x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1NJaFK6fQ
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmIIm9qOTa
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8HfE93N9r
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aOH1Dn7Ls
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OiKTFXFbB
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNzRw5aLnK
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCqBQhi33Q
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwaxZYJk0g
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqXG3QXQUR
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cp4MsSK2z
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHVviUiqrT
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46Gv9ZhvR1
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnyR7fYYI6
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlc0tX5vL1R
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVFp5S1qiY
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzMJpDhIIR
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnr7qTJrDTv
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbIeqgzdXb
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0rtOjuUIL
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvAsDAJGbI
parts... Or even -”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GaMaWYC0u
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jY2ZOCVSe
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBrClBGLOW
to read it.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOSSfdjdNh
A short silence stood between the two of us ...242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSJ53wFwen
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZHzdFw7Fz
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQkq7GfULx
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCrPk9tEOi
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIkrbqzn0u
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofdnx9N3O7
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbbTGmrRm0
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEt7GOkaA1
A long pause took over his person.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OFkK4vSds
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4Nj6kAGwq
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAd4dMvEBS9
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9T2RTVj6x
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1XnTdZAMm
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQzhk5TrDm
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCydai3E5f
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLnPeY6HN2
you get your hands on all this?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1z4HDJn9a
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1imTdhyzIv
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqKoCk3qqK
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvt1DOCu7D
restlessness.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1UnKIefPj
“And then you will read it?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdl7WVav8k
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV16f0hJLyi
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZbPgUGYEj
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYtJ5LScPx
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUW5k36Ztta
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYdPUHrgLr
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcUrIUsi92
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxzSewpQHO
carrying tomes for me regularly.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrhbMYGUV1
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HOWjVmd5s
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHA6em0CkP
could be in store inside that notebook.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MR4zFFdRB
