sammy climbed in and put on his seatbelt. She shifted the car into gear and they lurched out onto the almost empty streets. She finished her cigarette slowly, flicking the remainder casually away from the car. Sammy could see the butt throw up a plume of sparks as it hit the pavement behind them."So," she said, "want to tell me why you're hiding on the street after two in the morning with a bag of food?"

Sammy was just starting to think of what to say, or whether he should say anything, when the world began to fade and melt, colors and shapes running together. It sounded far away, distorted, but he could hear Katy's voice screaming "Sammy? Oh Jesus Christ what the Fuck Oh my God-" before he heard crunching metal and shattering glass.

****

Sammy fell over backwards onto the grass of the Sleeping One's World. Dr. Browne was already awake, but Mika was still fast asleep. The Guy was slumped on his side, staring off into space, exactly how Sammy had seen him last. Dr. Brown and Caphus the vuthoi were talking quietly, although their conversation ended as he appeared. Everything else was as he remembered. Racing clouds overhead, tall grass rippling in the absence of wind, and the massive bulk of the Sleeping One in the distance, the almost inconceivably vast creature that dominated the skyline of the tiny planet. "I have some food," he said weakly.
>>
No. 353290 ID: 1854db

>>353286
Oh. Oh crap. How fast was Katy going?! Was she wearing a seatbelt?
>>
No. 353306 ID: f5e4b4

Well, fuck... I guess we can't do anything for her now, other than hope nothing serious happened to her... Maybe it wasn't a good idea to warp into another dimension while someone with no idea of what was going on was with us. She probably saw Sammy fading out and freaked out.

Well, give the food to the professor. And tell him what happened.
>>
No. 353393 ID: 6fa1ef

Pray for Katy. It's all you can do for her for now.
>>
No. 353416 ID: 3fd4fb

>>353286
Oh Christ, Katy! She was only trying to help us... metal and glass means that the crash was likely a pretty bad one. Hopefully it was only her car, and not her, that got hurt. Pray for her safety. She was trying to do the right thing.

It might be a good idea to leave the food with the others and try to go back to sleep. Maybe you'll be able to get back in time to help her, somehow if you can calm down enough to return.

>>353306
>Maybe it wasn't a good idea to warp into another dimension while someone with no idea of what was going on was with us.
It's not our fault. We had no real chance to explain to her what would happen, and no way of predicting when we would shift dimensions again.
>>
No. 353422 ID: b6edd6

Going back to sleep if you can. There is some chance you can help Katy, or see if she is alright.
>>
No. 353599 ID: f5e4b4

>>353416

>It's not our fault

Well we could've not involved her. We only had to hide for a few minutes. In the end calling her didn't help, and has likely hurt her. Possibly badly.
>>
No. 353690 ID: 383006

Sammy silently prayed for Katy. Even if he couldn't have predicted when he would fade out or what would happen when he did, he chose to call Katy and include her in this horrible mess he'd made of his life. He hoped she was OK...

Maybe he could go to sleep again, go back. Do something.

"Doctor Browne," Sammy said, trying to keep is voice from shaking, "My friend got hurt when I was waking up. I was riding in the car with her and the car got in a wreck and I need to go to sleep so I can help her," he choked, "please!"

"I don't think that's wise," Dr. Browne said, adjusting his glasses, "I've got some sedatives, in case I have an immediate need for my dreaming body, but I honestly can't see what good it would do to send you back. Besides, we have more pressing concerns." He waved a hand toward the Guy's insensate form. Its dazed, staring eyes seemingly seeing nothing.

"I know you've noticed," he said, waving one long-fingered hand, "that it seemed to be affected since we've come here, gradually growing less aware of its surroundings," he paused, "I have very little clue what to do about this problem. I've talked with our vuthoi host, and he knew something about the creature's biology, as such. Apparently, they are markedly metaphysically different than normal living things, and the presence of the Sleeping One may be affecting it negatively. I've done some scouting, and don't think that the next world doesn't seem immediately dangerous, although I must say, I'm glad you've replenished our supplies."

