(AN: A warning for all those that are reading: I am not as good as George here at interacting with people. However, to move the story forward, I had no choice but to make George a socially awkward person, instead of a social wreck like me. That is also why the amount of social interaction so far has been so low. I didn't know how good George's speaking skills should be in comparison to mine. Sorry!)
creaaakkkkk!...!
Damn annoying rusted gate...(Thought G_0, annoyed and frightened)
crunch, crunch, crunch!
"Jeese, do these stone pavements have to be this crunchy?" whispered George.
"Yes, of course they do." whispered a random person and G_1 at the same time.
"Umm, what was that?" whispered the random person and G_2 at the same time.
"The actual hell is wrong here?!" loudly said the random person and G_2 at the same time.
"Nope, shut up!!!!" yelled the random person and G_3.
"..."
"..."
"Sooo..." said the random person and G_4 at the same time.
(A gesturing match then began between the two. Naturally, the random person was a person from the back of the building, who had decided to walk to the front 'garden' when they heard a crunching noise.)
Well, that was scary. It gets even scarier based on the fact that this person appeared from nowhere. They also look kind of unhealthy. Like, a pale skeleton, which makes them look anorexic or like they have some physical disease that disables them from gaining any fat.
Aww damn it, now I pity the person. I always had a soft spot to people with a bit of mental trouble.
(The random person successfully gestured to George to speak first.)
"Umm, hello, so my name Is George Brown, and I just wanted to ask some questions, and see if I could go inside this here building. But first, what is your name?"
The person began speaking with a raspy, croak filled voice "I.. I am Miltorn thimblworld, and I.. I am the caretaker here. May I.. I ask, what do you want with this building?"
"Oh, right, Mr thumbleworld, I just wanted to see if the rumors of this house having mysterious events were true." George replied.
"I.. I am called Thimblworld, not Thumbleworld. And again with you young buggers, snooping where you shouldn't be. Just leave, I.. I am not answering any questions."
"Sorry for pronouncing your name wrong Mr. Thimbleworld, I mean, Mr. Thimblworld. You know, speaking is difficult. I'll try to remember to pronounce your name properly in the future then. "
"Anyway, Mr. Thimblworld. I do need to ask my question. What kind of odd things happen around here? I don't wish to just follow rumors."
"Kid.. Kid, you should learn to respect your elders."
"Oh, I will. You just don't look all that annoyed. It actually looks like your enjoying this?"
"Unless I went and misunderstood other people's facial features again, that happens a lot."
"What? What is wrong with you..? How could I enjoy this?..?"
"Oh don't speak like that, I might be autistic, but still. I wouldn't say it is all that bad."
"That.. that doesn't change how rude you are being.. , answer the question.."
"Oh, fine, you could possibly be enjoying this due to the fact that you are lonely. And as I'm sure anyone who can think will be aware of, humans are social creatures. If we don't interact with people for a while, we risk insanity. Even I, who dreads the touch of another human, and who prefers to do everything alone, would prefer to have a person next to me for the rest of my life, than no person at all."
"However, when I think about the rusted gate, unless this building has a back door, there is no way you have left in a while. "
"And so, you must be feeling lonely. So actually having a person here for the first time in a while would, in fact, make you happy."
"No.. Nooo, you are wrong. I.. I am not lonely, I have my boss, James.. James Bottin. He is great company, bu.. but awfully silent. But he comes and goes, as he likes. See, he is righ.. right next to the oak tree.."
"Yo Mr. Thimblworld, one of the two of us must be going crazy, for I see no one there."
"Wait, sorry, let me say that in a more polite tone of voice."
"Mr. Thimblworld, there is no person next to the oak tree."
"Thatt.. that can not be. Are you blind, deaf, mute? He is righ.. right there."
"AHEM, Mr. Bottin, could you please be so kind as to talk to this young man? I.. I feel a little too weak for some reason.."
An old seeming wind suddenly blew across my left ear, with these odd words: "Gett outt."
"Huh. Mr. Thimblworld, I believe you may not actually be going insane after all. Which is nice, it does indeed suck when someone goes insane." said George, in a slightly surprised tone of voice.
"I.. I told you Mr. Bottin was real. Honestly, why.. why don't more people listen."
"Oh, simple enough, your boss, Mr. Bottin, is a being of a mysterious nature, that can't actually be seen. It's like, he's a ghost. Yep, a rather old ghost, considering by how old that breeze felt." said George.
("Actually, on another note, how did a breeze feel 'old'?" muttered George under his breath.)
"Ah. I see. You.. you are pranking me, an ol.. old man. Shame on you!" "Cough, cough, AHH!"
"Whoah, hang on, you all good there mate? And look, I am not here to prank ya, I am merely here to question this, Mr. Bottin?"
"Yess.. yes, I.. I am fine. There is nothing to be concerned about, I.. I will survive."
"Ah, thats good. Anyway, can you translate for Mr. Bottin and me? I believe he has what I need to know. And I have something that might prove useful to him."
"Ooh? What.. what would that be?"
"Oh, I just need Mr. Bottin there to describe how he collects Ep from the surrounding. You know, that odd energy all souls produce? In return, well, I can probably help you utilize some Ep Mr. Bottin has left over, in a more efficient manner."
An old seeming wind suddenly blew across my left ear again, saying: "Howw doo youu knoww"
"Ah, see, I have my way's. Unfortunatly, while I have a really good way to use Ep in any way I so wish, I just can't seem to get enough from my own soul. So I wanted to research it a little. So, Mr. Bottin, could you tell me?"
"noo"
"Oh. Why?"
"Mr. Bottin is getting tire.. tired, and needs to go inside. Please come bac.. back another day."
"Ah, right, of course. Will do!"
[Ep + 0.913]