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OUT FROM THE NEW DAY'S MIST I HAVE COME

Dust's Name: Brishen :: (Shen for short) - "Born during Rain"
Dust's Gender: Male
Dust's Personality: Quiet, Blunt, Opinionated, Meticulous

He is rather quiet and even among friends, is a boy of few words. He often finds that he is unsure of how to act around others, and is most comfortable with those he has been long familiar with. Interaction with strangers in this day and age is rather common however so when he does find himself in the company of others, Brishen likes to keep it short and straightforward. He has a naturally soft voice, and when speaking, uses proper language and a surprisingly deep vocabulary to get his point across as quickly and efficiently as possible so that he can keep most encounters brief. That is not to say however that a person would not be able to bait him into an extended conversation if they knew how to either irritate or find a debatable subject to engage him with. Brishen does not bother to sugar coat his words, he is blunt and straight to the point. This can mostly be attributed to the fact that he believes that it is easiest to give the honest truth or opinion on things rather than to circumvent it and make things more complicated than need be. He can come off as somewhat rude or insensitive because of it, but he usually holds no malice in his words or observations. In fact, unless explicitly asked or addressed to share them, Brishen is much more apt to remain quiet and mentally store any information he can gather for future reference. He sees much, but shares little.

He is actually rather opinionated though, and due to the fact that he spends a good amount of time observing instead of interacting with new people around him, he has developed a rather matter of fact view on people. Once he becomes familiar with something or someone, Brishen has a hard time amending or adjusting the beliefs he has set later down the line. Sometimes he can be startled when a person breaks away from his initial impression of them based on what he viewed of their personality and actions from when he first met them, and when that happens he often withdraws to review things again. Despite all of the observing he does of the people around him, he actually rarely takes the time to take a good look at himself and may find it surprising if someone calls him out on something.

Brishen has a very detail oriented way of thinking. Sometimes he gets so caught up with the smaller details of things that he forgets to take a step back and actually pay attention to the larger picture so to speak. When he sets his mind to something, he will generally accomplish it in a precise and direct manner, often breaking down what he has to do into a series of steps mentally. He then addresses each section with a focused attention before moving on to the next step in the sequence once he feels he has fulfilled what needed to be accomplished precisely. Somewhere along the line, he has also seemed to developed a strong liking for organization and cleanliness.

Theme Suggestions: ███ ███ ███ ███ ███ ███
I imagine Brishen having hair that is either pale or the darkest grey shown above. Style wise I imagine a choppy A-Line bob with wispy tips. The back of his head would be where his hair was shortest and the differing layers would be visible. Something akin to these pictures: [x][x][x]. A vague idea fashion wise would be simply long sleeved garments of flowing or draping materials since he tends to prefer cooler climates.

All of those are just suggestions, but I think the fourth color would be nice for his eyes, though I'm open to pretty much anything. Additionally, I've found several pictures where the coloring of the mist can take on subtle green or even warmer toned tints depending on the landscape or area where it is settled, so while the blue based colors I posted above are what came to my mind, I'm open to pretty much any interpretation from you guys~!! o v o

Powers:
Zero Visibility :: Mist is compromised of small droplets of moisture that are suspended in air, and when he so chooses, Brishen can increase the density of moisture particles in the immediate area. Doing so decreases the visibility drastically depending on how much moisture that he is able to pull from the soil, plants, or atmosphere around him at the time. The more moisture he can extract, the denser the mist he creates around himself is. Visibility gets much better the closer you are to Brishen himself due to how the mist thins out the closer you are to him. He unfortunately has a penchant for overdoing it to the point where visibility is reduced to almost zero. This power is also purely defensive and holds no negative side effects besides the reduced visibility.

Cold Spot :: Brishen is most comfortable in places that are cool and has limited amounts of strong, direct sunlight. This particular power of his makes it easier for him to remain comfortable regardless of where he is by allowing him to manipulate the surrounding temperature to suddenly plummet. Doing so actually encourages the formation of more mist as well, however this ability is closely tied to his current emotional status. So, until he gains more experience and thus control over handling his emotions, the temperature around him can and generally will be prone to dropping down to the freezing point at the drop of a hat.

Shadow Spectres :: In dense enough mist or fog, the shadows cast by objects often become distorted or appear more voluminous than what most people are accustomed to seeing because of how shadows are cast through fog or mist in three dimensions. This is very much a scare tactic that Brishen would employ to either escape or reposition himself into a more favorable location if he was in a battle situation. He manipulates the placement of the shadows by utilizing a balance in the mist that keeps it dense enough to be illuminated by light, but thin enough to allow a large amount of that light to illuminate points further on.

