1.
Legend tells of two enigmatic beings.
A team of sorts, codependent and inseperable.
One is a human-headed dog, the other a dog-headed man. The human headed dog is known as Godnam, a grotesque figure, highly intelligent and capable of speech, interaction and abstraction. There is limited information on the other being, the dog-headed human, other than its supposedly metallic sounding barks and breathing. It is referred to as ‘the stranger’ and it holds Godnam on a leash.
The pursuits of Godnam and the stranger are poorly understood. Some say though that they occasionally pay visits to those unlucky and vulnerable.
2.
Unfortunately they came to your home one night.
You hid under your bed, hoping that they’d leave if you just let time pass, but it found you.
As Godnams scarred face crept close to you, you were able to get a good look at their empty, yet strangely glowing eyes. The scent of wet copper filled the air, and that awful breathing sound somewhere in you room caused goosebumps to appear all over your body. With a tragic looking smile on its grotesque face and in a reassuring raspy tone it said:
“We need to talk.”
Without being touched or otherwise forced, you crawled out from under the bed. They just observed. Curious, vigilant, analytical.
You sat down from across your visitors and after a while the human headed abomination started talking: “Good evening, my name is Godnam, I’m sure you’ve heard of us. We came to chat” It paused for a bit, then continued: ”You seem to be struggling. How have you been holding up?”
Surprised, yet oddly pleased by this intimate question you paused, yet after a while explained your situation, even more surprised that the words spilled out so easily. Godnams reassuring way of speaking to you surely had a captivating and soothing, yet slightly controlling quality.
You told them everything. You explained how lonely you have grown and how your nihilistic tendencies developed a life of their own in the wake of societal decay. You further explained how unfair it felt to contribute to a cause that doesn’t give back to it’s supporters. You told them, like you thought many times that you often “don‘t see the point”.
Godnam understood and told you that they knew you were utterly unsatisfied, sad even, and that they’ve watched you for quite some time. They had sympathy for you.
While you had this conversation with Godnam, the big creature just stood there, in your room, watching you, breathing that industrial sounding breath. It patiently stitched a silk cloth.
“We totally understand your frustration and helplessness. In many ways living truly is a difficult endeavour. A chore at best. And people struggle with it!
“Sometimes it would be best to surrender rather than to fight. I think you’ve reached a point where you have to make a decision.” Godnam said in a parental tone.
“So, what is it going to be?” “I don’t understand.”, you said.
“You don’t have to understand. We would like you to act instead .”, Godnam spoke tenderly. They had you now.
One emotion bubbled up. An emotion you couldn’t grasp at all but knew so well. An abstract agitation that followed youfor quite a bit now. Diffuse, intense and comsic, with an imposing presence. That thing. That parasitic curtain obscuring your emotional experience. It grew there silently over the course of several years and unfortunately for you, you only noticed it when it fully developed.
“It’s a shame that we have no idea what cards we are dealt. Fate is an unapologetic construct. And those who are unfortunate enough will suffer without having any control over it. We’re not here to dictate! We’ve come to help, because it seems to us – and that would be a damn shame – that you will crash again and again..”
Your vision became foggy and your confusion intensified.
“…unless you work with us. Then we could take care of it for you.”
3.
Your neighborhood stood still and innocently quiet during what felt like a lifetime of a surgical procedure.
During your operation, memories flooded your inner eye. Pleasant memories of those close to you, nostalgic images of your childhood, your favorite candy, vacation, video games and your first romantic moments in adolescene. You were finally starting to remember things long repressed by your ugly mind. Colorful things. How unfortunate that you only now remembered, that you were once greatful for them. You saw similar memories that were not yours too, dating back from what seemed to be the ancient times. But they didn’t seem strange at all. On the contrary: you experienced a sense of familiarity. Sensations beyond fear, joy, anger, and sadness started flooding you. Your heart, brain and nervous system felt almost electrified and your face began to contort in ways you did not know were humanly possible, as though your muscles did not understand how to appropriately contract.
What a great feeling!
After a while the operation was over.
Legend speaks of two enigmatic beings. A team of sorts, codependent and inseperable.
The sun rose slowly and golden beams warmed parts of your new body, as you wandered away at the side of your new dog-headed partner.