🌀 001 | written

[gumthief]

[appearing in your journals today, Paradisa:]



[A MASTERPIECE]

Comments

PLACEHOLDER sob

[fantasies]

Is that an ogre? I don't think they're supposed to have freckles.

[gumthief]

[different handwriting in the demon book now; huh]

[well, she's not going to let it think she's scared of it, so...]

[fantasies]

Hey, come on, I'm just trying to help.

[dictated]

[gumthief]

What are you, then? You show yourself, too.

[dictated]

[fantasies]

[Aaand it clicks!]

Oh! You're new.

My name's Henry. I'm just a kid -- the books are magic and are letting us talk to each other through them. I've got one too.

[dictated]

[gumthief]

[him being another kid takes her off her guard somewhat; she's never scared of kids-- but still, only somewhat]

I'm not trusting a talking book, Henri.

[she pronounces his name the French way, because... well, that's what she does with the Henry she knows at home, so why not do it with this one?]

[dictated]

[fantasies]

[Fine with him! He rolls with it.]

Okay, um... I could meet you, if you wanted? To show you how it works?

[dictated]

[gumthief]

That sounds excellent.

[dictated]

[fantasies]

Sure. What room are you in?

[dictated]

[gumthief]

[insert number here!]

[dictated]

[fantasies]

Alright, just gimmie a couple minutes.

[dictated]

[gumthief]

[she'll be milling around in the hallway]

[dictated]

[fantasies]

[And true to his word, a few minutes later there's a kid with a journal tucked under his arm trundling out of the elevator and making a beeline towards her.]

Hi! I'm Henry.

[action]

[gumthief]

You already told me, don't ya remember?

[action]

[fantasies]

Yeah, but I wanted to make sure you knew it was me. [He holds his journal out to show her.] I know it's kinda weird, at first.

[action]

[gumthief]

So what, I'm not scared. You're just a kid.

[action]

[fantasies]

[Matter-of-fact:] Yeah, but you are, too.

Did anybody else explain stuff to you?

[action]

[gumthief]

'Course I am.

I heard some.

[action]

[fantasies]

Like what?

[action]

[gumthief]

We're in a magical castle and are kidnapped.

[action]

[fantasies]

Right. The castle's curse is really, really strong, but we're working on a way to break it.

Um, but it's not so bad here. I actually kind of like it.

[action]

[gumthief]

Then I will, too. There's nothing to miss at home.

[not true, but there's no way she's going to admit that she might end up feeling some homesickness]

[action]

[fantasies]

[He doesn't look convinced. He has his mother here and he still misses some things.]

Really? Not even your mom or your dad?

[action]

[gumthief]

[loftily]

I wouldn't miss Helen if she were the last woman on Earth.

[action]

[fantasies]

Is that your mom?

[He kinda gets it, though. He doesn't miss his mom much, either. The one with custodial rights, anyway.]