Prompt Response: Prompt 2

"What do you do with your time?"

✖✖✖

Pale fingers reached out towards the drapes of the room window, hesitating for several moments as the material billowed towards him gently and brushed against the back of his extended hand. Brishen was able to feel how the sun warmed material differed in temperature from the the rest of the shaded room, himself included. His guardian, Camille, had left earlier that morning and traveled back to her hometown to look into "medicinal research texts" as she had called them. He however, had decided that he would stay at the small clinic and shop just in case someone came in for something. It was not so much because he had no interest in the texts that Camille was going to research, quite the opposite really, but rather because Brishen simply had little interest in trekking out under the direct glaring sunlight for a good portion of the day just to make it back to the small village that his guardian hailed from.

While he had little problem keeping himself occupied with the small chores around the Apothecary shop, there was only so much that you could do to occupy one self before becoming bored on a slow day. His day had begun as usual, having risen early and making the short walk from his home to the apothecary shop next to the village clinic. Brishen went through the routine of going through the noted appointments (that of which were zero today), filing away the newer patient charts, and tidying up the front of the shop before opening. There had been a handful of unannounced walk ins during the first few hours, but overall the day proved to be a slow one. By noon rolled around, he had spent the past hour or so in the back room, killing time by watching the small sliver of sunlight as it had retreated closer and closer to the window as the sun rose to it's peak in the sky outside. Brishen's eyes slid down to the space where the light slipped through a small gap created from where the drapes ended about an inch above where the window frame did. The bar of light had already disappeared from the wood paneled floors, but the lingering heat on the floorboards nevertheless felt almost hot against his bare feet where he stood by the window.

When he did ultimately pull aside the closed drape and felt the rays of sunlight fall on him, there was no stopping the grimace that passed over his pale features. Direct sunlight didn't actually hurt him per say, what it caused was the uncomfortable sensation his skin suddenly feeling as though it were contracting and becoming over sensitized. The feeling was far from pleasant, but he had already grown accustomed to pushing it to the back of his mind since he was accustomed to having to be out and about during the hours of the day when the sun was up. He expended more energy the longer he remained in the sunlight during the day however, which meant that from the time he was a child, he had possessed an even larger than normal appetite. Almost as if to remind him that he had yet to eat at all that day, Brishen heard his stomach growl.

Blinking in surprise, he shrugged before withdrawing his hand from the window and letting the drape fall back into place. It took several moments for his eyes to readjust to the sudden dimness of the room, but by then he had already begun to head out of the room and out into the storefront of the shop. There was a small cafe located at the end of the street that the shop was on, and it was a favorite for both Camille and himself for when they needed to grab a quick meal. Brishen paused at the front counter and wrote out a short message on a scrap of paper stating that he had stepped out to lunch, and that the shop would be open again in thirty minutes time. He hesitated before adding that the medical clinic next door could take orders meant for the shop as well if the patron were particularly pressed for time.

He slipped on a pair the pair of shoes he had worn earlier, and was halfway to the door before with the note in hand when a flash of color seemed to dash in front of the window of the shop. Not even a moment later, the door flew open and banged loudly against the wall, causing the contents of several of the mounted shelves to tremble and shake precariously. His jaw clenched as he thought for several long moments that the glass bottles and all of their contents would come crashing down to the floor. Brishen's eyes had widened and then swiveled to the front door as a woman seemed to teeter in the doorway of the shop. Her curling mass of hair was wild, looking as if she had run all of the way there. Not too surprising if the loud gasping breaths, hanging head, and slumped posture were anything to go by. Brishen furrowed his brow in confusion and took a step towards the woman, pausing uncertainly when her eyes snapped up to his face in response to his movement.

He hesitated for several seconds before tentatively greeting her, "Welcome madam, is there--"

"You! You work here don't you?! Where is Doctor Rhrodite, or whoever owns this pla-"

Brishen interrupted the woman before she could continue on, deciding to address the things that stood out and ignore that which he believed was not necessary to the current situation. "Yes I work here. Camille Rhrodite is the owner of this Apothecary shop. She is not a doctor, not a professionally licensed one in any case. If you are looking for one, Dr. Maknara owns and operates the clinic that is right next door to here. I can escort you there if you wish."

