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 Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 1:10 pm
Toby had been so worried about his living companions that he'd forgotten about the haunted one.
"He was helping us do some research earlier," Toby added, "He really is quite smart." He went back into the kitchen and made a show of 'waking' the bear and taking him back in his arms, regardless of the fact that the ghosts had moved on from the area.
"Sure," Michael said with a nod, recognizing the need to keep the boy calm, "Do you have anything to color on? I think we have some books in the van."
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 1:32 pm
"Do you think he'll take good care of Winser?" Alex asked, before responding to the older host's question. "We have the walls," he offered. "But we could use your books. Make someone go get them, okay?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 1:38 pm
"He will, but we can get him back whenever you like," Michael said with a smile, and then nodded. "Certainly. I'll be back in a moment."
He disappeared and reappeared in the house proper. He spotted Maia and walked to her, only visible from the waist-up. "Could you go grab the coloring books and crayons from the van? Alexander wants to color, and I don't think the family living here would like it if we colored the walls."
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 2:08 pm
"Sure," Maia agreed, giving Michael a small smile. "Be back in a second." She wandered outside and to the van. She was glad they'd prepared for a child. She took out crayons and the color books. Would Alexander like these?
She offered them out to Michael once she'd returned. "Here you go," she said.
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 2:21 pm
"Thank you," Michael said and gave a polite bow before retreating for Alexander. Was he in the hallway, or had he already gone to the nursery?
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 2:43 pm
Alex was waiting for him in the hall. "Oh, you brought crayons! Usually I just color in red. Do you think there's green?" he asked. "Can I make one for you?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 2:46 pm
Coloring in red? Hah! The new family must love that. Michael laughed and offered out the box of crayons. It was a 24-pack so it had all of the basic colors and a few more.
"There is green," he said with a nod. "Of course. You can do whatever you like.Which book would you like to start with?" He splayed the ones he had out like cards of various types.
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 2:59 pm
Alex inspected the crayons and smiled brightly when he spotted the green. He picked a color book with a cat on the cover. "I'm going to find one like Chester and color it," He said. "Now you pick."
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 3:06 pm
"Hmm..." Michael looked over the books. "I think I'll do the fish." He had never been snorkeling and scuba diving had emerged publicly long after he had died. All of his knowledge of fish came from photographs and imagination. He went to the nursery, still upended, and sat down on the floor to color. My, it had been a long time since he had done this.
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 3:25 pm
Alexander laid on his stomach next to Michael and began flipping through the pages. He found a Lisa Frankesqe tabby and smiled. "Chester has a white tummy and he's got yellow eyes," He said. He selected a brown crayon and began to color.
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 3:28 pm
"Oh, I like yellow too," Michael said, "That's a good eye color. How big is he?" He settled in with some tangs himself. He knew those were blue and black at least.
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 4:04 pm
"He's really big! All fluffy and soft. He likes to lay on top of me while Momma reads me a story." He'd fallen into present tense. Had he forgotten the realization he'd had earlier? "I really like you, Michael," he added, coloring the cat's eyes. "I want you to stay here forever with me. We can color and scare people every day."
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 4:10 pm
"Oh, is he?" Big to a child or big to anyone? He didn't sense a cat here. It must have moved on too. "That sounds nice."
When the boy spoke again he smiled and shook his head, reaching out to stroke the boy's hair. "No, there are much better things in store for you."
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 4:16 pm
Alex looked up from his coloring page. "Really?" he asked. "Like what?" What could be better than coloring and scaring?
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 4:29 pm
"Oh, you know," Michael said. He was entirely unwilling to let the child know he was dead now, while they lay coloring in his old room. "There is more to life than just coloring. Aren't there other things you want to do?"
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