"I don't know."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Why?"
So here I am, mindlessly replying to a child's questions.
He's a cute kid, about as tall as I am. Seems kind of average for this shelter, doesn't have any discernable features.
Oh, wait. I finally got some glasses after all those tests. Forgot to mention that.
As to why this kid is torturing everyone around us... We had a conversation.
It went something like this.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I was examining my glasses when I heard a thump next to me.
I put on my glasses and turned toward the noise.
He had a giant smile and said.
"You glow."
Unsure of what to say, I went for the default.
"Yes."
"You glow with letters."
"Yes."
"Can you do it on purpose?"
"Yes."
*GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASP!
I didn't even do anything.
"Can you show me?"
I flickered my runes for a second to humor him.
*GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASP!
"Can you show me how?"
He said with the most adorable look of hope I have ever seen in my life. I swear he could kill someone with that thing.
"No."
But not me.
Yeah, I'm heartless sue me. I am not telling a child how to use magic, that is not my responsibility.
He gets this sad look on his face and asks.
"Why not?"
"I can't."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I'm pretty much immune to stuff like that because of how I already tune everything out when I'm reading.
It doesn't sound impressive, but you try enjoying a book while ignoring the spells thrown at you in p.e. It hurts.
'I'm surprised they let me bring the book onto the field at all, to be honest.'
"Are you listening?"
He asked loudly, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"No, not really."
I said as he finally got my attention.
"I was busy thinking."
"What were you thinking about?"
I could see the hope in his eyes again.
'He probably thinks that I was thinking of how to help him.'
"Books."
I said with a disintrested look.
"Books!"
He yelled with shock and... disgust?
"But books are so boring!"
"I like boring."
I replied honestly.
'Boring is pleasant, boring is safe.'
He stepped back in horror.
"Are you telling me I need books to glow?!"
The propsect seemed to fill him with actual terror as he started flashing. Er, flickering.
Several parts of his body started to glow, including his eyes, torso, and pants.
'Ah, firefly.'
"No, your glow is different."
"Really?"
I nodded and gestured.
"You're glowing right now.
"Really!"
He looked himself over and let out another massive gasp before running to the other side of the doctor's play area.
"MOM! MOM! LOOK I'M GLOWING."
A few of the parents were looking in my direction but I didn't care.
I massaged my temples and muttered to myself like a weary daycare worker.
"A few more days, just a few more days before you get out of here."
I think I heard a few of them giggle.
Suddenly the door clicked open.
I turned to look before realizing that I didn't know how anyone looked like besides Thread.
'Actually... Is that even her real name? I was just guessing over what I thought I remembered, but how much of that is reliable.'
"Miss pigment!"
The nurse called out.
"Miss pigment, Your host is here to pick you up!"
'Ah, that must be the mom.'
I thought before hopping off my seat and tiredly started to follow her back to the house.
'People are exhausting.'