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You can't get out of here soon enough. You like it when Richard's here, but you like it much better when he can actually do things. If you fell down, for instance, he could possess you and stand you back up. Not that you're going to fall down. You're just woozy, and your legs feel all hollow— you feel all hollow on the inside. Are you hollow on the inside? Should you spit this stuff out now? Wait, you were supposed to... the Herald. You're trying to talk to the Herald. Henry said in his letter that you should— what did he say again? That you need to think about the person you want to talk to a lot? You have no idea if the Herald counts as a person, but you can do that. You just saw it. It invaded your mirror dimension, and before that it invaded your mind-house, and before that it invaded your dream, once, twice. It said it has somewhere to be, but it sure is taking its time. It gave you hot cocoa, and it didn't have bugs in the cocoa, even though that's what lizards eat. It's bright and white and spiky and it has one eye, like your eye. Did somebody take out the eye? Or was it born like that?
Richard said that he knew about the Herald. It's from some important snake legend. You must be pretty special for it to come calling— not that you didn't know that already, but it's nice to have it confirmed. You don't think it promised to help anytime, but you're not bothering it anytime. It's a special occasion. Will it come talk to the Managers for you? ...Please?
<span class="mu-i">Sure.</span>
The Herald isn't in front of you. The office is in front of you, darkened, smeary. The Herald is in your mind's eye: its body far away, and its head very close. It's stretched out its neck all the way. Its good eye glows. Its bad eye, the one that matches yours, is leaking black goop. Don't say that. Say thank you.
<span class="mu-i">It doesn't hurt. It just does that.</span>
...Oh. That's good.
<span class="mu-i">It's nice to see you.</span>
You don't feel as though the important mythical creature should say that. You feel as though you should be saying it. Especially when you're asking for a favor. But, um, you—
<span class="mu-i">There's no need to get flustered. I would rather be here than there.</span>
There?
<span class="mu-i">Where I'm supposed to be.</span>
<span class="mu-i">...</span>
<span class="mu-i">You need help with the Managers, right? They don't believe you? They're being pricks?</span>
Yes? Uh, did it read your mind? Because that seems like an important flaw with gulfweed. Also, in absolute fairness, they shouldn't believe you, since you're not actually the Herald. The Herald is the Herald. You need help tricking them, is what you're asking for. If that isn't offensive to Heralddom. You're sorry if it's offensive. You don't want to be smoted.
The Herald tilts its head. <span class="mu-i">I'm not offended, Lottie. I would never smite you.</span>
(2/TBC)
