Quoted By:
"And— and I think you should know that your snake coworker said that you're missing. Right now, you're missing. From snake work, wherever that is. And she thought you were missing because whatever you were doing got all scrambled up, and so you were secretly taken to the... snake hospital... or whatever snakes have. I don't know. You know that better. So that's where you actually are right now, the snake hospital, but you don't know that because you're... stuck here? In my head? And— and that card isn't from me, it's a get-well card from all the other snakes, because they think you're sick. You were right about that, being sick."
His eyes are pale blue and not snakey in any objective measure, but there is something snakey in the way he's looking right into you. You're uncertain whether this a good sign. "You're really a very bright... a bright... an independent..."
"Richard?"
"I... one moment. Forgive me."
You had expected him to turn away, most likely so he could forget what you just said and ruin everything. That would've figured. You had <span class="mu-i">not</span> expected him to jerk forward, rattling the table, and clutch his stomach, and grimace in apparently terrible pain. "Ngh!"
You stand. "Wh—"
"Ungh." Still pressed against the table, he screws up his face, tries to swallow something down— fails— contracts from his stomach, and spews a quart of clear water onto the tabletop. And, sliding out after it, a mucousy glurge of pitch black goop.
You are glad you stood, because some of the water is dripping off the table and onto your chair. It smells distinctly salty. Gil, safe across the table, looks like he'd like to hurl himself. Richard is dabbing at his chin with a handkerchief, and when you catch his eye he appears ashamed. "My sincere apologies. I... I could not contain it. If you'd close your eyes, I can have it cleaned up in—"
"Do you feel <span class="mu-i">weird,</span>" you say.
Richard glances down at the card, now goop-spattered, and wipes it off. "There is a... a possibility that I am ill rather seriously. Yes. Thank you for your concern, Charlie, I believe it is... well-placed."
Progress. Not much, but progress.
(Choices next.)
