fod

- 'heaving'/'lurching' movements
- speech slurs, stops and restarts
- coughs often (or, at least I think they're coughing...)



-necrotizing gangrene?

Were you born like this?
“Fod--I? I. Have no mnemo-memory of befoore.” The guardian’s wings spread overhead with a creak of neglected metal as their muscles abruptly spasm. They level the blank reflective gaze of their plague doctor’s mask at you. “All I...Fod? Know is thaat Der is all-always there. Fodde-we-- We. Live together in its laab.”
At Fod’s confession, Der peers over its partner’s shoulder. Its head twists unnaturally on its neck as it twitches. “Aaahh...hhh...khh?” Its ‘voice’ is little more than distorted breaths through its mask.
The movement Fod responds with is more a lurching bow than a nod, and they explain, “Der-err saays-- this is all as shoo-should be; belief-believe it or do not. Khh! Memories aare heave-heavy and are on-only distractionss.”

Why does Der not speak?
“Kchh, kchh! I-Fod? Rememe-member Der spoke before, a long time a-aago. Itss voice was shaa-sharp like its need-- khht! --needles. Der’s tonngue is still on disa-display in the lab. It iss dev-dedicated to our gol-goal.”

Why do you both wear masks?
It is Der who chimes in, fluttering its wings and splattering translucent secretions against the ground as it descends. “Kht kht-- Hhhrr…”
Fod straightens up, ready to translate, when they go into a mild coughing fit. “Kchh! Kchhh! A-ahhk. Derr says: ‘All wear ma-massks. This iss how we separaate the lif-living from dea-ead.’”



???: