But without senses, lacking eyes, ears, lacking touch, smell, and the rest? "Lacking all those, yes. We were vapors, merely. For a long time. Until today."
And now I am here, thought Leonard Sale. "You are here," said the voice. "To give substance to our mentalities. To give us our needed body."
I'm only one, thought Sale. "Nevertheless, you are of use."
I'm an individual, thought Sale. I resent your intrusion.
"He resents our intrusion! Did you hear him, Iorr? He resents!"
"As if he had a right to resent!"
Be careful, warned Sale. I'll blink my eyes and you'll be gone, phantoms! I'll wake up and rub you out!
"But you'll have to sleep again, some time!" cried Iorr. "And when you do, we'll be here, waiting, waiting, waiting. For you."
What do you want? "Solidity. Mass. Sensation again." You can't both have it. "We'll fight that out between us."
A hot clamp twisted his skull. It was as if a spike had been thrust and beaten down between the bivalvular halves of his brain.