x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZLMxMD7R3
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yHDlEKnLn
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlNKhqYYCy
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJARWA8avn
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY30PhHL4li
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yQev0tn1R
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezdvE8sf0X
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSY1HE6GrHY
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1uGNrYj59
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Swo1OYrSn
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8nUw1fcWd
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxWhNkKyix
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9tLSKzPAe
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYkskStnbZ
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvidrCDFoNI
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkVQYb1H0o
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7opcvgL6m
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLJyI5bjMz
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqusFS3p3y6
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8HNXKgwYr
parts... Or even -”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLiImVhOJr
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IvVIU4Tan
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrunkjhXNnO
to read it.”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJRlyJ4eUy
A short silence stood between the two of us ...401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpXLduRrwG
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpUAOBUUIL
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAWrjnbS3A
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQBEJmS7df
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClMc2nIQ5d
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI17A5UQvPJ
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVogHzPcg26
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVHcmyO0GX
A long pause took over his person.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKy7LJtoXl
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1OTympSqv
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpywt63vhpZ
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHqVk6dVHb
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7yOSNWku5
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNguETbAsbU
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwiXA2TYC6
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yQosHagYw
you get your hands on all this?”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLnWeqDQn8
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbkpG7EXzy
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBCwbAH4qs
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WdLlwAkJ6
restlessness.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0l5rKmCB9
“And then you will read it?”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgPeCzrMh2
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoD30dGGIY
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpufPc6q9vn
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclde9IZFwT
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzSpd5k2Dy
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3OsRvvqQJ
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9KOWagfvR
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RWdvLFjfs
carrying tomes for me regularly.”401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvISgGCbwNr
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1XWriaBp8
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUSrEzAMdo
could be in store inside that notebook.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpr0GeAx5LW
