x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmMc9GxODR
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMexApceE8u
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpboodP3noK
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGlFTaDqjS
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kLxQW4P2v
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBL5fCHtESw
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGTXxzuSvw
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaktkdPiGU
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVd3UV7msAd
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkg3RaWvMWO
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRv6hRPKnX7
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhFeAX71vu
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRcxQj2cGO
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkII12SYwg
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyVXkWqSPA
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaeFzYYPWK
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9AlvwElxH
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltsAJ9uFOX
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSctKx6pVe
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ezmIkTQAB
parts... Or even -”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNRtDtxkL9
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjk3p5ZH5gR
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmTsIx2fwR
to read it.”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVXCtLcSoH
A short silence stood between the two of us ...338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBPSkqUf51
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTPUQjg9Cq
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkIcYrZ35j
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ596tp22jQB
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMyLgElzg7
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYiIcPZt28
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33s5nvpZu9
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYirBHxVv3
A long pause took over his person.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDVjFwIvS2
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2brvMJU12j
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvbc3ynIbB
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0k0Nw34k5m
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvGCAMlPn9
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nziYKumlC
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCumtGiONo
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASXdmbYGly
you get your hands on all this?”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvgnsigWu8
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhXjOPwE7Q
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrMMwjbudv
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyrCAxzSjT
restlessness.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzU90jaOmH
“And then you will read it?”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZW7H6WTs9
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWW1rlWDuq
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtPgafgQ1v
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0mn3sadoY
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFzA31DbxR
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NTmrk4LAE
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyF9DgDihX
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySfHyeol82
carrying tomes for me regularly.”338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21oFlv7ibA
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8VRqyeFIV
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVLhBKKzSr
could be in store inside that notebook.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChwBvg9MVQ
