x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVDYM5L0Qj
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnwYojuqkC
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaXxkNRPjo
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0SlPz8NQZ
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfi9IypZvJ
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiYKsNEZgK
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fMFZu2F8V
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsp6FofNzl
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23JyUUm0qX
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfbNywtEDj
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXivnifcAl
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtnsm0YRAk
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnGoObRhwE
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiQWUfy6P4
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJJKg0kd4v
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CDVkYBNZ2
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8RipbKGYa
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6FvRiI2Fb
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CepzQ9jcb
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvr1NibreW8
parts... Or even -”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8EIZmwhOB
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkE7hNy9Qyc
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ghrkdPIAI
to read it.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQJubXrshL
A short silence stood between the two of us ...281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTmWatRUIK
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBHqc3uV5C
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXvKRc02Vd
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIn1FzUoV4k
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PNUCZw5k8
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovXByDiKcA
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EF60bFv8X
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcImIkJQ2ko
A long pause took over his person.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOJTdaCH5b
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9i2xSiAVTm
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0HyGCXfRU
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiEXa9ZWvK
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8dn7f64Lz
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jrsqPX9yV
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaZhFFqliX
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNChAqNKkW
you get your hands on all this?”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMeu4hNZnQ
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZpzsLSh42
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CWLjd1mMQ
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡct37QU7hkL
restlessness.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFO4TG91bh
“And then you will read it?”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIQJTZqCfC
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rwfAZAM6v
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUqi8r5WKx
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYQMDDQlQO
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCudugNRZi
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBm4IB51oBC
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbB6JJVmZ6
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBb2sNIj4Su
carrying tomes for me regularly.”281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6IsfBX6hO
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAAykQz8FX
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQZUxv5gPo
could be in store inside that notebook.281Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQohZc7KLVs
