close while she slept over the last few years though, for he was uncertain of what her ability to see him actually meant. She stormed past him, opened her door, and screamed obscenities that he

ad no choice but to stand there and watch her look at him. She bounced off the bed, strai

e shelf. She had, over the last several years, added to her galleon, and it now held a detailed frigate and shebec model. If he were the size of a m

She smiled at him, or possibly it was a snarl; it wasn’t easy to distinguish, but the point was she could really, truly see hi

er was a man. Even though he had never seen this man before, he kne

ears. He’d noticed most children of her age walked around with wires coming from their ears. Somehow he doubted it was to lessen the

ness, had spent a few brief moments here, just to assure himself she was well enough. The room had undergone enormous change; it now assaulted his senses to be in it. It was a

he had always thought they were in the real versions. The man-o-war filled him with longing, just as the real thing had once done. There wasn’t anything that could compete with the force of it, the sheer threat its

nd the rest of the year hobbling around on crutches! He’s s

didn’t understand was the word loser; had there been a race? He shook his head and decided he needed to observe more television in his wanderings. It had been his only way to discover a world outside of his confinement. The only l

okay,

ously doubted she should even leave the building. Her shoulders were bare, as was her midriff, and his throat practically seized shut when he realized she was no longer a child in any sort of way. She had brea

ing with her hand still on the ship, she looked directly at him, and he froze, not knowing how to react. She was past six

wallowed him. Her dark hair hung to her shoulders, untamed waves of thick silk. Her deep brown eyes had been highlighted with coloured powders, and the resu

elf in a looking glass, the way he remembered looking. He moved a hand to touch the scar that ran from his temple to cross his cheekbone. The sketc

eave before he could change his mind, mak