Sammy was too focused on Katy. He didn't care about the guy or the next world or anything else. It was his fault.
>>
No. 353693 ID: 1854db

Get the Guy through the portal. He'll probably start waking up when we're through.

Also, slap yourself. You fucked up. You can't do anything about it now.
>>
No. 353698 ID: 715620

>>353690
Let's be realistic, Sammy. In an accident, the most you can do is remove someone from the wreckage. You're not a trained EMT, or anyhing like that, you're just a high-school kid. The accident seemed to occur in a civilized area, and accidents aren't quiet. Hopefully someone called 911.

Right now, focus on what you can work with - deal with the matters you yourself can solve. Get pango-girl talking to the Guy again, ad if need be, physically drag him to the portal. Get your tails in gear!
>>
No. 353949 ID: adf038

Dr. Browne was right, there was nothing Sammy could do if he went back. He'd have to help do something here. He put his hand against the guy's hot, red skin, but there was no response. He tried to pull on one arm, but the guy was far too heavy for him to budge. The soft, silky golden hairs slipped liquidly over his paw as he let go, the guy's arm flopping limply onto the grass.

He gently shook Mika's shoulder, and she slowly woke up. She stretched, yawning deeply and smacking her tiny mouth. She seemed comfortable and happy, until her expression slowly slid into confusion, and finally a hard, serious expression as, Sammy guessed, she took in her surroundings and recollected the events of the past two days.

"There's something wrong with the guy," Sammy said, "Dr. Browne thinks it might be because of this place we're in."

"I honestly have no idea what to do," Dr. Browne interjected. "You seem to have some connection with it, I thought perhaps it would respond to you."

Mika slowly got to her feet, stretching, and walked over to the guy's insensate form in the grass. Even all three of them would have trouble dragging the creature any distance.

"Wake up!" Mika said, shaking it's shoulder. There was no response. She walked to its wedge shaped head, lifting it into her lap. It's blank eyes stared forward like a lifeless doll, but Sammy could see its chest rising and falling.

"Wake up!" Mika said again, shaking its head in her hands. There was no response.

"Sammy," Mika shouted, looking over her shoulder at him with tears in her eyes, "What should we do?"
>>
No. 353953 ID: 715620

>>353949
ugh. Is there anything nearby you can fashion into a sled? It's way easier to drag someone than to carry them.
>>
No. 353968 ID: f5e4b4

>>353949

The three of you try to pull and push him at the same time, see if you can at least make him go through the portal. If not, yeah, try to look for something to use as a sled. I don't see many alternatives here.
>>
No. 353970 ID: 1854db

We have to get him through the portal. He may be comatose but there's a chance he can still walk, guided. Or we could roll him there. Kindof demeaning but we have to get him out of this place somehow.
>>
No. 357247 ID: 1854db

Oooh, wait. He's basically asleep, right? Give him some energy drink!
>>
No. 362432 ID: 383006

They would have to move the Guy somehow. Sammy tried pulling on its massive arms, and thick, serpentine neck. He pressed himself against its body as he tried futilely to lift it, its soft skin hot to the touch. It was unresponsive - unconscious dead weight. "Come on, help me," Sammy said, struggling. There was nothing in this world from which they could even begin to fashion a sled. Working together, they managed to roll it over. The Guy's limbs flopped awkwardly underneath it, it's neck twisted and blank eyes staring off at nothing.

"this is useless," panted Dr. Browne, "He's far too large and heavy. I know you don't want to hear this, Mika," he began, but Mika cut him off.

"Don't you dare say it," she said, her tiny eyes glistening, "Just shut up right now." She grabbed one of the creature's massive clawed feet, sniffling as she tried to lift its leg over her shoulder.

"You're going to have to face facts," Dr. Browne began, but this time Sammy interjected.

"wait a minute," he said, digging through his bookbag. He sat down in grass that moved without wind, under the mass of writhing clouds overhead. He pulled out one of the energy drinks he'd purchased, and pulled the heavy, wedge-shaped head into his lap. The Guy's shimmery golden mane fell like liquid across his thigh.