The woman seemed shocked and stared at him incredulously, opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. Brishen silently wondered if he had said something wrong. He had merely stopped her babble and corrected an assumption that had been made apparent in the female's words. There was nothing wrong with correcting somebody, especially if it was saving them the time and effort of continuing on being misinformed. Even as he rationalized that however, a brief memory of his early days as a child flashed of Camille sighing and patiently explaining to him about etiquette and politeness. He sighed softly, mulling over his choice of words mentally and trying to find what may have caused offense.

The woman recovered before he could puzzle it out however, and muttered darkly, "That man would be of little use to me. I've consulted him in the past, but I've heard that if I come here, I can get medicinal services for wounds. My baby girl is injured! Can or can't you help me?!"

Brishen blinked, now thoroughly confused. Make no mistake, he did intend on helping the woman, especially now that she made her reason for distress known, but something was bothering him. If her daughter were injured, why would a classically trained doctor be unable to help? Additionally, what had she meant by having consulted with Dr. Maknara in the past? Curiosity and weariness warred with one another as he began carefully, "I am trained and have knowledge of healing poultices, but if there is a wound why would a doctor not--"

He never got the chance to finish; the woman literally grabbed and bodily pulled him to the door of the shop, much to his shock. His verbal attempts to slow her down were met with resistance or just flat out ignored until he finally just dug in his heels and managed to inform her that he would need supplies from the shop and information on the injury to better know what to expect and how to best treat the injury. He gently disengaged himself from her grip and led her back into the shop, whose door still remained open from the woman's initial entrance. He moved on autopilot as he guided the woman to one of chairs in front of the shop counter and after he made sure she was settled into the seat, he moved swiftly to grab one of the larger carrying cases and several clean drawstring bags from behind the counter.

Brishen and the woman departed from the Apothecary shop five minutes, a brief explanation of an accident involving an exposed rusty nail, and a fully packed case of varying ingredients and supplies later. The woman set a brisk pace, constantly glancing over her shoulder to ensure that Brishen had not fallen behind at any point. He had little trouble matching her pace considering that he was a good five to six inches taller than her, and a single stride of his was the equivalent of two of her own. The woman maintained a running babble as they walked, lamenting on how her "precious baby" had to be suffering and how they needed to move faster. Yet every time she would bustle along slightly faster, Brishen would match her pace until ultimately they slowed once more due to the woman being out of shape and overexerting herself.

As they traveled toward's this woman's house, he mused silently to himself over the vagueness of this injury that the daughter of this woman had obtained. To be safe, he had packed all of the necessary things for a cleaning and ingredients for several different poultices depending on the severity and other possible symptoms the girl may be experiencing. Garlic for it's antiseptic and anti-fungal properties, a small jar of milk and several slices of bread for the classic milk and bread poultice, honey for it's antiseptic and binding capabilities, and additionally a small handful of snuff that worked well as a drawing agent. There were several other herbs like chamomile and lavender that he had brought for their calming effect as aromatics and for possible usage in teas should it be necessary. The woman's voice cut through his thoughts as they were neared the edge of the village.

"There! It's is just up there!" she pointed towards one of the outlying residences of the village, and quickened her pace as they stepped through a half dead front yard towards a moderately sized home. The two of them had made good time, and the woman was visibly calmer now that she was back. She unlocked and opened the door, motioning for him to step in first. The residence was only a single story and he gave the interior a cursory glance, noting the presence of a small albeit plump dog on a plush pillow near one of the couched in the living room. He found the kitchen as well, conveniently open and located close to the living room. Brishen turned to ask where the daughter was when the woman rushed forward, half collapsing and half kneeling by the dog and collecting the creature into her arms.

"Oh Missy, I've brought someone to help you!" she cooed, struggling up and bringing the dog over to where Brishen remained standing just inside the residence. Looking more closely now, he could see a crudely wrapped bandage around the canine's left hind paw that was in need of a fresh dressing. His eyebrows had all but disappeared up into his fringe and hairline, and he regarded both of the females with surprise. He supposed that answered why this woman had gone to the Apothecary shop directly instead of going to Dr. Maknara if it was an injury to a pet. It wouldn't be the first time a person had sought out his guardian for veterinary services, but nonetheless it was still rare enough to warrant surprise.

