x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRhEibiP1i
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk63ghbYTLu
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDWklNVGnq
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wH1itmgQ4
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYIqLdSXS6
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsk7ATVnz9
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5EUaX5pCL
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Mqyo3eeJQ
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAilsF5cxKT
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJls0YEq8D
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiop8wjUzMA
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQR5WCGAQT7
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5Fb35F0M6
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkGYRAzpUe
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8B0OL3B8q
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLJkO8asPl
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAryArdHjO6
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t9A1eBxCq
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6EQh0ZYEd
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHulZRE2UVK
parts... Or even -”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKhbro3Xpp
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZ6wzeiMJ2
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLX2fAZ1W3
to read it.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRe1nxxFVIc
A short silence stood between the two of us ...351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpif04MjRZJ
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhM2DygbEfI
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBb67bSO03g
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4pE5IJrQh
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmCEEkr3uH
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPr59uo3why
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cOcXHw4MI
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20bbQFqMtX
A long pause took over his person.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFR3gIkzMB
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouGtfQZ6Wt
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7EZ7wZMee
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzwZrS0D8e
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJ02KOnyMI
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtB6gT3qa5W
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6Od5YPJmb
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEktHOX3u1
you get your hands on all this?”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZA9iBMXDyF
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gaGRXZo7c
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtP8ftMRq5w
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkieRT98ps2
restlessness.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYDAWACdLT
“And then you will read it?”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJu1M0Pyqv
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcM6kWs8BS
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzoRYwSnOu
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPx7Px52zBC
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aGYIoLPAj
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKO3Qfm7fGC
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiPwfOFyYi
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEk26JrB82
carrying tomes for me regularly.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vCrgIJHVx
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnAEmnrhGi
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42LYzgJQwB
could be in store inside that notebook.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOyJuYMcfA
