"What?" All the things that came to mind were too horrible to contemplate.
"There is someone in the other world she needs you to bring to her. A boy."
"A boy?" He was so relieved to hear such a benign request, but also he was confused. A part of him tried to stop himself from saying anything more, but against his will he heard himself ask, "But, why can't she bring him here, like she did me?"
"The boy has to willingly choose to come. You have to go and tell him of this place, and convince him to come to the mistress."
He looked again at the pulsating blob. Who would choose willingly to come to this place and meet this hideous creature?
"And what do I get in return?" He heard himself say. Internally he cursed himself for not being able to keep his mouth shut.
The blob creature suddenly became agitated, waving its tendrils wildly. Its horrible wet, gurgling words echoed from the hill surrounding the lake.
"The mistress says you should be grateful that she is asking you at all. You and all your kind are naturally her servants. With a thought she could command you and you would not be able to disobey."
"Then why doesn't she command me to?"
"For something this delicate, a mindless servant will not do. You must charm the boy. He must not feel in any way uneasy."
"So, if she cannot command me, then she must listen to my demands." He was shaking. Some perversity was pushing him forward when every cell of his body shrieked at him to give in.
The little man paused, turning toward the blob questioningly. For a while the blob did not move. Then, finally, there came a soft conciliatory gurgle.
"She accepts that you are at an impasse. What are your demands?"
"I want-" He stopped. In his fright he hadn't really thought of what his demands were.
Then he remembered his thoughts when he had thought he was dying. All he wanted in the world was to see her face again. He needed to tell her he was sorry, and promise never to leave her again.
"You have to let me see my wife. I have to talk to her. Let me make things right with her, and I will bring you the boy. And then after, you will let me go back to her."
Certainly the creature did not seem thrilled with the bargain, but she quickly agreed, under certain conditions that he had been sure at the time he could fulfill. Still, there was something about the way the little man smiled that was not quite right. He should have suspected then. Now it was too late.
"There is someone in the other world she needs you to bring to her. A boy."
"A boy?" He was so relieved to hear such a benign request, but also he was confused. A part of him tried to stop himself from saying anything more, but against his will he heard himself ask, "But, why can't she bring him here, like she did me?"
"The boy has to willingly choose to come. You have to go and tell him of this place, and convince him to come to the mistress."
He looked again at the pulsating blob. Who would choose willingly to come to this place and meet this hideous creature?
"And what do I get in return?" He heard himself say. Internally he cursed himself for not being able to keep his mouth shut.
The blob creature suddenly became agitated, waving its tendrils wildly. Its horrible wet, gurgling words echoed from the hill surrounding the lake.
"The mistress says you should be grateful that she is asking you at all. You and all your kind are naturally her servants. With a thought she could command you and you would not be able to disobey."
"Then why doesn't she command me to?"
"For something this delicate, a mindless servant will not do. You must charm the boy. He must not feel in any way uneasy."
"So, if she cannot command me, then she must listen to my demands." He was shaking. Some perversity was pushing him forward when every cell of his body shrieked at him to give in.
The little man paused, turning toward the blob questioningly. For a while the blob did not move. Then, finally, there came a soft conciliatory gurgle.
"She accepts that you are at an impasse. What are your demands?"
"I want-" He stopped. In his fright he hadn't really thought of what his demands were.
Then he remembered his thoughts when he had thought he was dying. All he wanted in the world was to see her face again. He needed to tell her he was sorry, and promise never to leave her again.
"You have to let me see my wife. I have to talk to her. Let me make things right with her, and I will bring you the boy. And then after, you will let me go back to her."
Certainly the creature did not seem thrilled with the bargain, but she quickly agreed, under certain conditions that he had been sure at the time he could fulfill. Still, there was something about the way the little man smiled that was not quite right. He should have suspected then. Now it was too late.