Sammy noticed that the vuthoi had slouched back against the tree, his hat shading his eyes. "It's a pretty good plan," he said in his tinny, alien voice, "It'll probably work if you don't choke the thing."

Dr. Browne sat down on the other side of the creature's neck, helping Sammy to pry its mouth open. The fat purple tongue fell limply out between the glistening black teeth, and Sammy could smell that strange spicy odor that he'd first smelt in the train station seemingly ages ago. Mika sat down next to Sammy, laying her paws against the guy's neck. Sammy popped the top on the can with an audible hiss. He heard Mika whisper to herself under her breath "It just has to work. I'm not leaving him."

Sammy slowly dribbled the liquid between the creature's lips, Dr. Browne showing him how to make sure it didn't go down the creature's windpipe. They sat there in the pregnant silence as the seconds ticked by after the can emptied, Sammy feeling the creature's heat and slow breathing as it continued to lay unconscious.

Then, with a start, its head lifted slowly on its serpentine neck, and its claws opened and closed reflexively. A glimmer of life shone in its huge, reflective eyes, and it staggered slowly to its feet.

"We should hurry," Said Dr. Browne. Mika grabbed one of the creature's massive paws in her own and began to walk toward the massive white mountain in the distance. The strange terrain remained unchanged except for the tree with the vuthoi receding into the distance, and the mountain increasingly dominating the landscape. After what Sammy suspected was several hours of travel, the nature of the mountain was unmistakable. He could clearly make out the creature's massive limbs folded against its body - thick hind legs and proportionately smaller, thinner forelimbs. It's skin was wrinkled and loose and paper-white, it ribs and spine clearly outlined against its pale flesh. He could see that the ends of its forelimbs disappeared into the grass, as if pushed down into the earth.

As they continued to walk, it's enormous size filled him with a sense of revulsion and horror. It's smooth, massive head tapered to a proportionally small muzzle and was dominated by two bulbous eyes that were thankfully closed. He could see two nostrils flare open and closed as it breathed. Although they looked like tiny circles, each one was clearly wider than he was tall. The whole creature must have been more than a mile long.

"I don't want to be here anymore," Whispered Mika, "those things on the ground are creeping me out."

Sammy hadn't noticed them, fixated as he was on the bulk of the Sleeping One. Now that Mika had pointed them out, he couldn't look away. They were writhing sacks of pale flesh, liberally scattered across the grass all around. They resembled pillows made of meat, draped in the same loose skin, with an occasional random joint or partial limb protruding from their mass. Their skin bunched and relaxed in random, disturbing ways. The closer they got to the Sleeping One, the more thickly they littered the ground. Sammy was careful to avoid them, but occasionally he would feel something, some tendril or piece of flesh, press mindlessly against his ankle or the back of his leg. He saw The Guy trample one underfoot as it staggered forward. The sack of flesh exploded with a horrid squelch, spraying blood and unrecognizable tissue in a bright red fan. Sammy was worried. The other creatures seemed to writhe more desperately, flailing spastically when their neighbor exploded. Sammy was also worried about The Guy. Its neck seemed to droop, it's eyes flickering closed for a few seconds as it stumbled. A second sack of flesh exploded into a mass of gore under its weight.

Sammy thought he saw The Sleeping One twitch. A third exploded. Sammy was sure he saw the mountain shift. "Run!" Dr. Browne shouted, and no one questioned his wisdom. The Sleeping One increasingly dominated the horizon, more of the horrid sacks of flesh were reduced to bloody paste, and Sammy saw the white light of the gate open near the Sleeping One's muzzle and fell through right as its eyelid parted in a slim line.

For a moment, Sammy didn't understand anything, wasn't aware of his body or his surroundings. He'd seen that sliver of eye - black and wet, infinitely deep, staring into him in a way he could never articulate, could barely comprehend. It was vast, not only massively huge but infinitely alien, and Aware. Aware of him, of everything he thought and felt, and in return he was aware...

Cold water splashed against his face. He felt disoriented, lost. He blinked stupidly, staring around him in confusion. He was on his hands and knees in a few inches of water, Mika and Dr. Browne looming over him with worried expressions. The Guy stood back and to the side, seeming to have regained its composure.

