The Old Gods

The shoggoth nods at you and reaches out for your hand. You try to fight it, but it's too strong. The shoggoth's hand engulfs your hand in a ball of gooey, and something inside pinches you hard. You cry out and pull your hand back. The flesh lets you go, and you look at your palm. To your horror, there is an eye in the middle of your hand!

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The shoggoth holds up its own hand, and an identical eye appears. "If you should need a shapeshifter, allow me to help. I can substitute a book that does not fit the prompt you are to complete."

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You nod and try not to think about the fact that you have an extra eyeball on your body now.

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"What is next?" the shoggoth asks. "What is next? What is next? What is next?"

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Read the next book in a series you have yet to complete

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The shoggoth points behind you. "That way," it says. "I await your call."

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You watch as the shoggoth melts into its amoeba shape and falls off the edge of the light path. You watch it fall into the abyss. A shiver runs down you spine and you turn to look behind you to see where you're supposed to go next.

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Behind you, of course, is just open space.

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You really don't want to fall, but you don't know how to progress without the creature's assistance either. You debate in your head for what seems like ages, but ultimately, you feel that you need to continue. What's the worst thing that could happen?

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(Don't answer that...)

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With one brave step, you fall off the side of the path and scream. You plummet down into nothingness, and the light gets farther and farther away from you. You know that you can't hold onto anything, so instead you curl up into a ball, keeping your insides from feeling like they're escaping you, and close your eyes.

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The fall goes on and on. You lose track of time. You lose track of your thoughts. At some point, you even relax into the fall. It's almost enjoyable. The fear of dying escapes you. This is the void, after all. There is no ground and no end to the falling. The only thing that scares you is that you might have made a mistake.

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The darkness begins to glow an iridescent kind of green and blue. It's beautiful and terrifying, as is the foggy image of a woman who peers at you through the light.

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"The first of your little summonings," she says, "you had a group read. It was a compilation of work by many wonderful women."

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What was the group read for the very first Demonathon?