"I… It's a dog." he stated unnecessarily, staring at the oversized ball of fur wriggling in the arms of the woman. He frowned slightly as he noticed that the manner of which she was holding it seemed to be aggravating the leg injury. Tilting his head to the side slightly, he realized it was almost impossible to gauge where the actual wound was based on the bandage job since the entire bandage seemed to be soiled with dirt and traces of blood.

"Of course she is, what else could she have possibly been?" the woman sniffed, making a dramatic show of rolling her eyes at him.

A stretch of silence settled between them, Brishen staring at the woman with an unreadable expression on his face. Had he been younger or not directly representing Camille's shop, he likely would have said something cutting to the woman. However, if it was one thing that he could say that he was proud of since growing from child to teenager, it was his ability to actually hold his tongue in situations where he knew that sometimes, silence really was golden. He allowed the quiet hang for several moments longer, noting with with a bit of satisfaction that the woman averted her eyes and shifted on her feet uncomfortably, clearly looking for something to say. He decided to beat her to it.

"Please set her down, I need to be able to get a better look at the wound."

Brishen moved forward, pausing briefly to allow the woman to gently set her dog back down on the pillow and to hold out the back of his hand for the canine to sniff and promptly lick several times. Brishen was a bit surprised that the dog remained more or less stationary as he carefully removed the old bandage. As soon as it was unwound and the wound exposed to him however, he could tell that an infection was already beginning to set in. Placing his bag down on the floor rug, he deftly pulled out a roll of gauze and the bread and milk before glancing towards the woman who who was crouching down to her pet's level.

"I need to heat the milk for the poultice. It will draw out the infection." He gestured towards the wound on Missy's paw. The wound itself was small, but it was likely rather uncomfortable and painful at this point. You would never have guessed based on the dog's behavior however. She perked her floppy ears as he rose with the supplies, nudging at his free hand with her nose playfully while wagging her tail the entire time. His lips quirked slightly in amusement as he regarded her and moved towards the open kitchen. There was a reason why he preferred the company of creatures to humans for the most part. Animals were so much easier to work with.

OUT FROM THE NEW DAY'S MIST I HAVE COME

Dust's Name: Hermes
Dust's Gender: Male
Dust's Personality:
Pleasant: Hermes likes people. He likes to be in and around things and just make people smile. He likes to be liked. In some ways he tries too hard, possibly doing things he personally might not agree with but if the end result is a person will like him, he’ll do it. He takes care not to allow himself to get upset and when he does, Hermes takes his problems away from others. He doesn’t want to be seen as a burden and makes a continuous effort to smile and keep up appearances. This doesn’t mean he is fake so much as he simply wants people to like him. He will tell people what he has done if he has done wrong, and will apologize as best he can if he offends. Mostly he just wants others to be happy and tries to do this by being on his best behavior.

Caring: His desire to be liked goes right in hand with the fact that no matter what situation someone might be in, Hermes genuinely will care about that person. There are few expectations to this and are on a case by case bases but the majority of issues people face and struggle with? Hermes cares about them. He will help as he can, listen to the best of his abilities. If he sees someone upset he wants to help them. If he sees suffering he wants to ease them and heal them. Hermes’s wants are less centered on himself so much as they are on other people.

Dismissive: If told he is trying too hard, or he is suffering, (which he very well might be), Hermes is quick to deny anything is wrong with him. He might worry about others but he doesn’t like to worry about his own welfare. He also has this attitude when it comes to people’s attitudes. Some one is rude? Must be a misunderstanding. Someone was a jerk? They had a bad day and were provoked. Hermes doesn’t want confrontation, so he does what he thinks is best. He ignores it and adapts to work around it.

Forgetful: Dates, names, times, what he needs to buy for dinner- Simple things are often lost to Hermes fairly quickly. It takes him a few times to memorize a name with a face, and the more repetition the better. If its something he is supposed to remember for a short amount of time it needs to be written down. His forgetfulness isn’t intentional, it’s just something that happens.

