Beside the point as it may be, the idea of being sent back without any memory, and then being kidnapped all over again is chilling to Ned. But he sets it aside in his mind, listens to what Galen tells him about his dream-walking power. It's an interesting concept as far as Ned is concerned, though of course, quite the invasion of privacy. But with the right person, with permission...

And then Galen says what he does about his ability not coming with an instruction manual, and Ned's stomach twists with dread. He knows now that this story isn't going to be good. Knows that, because when his powers arrived without instruction manual, he'd killed two people within a day. Something horrible had happened to Galen for the same reason (misunderstanding of the mechanics and limits of his ability) that most of Ned's horrible somethings had happened to him.

Dark nowhere with a dog made out of awful things sounds evocatively hellish to Ned, and he shivers.

"You went dark side?" Ned prompts, gently. He wants to tell Galen that he doesn't have to talk about it, that he's not going to make him tell all his worst secrets after being so defensive of his own, but he recognizes something about this conversation. Sees that it is a confession, that Galen wants to get these things out in the air, so he lets him without interrupting any further.