Sammy blinked. The water was cool and crystal clear and cold, and he felt it soaking through his pants and shoes, reviving him somewhat. He could see stars, and bright, colorful galaxies beneath him, mirroring in the boundless void overhead. It gave him a nauseous sense of vertigo. In the distance, he could make out something that resembled a glowing castle, nebulous, as if constructed from rays of golden starlight.

"What happened?" Mika asked, worried.
>>
No. 362446 ID: 1854db

>>362432
Try not to think about what you just experienced. Say that you saw its eye.
>>
No. 362463 ID: f5e4b4

Remain calm and regard your surroundings. Just say that got a glimpse of Its Eye and the next thing you knew you were getting splashed water against your face. Not sure what happened between one thing and the other.
>>
No. 363212 ID: 91178a

"I remember running, then I saw into Its Eye," Sammy tried not to think about it, but just saying the words brought flashes back to his mind, like his skull was peeled away and that black, liquid eye could stare deeply into him. He had never imagined something so vast, so much more than he was. Its magnitude was how he imagined the presence of God, but it shamed him to even compare that abomination to his Lord. It's gaze was cold, and terrifying and utterly devoid of compassion or understanding. It had not conveyed malevolence, just a horrid alien curiosity and attention. Even now, the fur on his neck tingled as if it were gazing down at him from the inky void overhead.

"I fear I have damned you twice," The guy whispered quietly, its thin gold hair spread in delicate filaments in the water around its feet and tail. "It is a creature beyond comprehension. I felt its presence since we arrived on that world, and slowly its sleeping thoughts drove all reason from my mind." Blood from the sacks of meat the Guy had trampled floated in an inky cloud in the water around it, obscuring the reflection of the strange stars and nebulae that crowded the black sky overhead. "I was barely conscious after you revived me. I have caused this tragedy as well, for I fear it will not easily release its hold on you. When it awoke, it disappeared from my consciousness." The guy glanced sideways at Sammy, its eyes full of sorrow and compassion.

"It's not your fault," Mika said, shivering slightly and taking a tentative step toward the Guy, "It's our fault for not noticing when you started to space out, we shouldn't have..."

Dr. Browne cleared his throat loudly before Mika could continue. "There is nothing we can do now except hope the Well can fix this new problem too." He kneeled down, refilling his canteen. "At least there is water here. I can sense the next gate - it's past the castle and we can avoid it if you'd like. I don't know what's inside of it, but this place isn't obviously dangerous so it might be a good opportunity to rest.

Sammy stood up, the cold quickly beginning to numb his soaking feet, and looked toward the horizon and the castle. The clear, flat mirror of water duplicated the alien sky and the castle itself - a seemingly insubstantial structure that rose from the plane of water - composed entirely of glimmering golden rays of light, marked here and there with white points of illumination. Had it been made of stone, it would have still been a narrow, delicate structure, with tall, thin towers and lofty buttresses like curled fingers.
>>
No. 363257 ID: 1854db

>>363212
That castle looks super-cool, let's go check it out.
>>
No. 363280 ID: f5e4b4

Take a minute to rest, if you need it. Go to the castle but at least check it out from the distance before going in. See if you can see menacing things, like severed heads on spikes at the doors, archers on the walls, stuff like that.

We should play it safe, curiosity isn't worth getting into deeper shit.
>>
No. 367069 ID: dcae77

This isn't Dungeons and Dragons, Sammy! That game is nothing but the glorification of greed and wrath. We aren't adventurers, hopping from one dungeon to another, looking for loot! We have a very serious and important goal here that we should be focusing on.

There will be likely very many more worlds to come, and like with the warzone world, we might not always get to choose our level of non-involvement. That we get a choice here, let's take it and stay well away. I'm sure they'll be enough danger coming up that we don't need to find any of our own.

Sure there's always the chance that it will be something good without any catches at all, but if it's really so, then surely God will see to it that we don't go astray.
>>
No. 367073 ID: e55966

get some rest
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