Theme Suggestions: Palette Dif colors to possibly use I put mist with things like scarves. things very soft that give a sort of comfort. I also put it with things like morning tea. Which leads me to: these sort of things. Other cool images to take from if desired: X X IDK maybe a bit odd, but just some cool stuff to draw from if wanted. |D

Powers:
Morning Kiss- A layer of cool air envelopes a person, healing small cuts and bruises. Feeling like cold rush of wet wind, it leaves not only the person healed, but slightly damp.
Dawn’s Touch- A thick mist cloud of water and air is sent to envelop another person, preventing harm from heat or fire. The ‘cloud’ around them vanishes in correspondence to the heat or fire it comes in contact with. If there is not enough heat to make the mist cloud vanishes slowly, those who come into contact with it drawing back a bit damp.
Evening Embrace- A layer of mist covers a person, gathering at places another is attacking them. It acts like a moving shield, lessening the damage one might take.
Prompt Response: 1

The sight of the sun was welcomed yet loathed. Each morning, with the light filtering in through lacelike white curtains and slightly smudged glass, Hermes would roll to his side, escaping the warm rays on his face. He disliked morning not because of the sun, or the light, but rather because he preferred the time just before the sun would break over the horizon. When light was still present, enough to see, yet the earth was still cool from the night before. Damp grass with morning dew, the smell of the earth filling the air. It was a time that things seemed less complicated, less hectic, and mostly less artificial.
Sighing in his bed, the boy pulled the sky blue sheets off of his body, neither sitting up or standing for a few moments. His body remained motionless on the bed, wondering if he would get an alarm that would wake him before the sunlight did. It would be a modest thing to own, and it would help him in the future when he had to get up without help.

At that thought, a short petite woman’s voice filtered in, calling his name. That was the signal to get up, to start the day and not hide in his room and laze in his bed. Throwing his legs out and off the side, Hermes half heartedly touched the floor with his feet. He forgot what they were going to be doing, but he guessed it would be lessons for him and business for her. The small woman, Leanne, with her gold ringlets knocked on his door, peeking inside. “Breakfast Hermes.” She said, smiling, brown eyes warmer than the very sun filtering into the room. Nodding, the child smiled, and she went back to her work. Looking at his dresser, Hermes pulled out a while button up shirt and the black pants he’d been told would be good for ‘school’. Did he know that there would be no lessons? That Leanne had the day off and she thought they could relax? Hardly, though he’d been told a day ago he couldn’t recall it. Nor, could he recall why his mouth tasted like garlic.

Garlic mouth aside, dressed for what he thought would be a day of learning, as he went to the kitchen, the smell of fresh rolls in the air, the mist child was shocked to see his guardian dressed in a bright colorful summer dress, straw hat on her head, lace sandals on her feet. As she caught sight of him, laughter bubbled up until she couldn’t hold it, shaking her head as giggles filled the room. “Hermes did you forget what today is?” She asked, putting her hands on her hips. Blinking once, twice, he could only respond with a bewildered “Yes?” Another bubble of laughter and she waved him towards his room. “No classes today. We’re free so, I think it would be a good day to go out. Weather man said it was going to be sunny all day.” Blushing he suddenly recalled the memory, bouncing on his feet as he looked at her dress again. “What should I wear?” He asked. Leanne’s reply was soft and yet still filled with mirth. “Something loose and cool with this heat. Put on your swim trunks under it too.”

The trunks made him curious. “Why?” Huffing she waved him off. “It’s a surprise, now go change, or else no breakfast!” The threat of now rolls and jam had him scurrying back to his room, opting for a simple printed tee shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. The wave print swim trunks under them making the shorts feel heavier than they should be. Returning to the kitchen a short while later, Hermes was given his rolls and jam. Two slices of smoked ham as well. A grin on his lips as he ate the meal, Leanne was busy packing what he could only guess was to be their lunch.

“So where are we going?” He asked, innocent eyes watching her. A smile, and she held his hand. “A secret. Now, get in the car. It’s a bit of a drive but, it’ll be worth it I’m sure. “ Encouraged by her words, he grabbed one last roll before running to the car, getting into his seat with ease. Leanne wasn’t let him ride up front yet, so he wouldn’t be able to make out the direction they were going so much as what they would pass. It didn’t help that the old vehicle was already stifling hot, and the AC was broken. Rolled down windows kept hair whipping him in the face, but as they drove, he was lead astray. She went in the direction of the local pool, but changed routes at the last second. “Why did you do that?” He asked, eyes wide with curiosity, “To tease you.” Was her answer.

