x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0IYBrsv8t
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50lmbrNNYg
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLM7o9v7eH
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQClz5HAPu
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VgIEZL1If
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hKjxOLO1x
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLqyG9xPeI
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNk3RN5Phu
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIgWA51eyV
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPToL4MDmib
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk60gZd5Ojw
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMBAu773HZ
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fJVpNifZt
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdY9RTCL52
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgAieBhhl0
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvuYqkfxjU
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvSuNnTRnT
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElh6zImBc0
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJh4DerIny
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvW4U5rF4qd
parts... Or even -”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcm32kGVh1
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9mxblqWvA
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjvUlAAc1r
to read it.”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBB2pCSOvK
A short silence stood between the two of us ...356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NsZKNU17F
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFRdxnB1Mo
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS37lWSG5X4
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wxSewmIXa
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPytJadTYG
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6fqgYhNYh
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qwo6rlQmJ
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyoGouHcYh
A long pause took over his person.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeS3l17LaR2
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVaHO3RdtK
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDCQ0OdN2G
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdUc6THOas
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyRA3UdB0o
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡez4Oeuk5Dc
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWMwjsaXsC
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykbpdMq2he
you get your hands on all this?”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjCws5AJua
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPIhqUtmmf
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXcEHhWt8k
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpS7BLQW5F
restlessness.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFGkFfiOqC
“And then you will read it?”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYHv14YzDq
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNLZwuuGQY
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzNPiP0paW
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjSfXhKBdv
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMdXUwUhja
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvMJyXswm6
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNA5Cq4Im63
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoaJve1SGm
carrying tomes for me regularly.”356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOdJp57qY1
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7g5UHzPijS
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuB26pPZ28
could be in store inside that notebook.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlS93fYuZWH
