Phantom Boyfriend: Dasamiza (special preview)

Unfortunately, at the same time, it is only my mother. Everyone else is still as vague and muffled as they were before. My mother, though, is able to somewhat understand and she helps me navigate this blank world. 

The next night, though, I see that masked figure again. I am laying on my side and they are posed on the windowsill. One of their long legs hangs off the side and their mask has changed. The center is now the goofy wide smile and laughter, while the glare has taken to the side. 

“One small change can rock the world.” Their voice sounds different again. It isn’t as dark and low as it was last night. They turn and look at me, moonlight trapped on their hat and mask.

“You need to go back,” they say as they stand.

One the ceiling, I couldn’t register their size, now that they’re standing before me, I see that they’re monstrous in their proportions. They’re so tall, nearly double what I expected. Their limbs are long and willowy and their waist seems smaller than mine.

They kneel down beside my bed, looking at me directly in the face. Their hand on the edge of the bed is huge, the palm is bigger than a dinner plate and the fingers are long with more than two knobby joints on each.

“Where am I supposed to go back to?” They ask with my voice again.

“Well, I’ll tell you.” They point a finger in my face. “The place you belong. The place you love. You belong there and you won’t find any relief or answered questions until you do!”

All I can move is my eyes. I twitch them around, trying to take in as much of them as I possibly can. If they know what I want to ask, why won’t they answer my most burning question?

“You don’t remember me?” They laugh. “That’s good. I look much better now than I did all those years ago. I’d prefer you remembered this me rather than that one.” They make a disgusted growl with their throat and stand up. They glide over the window and pull open the curtains and moonlight spills like milk onto the floor. 

“Dasamiza.” They turn on their heel and bend themself in half at the waist. “At your service, my dear lady.” They rise up in one fluid motion. “I have come to invite you home.” They come back to the edge of the bed. “Only there can I truly give you what you want.” They touch my cheek and their skin feels like the curtains hanging in the theatre.

“I can only give myself when you are searching.” They dip down, kissing my forehead. As they sit up, the moonlight has become daylight and I can rise up from the bed. 

“Darling?” There is a knock at my door before it opens. “I know it’s early, but someone has come to see you.”

I look at my mother standing in the doorway for a moment, relieved I can still see her. I take in a deep breath and turn to face her. “What is it about?”