Sorry for the long delay between installments. The next installment will probably be slow in coming, as well, because of events in real life, but I’ll do what I can.
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It occurred to me that it was probably useless to expect real answers out of a madman, but I was fascinated and frightened and felt compelled to see where this led, despite Aura’s mutterings. “Everyone died,” I said, trying to wrap my head around the idea. “How did they die?”
“Die?” he said, confused. “How should I know?”
“You said they died….”
“I did not,” he said defensively. “They aren’t. They can’t be.” He set down his cup and almost stood. “I defy you!”
It took me longer than I like to admit to close my mouth. I didn’t understand a word John was saying. I felt like I was in a particularly obtuse episode of The Prisoner.
He never said they died, Aura said patiently. He said he was alone. He said men had gone into the earth, from whence they came.
“What is she saying to you?” John asked. “Did she come to you at night, when you waited for the sun and hoped it would never come?”
“Can you see her?” I asked.
“No,” he said quickly.
I am not a creature like that thing, Aura said vehemently. Don’t even think it.
So I move away from that train of thought. “The other men–did they go into the earth?”
“That’s what I said.”
“All of them?”
“Haven’t you been listening?”
“Why didn’t you go?”
John leaned back and gave me a knowing look. “We’ve come to the point finally. You have come to lead me into the Pit. I have resisted previous temptations. How do you hope to convince me?”
I once heard a debater say that one of the best tactics to buy some time when you didn’t know how to respond is to ask a question. I certainly needed the time and I had more than enough questions. Aura was still chattering in the background, so I pretended I knew what I was talking about and asked: “How did he convince you?”
“He didn’t come like the others. He didn’t want me to go. He wanted me to stay. He came to be with me. He did not come to take me away.”
“I haven’t either,” I said honestly. “What did he look like, when he came to you?”
“Like a man, a weary man. He wanted water, and I gave it to him. He had traveled across dry, lonely places. It was a lie, of course. He told me the truth eventually.”
I waited for him to continue, but he didn’t, of course. He just stared at me and nodded imperceptibly. “The truth?”
“Oh, just that he was a parasite and would die without a human host.”
“I see.” Awkward. “And…you’re okay with that?”
“Most times, I barely notice him. Even when he speaks, it’s just a hum, like a bit of music in the background.” He stood and walked to the door. “I’m tired. I haven’t slept well lately. If you’re not going to try to tempt me, you’re going to have to leave.”
[democracy id=”5″]
I love the “burnt water” part lol