x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF44Z1E4fH4
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡme7CpFuTJM
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdRGtYVgTL
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3rxl3L7nV
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArfmlwbIto
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZxi7TDmUf
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiM1gMG0Zq
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkSkB2dZG9
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofDjpZWeXA
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hR4XDwsTH
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMFQGLuJ4c
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhwc4AUdW9
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXvie5w1l6
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMZ7sxRfcW
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGdKsCjH2D
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5y94OCSJ4j
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAj7PXWDYhV
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ963XqSzNgX
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWvVa39mrx
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqXHD69g6k
parts... Or even -”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fAqTB1eHL
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sWGHOIovl
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHjLT5GV4m
to read it.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaluW4s4KtH
A short silence stood between the two of us ...374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvO0hdWzi8
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNBKnndklD
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvp5aY3dbYv
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnnjyxEhrN
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecmhl1DcHr
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqub9deUAx
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmT2y1OP5sy
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDV2cJeqoDY
A long pause took over his person.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlFYuz5PFj
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMsazjnjaz
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3ZyRanwHg
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxmJFARyXA
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKJyML5GmN
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJG2LYwWUk
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfXFeqWeel
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYxeD8DmgU
you get your hands on all this?”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36fyAtuith
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdbCtSJnji
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVVrRD8DqA
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgH6YWzuOuP
restlessness.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkyCyyL401
“And then you will read it?”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU051OB6OGc
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uP7udLlYW
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9n26YTit6
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcWYfvnUDg
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNfOyv6IaA
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPnnsBnY87
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHWBOnFaVo
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6riexGu0I
carrying tomes for me regularly.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMzLNUunYM
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLGOVZlcxK
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJ2U41vOAT
could be in store inside that notebook.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZhHYO2voa
