x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTJlgW4NMU
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxVY9RJRAY
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPjV92Fs6V
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OdGyQxjJS
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPdtAqHlFt
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzwg21ceuM
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwiZ4YI9oB
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CyfOPxajL
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEld7DgMxzl
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0igejDgVox
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ584qBQ6DEJ
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkF2W94az6l
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQuedfGkNk
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pLHsjvNWc
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwTu14z6Nc
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQgQitywpO
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9b73ndtHrh
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4xsZxxKfw
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNmsXj2kCW
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYKia5CpEh
parts... Or even -”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgRdQ2WuH1
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEYVHLceb3
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQ6wHeAkwP
to read it.”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvpvB18EeN
A short silence stood between the two of us ...243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8G6qQrlthF
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡri92JCPqwr
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9QzcJYJSu
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEkc2Kihuo
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHECFEsDquO
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUXsMh4Wuw
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByThSyqdEa
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKn1mKQGTq
A long pause took over his person.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gB2WFWrbD
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GpRELiGxt
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2CGd9pJ49
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhFvjk76pf
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfwbYCKWHN
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnofZ2rqwW
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38IvsuUWlq
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAyXM6hoA4
you get your hands on all this?”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVSMmc7BP6
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveg2g1M9t1
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbylA58f9JN
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavrg6vucQZ
restlessness.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8JcX07vvf
“And then you will read it?”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAjcGIifSv
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4rmlGNu9J
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXNO6Hlmfy
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwvh0UkJcn
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvjzCxQOhF
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqZeVnhi44
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveZLnzlFsG
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1TwHTHpki
carrying tomes for me regularly.”243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NZeZk97ec
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdq2aKTxxG
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtT4q1Pdlt
could be in store inside that notebook.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCtGfpPd82
