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Most important was the conversation she’d had with the creature, the thing that called himself Professor Ward. The creature had referred to itself as the man, and yet it wasn’t, like a mere phantom or echo of the original. The rock no doubt had a hand in projecting the image into her mind since she hadn’t any idea what he looked like before noticing the photograph, but she couldn’t fathom how the thing had reached into her mind. After all, it was still a rock, an inanimate object which sat there and did nothing.
With the flurry of thoughts and ideas, all of which led to nothing concrete, Amanda felt exhaustion settle over her. She reached up and rubbed the back of her neck.
Then she froze. Her hand hit something on her skin, an indentation that hadn’t been there before. Her fing
