x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVs9Of0btS
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrwHGujwrW
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewqUQ3njMn
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw1FwzDbxD
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDKkClvdHt
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fMljARPxq
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEj1qcpk6V0
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4uN6qGM9E
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFAXQ9Pj7t
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXscXBRaNTb
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4ID1k9Frq
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdvZfZocno
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkRpwdC6lh
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcT7DNHIO3
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFqwXmIy8P
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCcc2eOKiu
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8A7etuopPO
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjSFkEM0uQ
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouKRWykEtM
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGP5zU8g7y
parts... Or even -”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNq7rF0u0Y
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡye91E1D55H
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mHN39o7yu
to read it.”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKszZN1LJu
A short silence stood between the two of us ...419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAU3WrDihf
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlt14ssyTGl
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYAKUIHn6E
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kjuiR0Ji0
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSSK6OwuIa
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpPHej6b0y
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8F5heEQzEY
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4VLaLFSO5
A long pause took over his person.419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8k32dxCJs
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6X5EfqI9vv
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwU7PlNiysM
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1ywpZy6Cd
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HLYFV92Nf
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSDwGTrEvi
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjvUZafk6I
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxnaJ3RJBG
you get your hands on all this?”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7hWCGK7FE
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWZxXsgYez
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJgA0yzuUr
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7faQRM5ro
restlessness.419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvq0wLoyYMP
“And then you will read it?”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkJgEjMUDT
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCfW50EmzF
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Y9oLWOfXD
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH38vUqpuFt
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGHWj4bPX3
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQSEQlbXS1
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPD6PA9Qbi
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJMRHASSsM
carrying tomes for me regularly.”419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6vLojBol2
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7EsBMWCr0
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qaCh07xUO
could be in store inside that notebook.419Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KMe05f4Uk
