The Argo Goes West

28, The Procrustean Church, part 1

"Welcome, Son of God."

Pastor Norman Procrustes greeted Dorothy with a benevolent smile and open arms. Sunlight streamed in through the high windows of the chapel, creating a halo on the back of Pastor Procrustes' head. Dorothy knelt in front of Pastor Procrustes, hands together.

"I am traveling in search of a friend who got lost during the trip."

"Could you tell me more about the situation?"

"Yes."

Dorothy talked about what had happened since she left Kansas City, but never mentioned Giles. She was afraid that the pastor would misunderstand her as one of the demons and not let her into the church. Pastor Procrustes finished listening to her and said, "I understand well. First of all, let's pray to God for their safety."

After the prayer, Pastor Procrustes asked Dorothy. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"I will prepare a meal. In the meantime, you should change your clothes and relax. Please follow me."

Dorothy followed Pastor Procrustes up the stairs from the back hall of the chapel to the second floor. The room she was led to was a simple small room with few decorations with cedar boards as the walls. There was a small bed and a wooden horse on the floor that seemed to be handmade.Pastor Procrustes left the room for a while and came back with women's loungewear. "It may be a little big, but it's better than small."

"Thank you very much."

As Pastor Procrustes left, Dorothy took off her sandy clothes and changed into the loungewear he had brought. It was baggy clothes. The original owner of the clothes seems to have been a size larger than Dorothy.

Dorothy lay down on the bed. It was a child's cot, and her ankles were sticking out of the bed. But she was tired so it didn't bother her. She was lulled to sleep by the warmth and cheerfulness coming through the window, and immediately fell asleep...

The ship seems to have been washed away near the Arctic Ocean it's cold and my body feels numb morning will not come after that it's been night all this time stars twinkle overhead. there are also stars below the Ulysses is now sailing on the Milky Way the sea of ​​stars I can no longer turn the ship for my body is roped to the top of the mast with arms outstretched like the crucifixion of Christ it is the work of the sailors but they are gone they left me in a lifeboat and rowed off somewhere all that's left on the ship now are me the black cat Hal and countless corpses Hal looks up at me from the base of the mast and purrs he probably wants milk but I can't do anything right now when I didn't answer Hal let out a carnivore tone and angrily began clawing at the mast will he see me as food how long can I stay sane no maybe it's gone crazy I don't even know if I'm alive or dead yet I am conscious if I close my eyes I can always see my wife and son again when Stephen saw me he threw down the hoop he was playing with and ran towards me Daddy welcome back I smile how have you been Steven I comb his hair Molly who was preparing dinner came to meet her at the door come on you I was worried but it was fine oh I don't want to open my eyelids anymore I want to keep my eyes closed like this I want to go to sleep with my eyes closed in eternal sleep

Dorothy was dreaming. But what kind of dream she did not remember. It was night when she woke up. No, she didn't know if it was night. The velvet curtains were closed so that nothing could be seen outside. The room was dimly lit, and the light from the candles cast shadows on the walls. Dorothy tried to get up and found her limbs stuck. Her hands and feet were tied to the four corners of the bed with thick ropes.

"What is this?"

Dorothy tried desperately to loosen the strings. However, the more she struggled, the tighter the string cut into her wrist.

"Somebody help me!" cried Dorothy.