x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejhehntVTl
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YVlpKoa43
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBz6SV0eJ51
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfGDO7jXU7
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMOG8wTD8l
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrdJxvP4ga
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBXzZEHMp9
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMQGL2ZRPo
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHhiacTaTt
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOceHQfiNNK
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqOiTvDER9
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11AiewHkYx
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDK9jmxjbi
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pxa0cLirz
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpA3z38HUCs
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuX3qQiT4aU
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbghMYd2waL
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZsXlX0l8G
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdq2ntAo5b
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwxJ3JkSG3
parts... Or even -”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpVe7h2gu9
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdc92XibqRo
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmzgRaLW3z
to read it.”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8lWqD2yCz
A short silence stood between the two of us ...410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmAlz3FCYK
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs17OJc6IMD
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqWifCiwVX
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZWJnW1h4M
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXj9tTqztFF
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tzAvLdXXG
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwEcW2TGXj
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDOTnKbT7O
A long pause took over his person.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRSZMs6Yjs
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKmRiYJQdU
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJbHcIflj7
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0MmcUv3dK
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTORTWeIVu
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NgNQqRuaF
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeRYwu02se
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiw1jsHNkfE
you get your hands on all this?”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwecjc7Opy
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiIq2HyabRd
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeILwaOGgu
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3g1SBsuQo
restlessness.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbUv0h1BY0
“And then you will read it?”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhD3li1UPTY
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthMk4Ln3pw
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0H1DA7vHW
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6weBtaTcK
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB341fgqldr
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeu2E4gjABe
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPtgYzpTaR
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPW96cuSZAn
carrying tomes for me regularly.”410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLf16htx7S
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHm8ms46oo
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NJlPg4HkR
could be in store inside that notebook.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzziFirbpJb
