Surreal introductions

The lights flickered in the open room, adding to the almost tangible eeriness found in the movies. Terror nearly overwhelmed Nepal, and in a way, it did. Later he would come to recognize it as the “fight-or-flight” response anyone in his position might have been faced, but for now, this was Nepal's moment.

His terror turn in upon itself, and Nepal imagined Karden coming not for him, but for someone else. Some other Nepal standing in the same place as himself. He pushed the truth of the moment aside with such force, he plainly saw Karden was going after the other man. This man was similar to, nay identical to, Nepal, but he would not recognize that Nepal was him.

The crawling he felt on his skin, on the other Nepal's skin, intensified. The lights flickered again as if in response to Karden's ever increasing bug count. But the lights were not going out, he could tell. It was only the other Nepal's eyes that could see the lights fade in an out in a rapid rhythmic beat. The icy bites were wearing into him, and Nepal watched as his double started to loose his color. A trigger was tripped and an explosion went off in Nepal's mind. He needed to defend the Nepal. He felt this need as one might feel duality in a dream, playing the roles of both victim and rescue worker.

“No, that's me!” He screamed, and with that scream Nepal was drawn back into his body, the surreal diminished. Now, only one Nepal existed. Unseen bugs still crawled over his skin, some of them boring into him, eating at him, and making him cold. He yawned.

Karden moaned with pleasure, and in short rapid breaths he said, “Oh, yea. That's nice. Keep it up. Struggle. Feed me. Use your curses against me.” But his lips did not move when he spoke.

Nepal thought that he must be tired and only imagined the voice?

“You can hear me alright,” Karden said. “I'll bet you could even feel what I am feeling. If you try. You strength is so nice. Pure pleasure to my being. Would you like to try some? Of course you would. Where are my manners?”

Nepal had still not seen the mans lips move. His mind raced to find reason, but found none in this place. Denial was best, he thought. Until he could find a reason.

The bugs continued to feed on him, but a new tingle began to mingle with the icy bites. The tingling increased and provided a warmth. That turned into a rubbing like a deep tissue massage. There was pain and pleasure that came with each and every bug bite. It grew in intensity until he thought he could take no more.

There was a disturbance in the air, and he could see someone looking at him. The face was familiar to him, but he could not place it. Short dark hair, small nose, and Hawaiian from the look of him. The man was trying to see him, but was having trouble.

“What's this?” Karden asked from the mangled door frame. “What are you doing?”

The invisible ice bugs had ceased their feeding and pleasing, and Nepal stared out in Karden's direction. Only, he wasn't looking at Karden. He was looking at the space in front a few feet away from Nepal. Within the shimmering air Nepal could see the man come forward, and he emerged from the thickened air.

Obviously confused about his whereabouts, the new arrival looked around. Then his face flushed pale like he was going to be sick.