x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9vLo8Ejov
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoBsHDfUdm
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSK0pUjSRE
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPc8Bf6rTR
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNXpogavEE
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRXeArBzF1
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnXL5R1aG4
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡot0mL37CqF
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2FVr4tOV2
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3lVHQY2lq
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo01Jj2X4es
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNgPBWrwsj
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6QscRqdzu
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQaZv69dmZ
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wIXhKNI0k
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GXY2PomE7
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5j18zi0hpU
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyp11o3eHJ
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ96u0J2cDt
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDB1epemmSE
parts... Or even -”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVWRM7VQuY
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gCOcV1iJP
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWbuEgg60V
to read it.”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8Ei6pYvoy
A short silence stood between the two of us ...382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYrcgtBjXj
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTD9RoplVkJ
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQR0UXNJd5
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡys4L0PsnHK
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzk7jQ374R
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVqbSB4tPW
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAB5PWf9irh
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZ4LGjhvRx
A long pause took over his person.382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmn8qrSTy1K
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrBDtC6g70
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡal4xfnCBI9
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8wM0GlHr1
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDKZkaSj1j
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2mfhZJy6I
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlmRpE40m4
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZPmRRrQNq
you get your hands on all this?”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf37mDhlOpe
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhqIAYvPKg
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhyM2N6Q7z
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOplfVxqIT
restlessness.382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWLmgcI18z
“And then you will read it?”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9zs8pF7ny
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eYTNXG8OK
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtK9Qazwwqo
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr95m1HOMsm
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlTXZ3S3Si
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96q5oZC5Kv
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyrRl0sIdr
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpyYWPtYBX
carrying tomes for me regularly.”382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8exsIpyP4f
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEo7r6TGfs
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiwAj6ccGV
could be in store inside that notebook.382Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO9FshtyJB
