Shoggy part 6

	That night you have dreams, dreams of a strange twisted and distorted land. Stranger still is the fact that it feels like you're watching this land through a equally distorted lens. Occasionally the focus blurs and shifts, as if the scene before you is struggling to bring itself into focus. In the brief moments of clarity you're afforded you notice things about the landscape. You can see large rocks that seem to float in the air under their own power, the sun or whatever provides light in this warped world seems to have a constant haze covering it, like the object itself is liquid. The green hills off to the distance seem to breathe as if alive themselves. As you try to take in more detail you're cut off as the scene changes once again. The picture changing in a haze of static, what you see next unsettles you however.  Even before the picture focuses you're greeted to a creature not of this world. Unlike Cassandra, who has a human form, the creature is clearly not of this Earth. A large bulbous sac-like body sits upon a number of legs you have trouble keeping count of. You're unable to make out anything that would pass as a face on the sickly tan-green coloured body, instead it seems to "feel" the area around it through two massive tendrils that end in even more smaller ones. It's body flashes a dull green as it seems to notice something, as if it's found what it's looking for. You realize it's too late as you figure out what it's after, you. The creature turns to "face" you, it's feelers seem to twitch as the body's green glow pulsates quicker. You try to run but it won't work, it feels like your body is frozen in place and unable to move. 'Is it closer now?' you ask yourself as you look back to see the large fleshy object now seems bigger. However before the creature gets to you something happens. The world seems to drop out from you, a warm calming feeling washing over you as the creature vanishes and blackness surrounds you.

"It's time to get up Anon," you hear Cassandra say from somewhere beyond your closed eyes.

	Your only reply is a grumble and wondering if Cassandra is naturally an early bird.

"I know it's a day off for you Anon, but sleeping in is a bad habit." she says as you feel her trying to coax you out of bed through nudging.

You pull the covers over you tight, "too warm and comfy." You reply.

"Anon come on I need to..." Cassandra's sentence is cut off as the phone rings.

"Are you going to pick that up Anon?" She asks.

"Can't you?" you reply groggily.

"What if it's your parents?"

"Worst case is they think they dialed the wrong number."

	As quick as it came, the ringing stops. The apartment now quiet aside from the two of you talking.

"See?" You say poking your head from under the covers, "it took care of itself, I'll just check the messages later."

	Your return to sleep is stopped as Cassandra tears the covers off you.

"Anon please, these need to be washed." She says folding them under her arm. "I'll make you some eggs if you want after."

"Fiiiiiiine.~" You yawn out as you roll out of bed and stretch. "I guess I'll go check the messages."

	You stop for a second as you stand there in nothing but your flannel pajama bottoms.

"Cassie, how are you going to do laundry?" You ask the shoggoth as she tucks the blankets into a laundry basket.

"I spent the last few days watching people come and go." She says with pride, "right now there is no one in the apartment."

"Well what if there is and you get seen by someone?"

"Easy, same way I got under your door."  she says.

	Cassandra demonstrates what she means before your eyes, seeming to melt into a puddle of black ooze. You continue to watch as the ooze glides under one side of the bed, disappearing. Seconds pass before you see the block ooze rise on the other side of the bed before reforming into Cassandra's familiar shape.

"See?" Cassandra says with upturned palms. "You worry to much about me honey, and while it's sweet I can do this."

You nod, convinced. "Alright fine, just be careful please."

	Cassandra smiles back at you before picking up the laundry basket and heading downstairs. While she's promised you that nothing will go wrong there is a bit of you that hopes one day the sight of a purple skinned girl doing laundry won't lead to a possible police investigation. After getting dressed, you decide to check the phone to see who would call so early in the morning. After searching the apartment you check the one place you usually leave it, it's charging base in the TV room. While the number on caller ID doesn't ring a bell your checking of the message left behind has a voice behind it that is.

"Heya Anon, it's Avery. I wanted to talk about some things if you get the chance, if you can call me around noon or so when I'm on lunch break."

	The phone's built in answering machine chimes as Avery's message ends, listing the usual options. You select one of them to save Avery's number to the phone's directory for future use. Peeking your head back in the bedroom you decide to check the alarm clock for the time noticing there is time to kill before noon. You figure the best way would to be just watch some TV and wait for Cass to return from doing laundry. Your thoughts drift to the dream you had last night s you flip through the channels. The bizarre scene felt unreal, you wonder if Cassandra might know anything about it.

"I'm back Anon," Cassandra says.

"Everything go ok?" You ask, calling from your spot on the couch.

"Mhmm, I'll switch loads later. For now want anything for lunch?"

"Grilled cheese maybe?"

	Your request is acknowledged by sounds of pans clinking as Cassie digs through the assortment of pots and pans. You open your mouth to ask her about the creature but decide it might be better either during or after lunch. Picking up the phone you figuring phoning Avery and seeing if he'd know anything, not to mention he said there was something he wanted to talk about. Grabbing for the phone you bring up Avery's number in the directory and select 'dial'.

The phone rings a few times before someone on the other end picks up, "heyyello?"

"Avery?" You ask, "It's Anon."

"Hey Anon, was hoping you'd call sooner rather than later." Avery says.

"What'd you call about this morning anyways?"

"Right now it's better if you wait till I've got some time alone to explain, I wanted to get the ground work while I was driving to work but you were still asleep."

You feel a bit of guilt creep in as you recall this mornings argument over the phone, "Yeeeeah...uh sorry about that."

"It's fine, better I do it at home since there is a lot I'd like to get through and I don't think it could've been done on the car ride over."

"Sorry for bothering you then Avery."

"It's alright boy, tell the missus I said hi."

"Later Avery," you say already moving the phone away from your ear.

"Talk to you later Anon," Avery says as you begin to hang up.

	You wonder what Avery would want to talk about that would warrant him to be home. A few ideas flash in your head, but Cassandra's calling you to lunch pushes them aside for now.

"Hey Cass," You ask while the two of you sit at the table. "I had a bit of a strange dream last night."

"I know, you thrashed around last night." She said, "I ended up having to hold onto tightly to calm you down."

Your head dips in shame, "I hope I didn't hurt you."

"It's fine, but what gave you such a scare?"

	You tell Cassandra what you recall of that dream. Going into detail about the landscape first. Though you expect her to laugh, the entire time she's staring at you with an intensity you've never seen before. Her brow furrows and shows concern when you get to the part with the large fleshy creature that seemed to be 'looking' for something or someone.

"Anon, if you have this dream again let me know please." She says, taking your hand in hers.

Her reaction unnerves you, "i-is something wrong?" you ask.

"Just please let me know if it happens again." She repeats.

	You simply nod in agreement to Cassandra's request. Her tone seemed more worried than anything.

"I wonder if Avery has had a similar dream?" You  wonder out loud.

"Maybe," Cassandra says looking lost in thought. "How was it though?"

"The dream?"

"No, how was lunch? Did it come out ok?"

"Kinda hard to mess up grilled cheese." You say getting up from the table,"thank you though."

	After finishing lunch, the majority of your time was spent doing not much aside from browsing the Internet or checking what was on TV. Cassandra eventually disappears back downstairs to change loads. As she leaves you worry again about her being spotted and what it could lead to. While she can disappear, it'll be harder to explain why a woman with purplish skin who suddenly vanished was carrying a basket of your clothes around. Trying to push out the thoughts of a worse case scenario of Cassandra's existence being found out, you instead try to focus on a good time to call Avery. After some internal debate you decide doing so before dinner would be the best time.