A short drive turned into an hour long one, Leanne taking odd routes as she tried to trick him again and again. Finally, they reached what Hermes was positive was their destination. The hot sun glared down on the glittering sand and the wave were like mirrors, casting the sun’s rays right at Hermes. Stepping out of the car, Leanne grabbed his hand before he ran off, chiding him. Sun screen. Why he needed it he wasn’t sure, but the white goop on his skin made him feel like he’d rolled in butter. Thick and just plain unnatural. “Are we done yet?” He asked, looking longingly at the ocean. “One last thing.” She said, plucking the hat off her head and setting it on his own. “We need to pick out a spot. Care to help me?” Nodding, Hermes was running on the beach, looking at the shoreline and where others had set up their own little spots on the beach. Bright colorful umbrellas lined the gold glittering earth and as the boy found a spot, he danced in the sunlight as the hot sand snuck into his shoes.

As Leanne began to set up their site, she laughed as he mentioned the sand in his shoes. “Well, I suppose it’s my fault, I didn’t tell you not to bring them after all.” Shaking his head he winced as he took them off, subjecting his feet to the burning grains. “It’s okay, I’ll get used to it!” Smiling she thought nothing of it as he rushed off to the ocean, small boogy board under his arms. The heat of the sun didn’t bother him as he crashed into the waves, sent back by the sheer force of the water. Laughing he paddled out, riding the waves to return to shore. Other children in the water, squirt guns blazing ran around, occasionally passing him by waving and laughing.

Eventually, Leanne joined him, carrying him out further from the shore, riding the waves with him, never letting him stray too far out. Floating back to shore, he watched as another group of children had bgun work on a sandcastle. It was a bit rough. Four sides, buck shaped towers, and seaweed and seashell adornments. Rough, childlike, yet enticing to Hermes. He wanted to join but looking at Leanne, he wasn’t sure if he was allowed. She said it was close to lunch time and he didn’t want to make her wait on his account. “Leanne?” He went up to her, casting a glance at the children and the castle. With a smile, she nodded, and he was off.
Timidly, he approached the other children, asking if he could join. A few blank stares before another boy grinned, asking for help to get more wet sand. With a nod, Hermes picked up an empty bucket, following him to their little sand and water collection site by the waves. Hands caked in wet sand he returned to the group, adding his bucket to their pile. One trip later and he was sitting next to them, laughing and smiling as they tried to build up their walls.

An hour later, arms dirty with sand and salt water, he bound up to Leanne, asking for lunch. Rolling her eyes, she told him to go wash the sand off, then use the hand sanitize. Sighing he nodded, doing as he was told. In the distance the other children were still playing, waving back at him on occasion. It didn’t take long for him to finish but before he could run back- “Let me apply new sunscreen to you.” Hermes froze in horror was the white goop was slathered on his skin. He couldn’t return to the other children looking like a white patchy mess. As they looked over he could see them laughing. Blushing with embarrassment, he ran to the water, trying to wash it off. Once he was sure the white splotches were gone, he went back to his friends, yet they told him they were going to leave soon. A small smile and he said good bye. It wasn’t until they asked him to go find seashells that he looked back to find the sandcastle abandoned, the group having moved towards their families, packing up and away.

Dejected, he went back to Leanne, eyes downcast. “You okay?” She prodded, worry on her face. “Oh? Yes, I’m fine. Um, it’s just really hot. Are we done or are we staying?” A quirk of a smile on her face she pat the towel on the sand next to her. “Let me finish my chapter, then we can go.” “How long will that be?” He tried to see the page she was on, not that it would help. “Ten minutes.” Nodding he sat, curled up, watching the waves. The sun on his skin and the cool breeze helped but- “I’m a bit tired.” Looking up she sighed. “Sun getting to you?” He nodded and she bookmarked her page. “Okay. Help me pick up the things and we’ll head out. How about that?” Weary, he gave another nod, standing to shake the towel. “Any reason you want to go home so soon?” For a second Hermes didn’t know how to answer but then- “It’s too hot.” She seemed pacified with that answer, packing her things away.

As they got in the car and began the much shorter drive home, Hermes wasn’t sure why the other children had shunned him after he’d left them. Had he done something wrong? Had he made a mistake? Leanne had no answer, only silence. “You’re very special Hermes.” Her voice cut through that same silence. “Sometimes people don’t see it, so they get confused I think.” He never mentioned the children. Never said a word, yet she simply knew his troubles. She knew him. Smiling, he rested his head on the car door, eyes closing. The warm sun on his face, he felt a nap coming on. It had been a good morning. A goo day. But he was tired now, having never noticed until he stopped playing. The sun and surf had drained him. His breathing evening out, the boy fell into a sleep. The cool air blowing on his face from the open window, the warm sun shining on his face, filling his face with light.