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The thing was on top of him, tendrils extending from its belly, wrapping themselves around Grover's spacesuit. He couldn't stop screaming. It kept whispering in his head, "You're ok. It's ok. You're with *me* now. You'll remember in time." The words had the opposite effect than intended. Grover screamed and screamed.
The thing, whatever it was, pulled Grover into itself. Everything on the inside was velvet and red. The details were difficult to make out. Some tendril was working at his space suit, taking it apart. The pressure seal of his helmet disengaged, and Grover stopped screaming just long enough to realize the oxygen wasn't rushing out of his suit. Then he was back to screaming.
"It's all right, you're ok," the words kept coming. Grover couldn't say if it was whispering in his mind or talking out loud.
"He's having a complete mental breakdown," said a second voice. Was that Lieutenant Bennis? Grover searched for the source of the voice, but couldn't see him anywhere. Could he have been imagining it?
"You're with us now, Grover. You're safe now. We're taking you back home." The strange female voice continued to coo at him.
"I don't think he can hear you." Now *that* was Arnie's voice. Grover's voice went dry. He couldn't scream any more. Where were all these voices coming from?
The image of a velvety soft room dancing with strange alien tendrils was going fuzzy.
A small disk, cold and metal, made contact with his bare arm.
"No need to fear," continued that enchanting voice, "You're safe with us now. We're taking you back to the Pod."
"Jesus," muttered Bennis's voice. "You see these Blissitol levels? It's a wonder he's not in a coma."

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