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We finally pulled around the last bend and had arrived at our good friend Henry's house. Margo was still marveling at the Rabbear we passed a while ago. It was stretched out on a cliff floating in the warm glow of the moon. I think I saw some of its offspring as well, but I can't be sure. The moons light has a way of playing tricks on you out here at Henry's house.
"This place is just marvelous. Just marvelous!" She exclaimed, getting out of her carriage and stepping into the green shimmery moonlight.
"It shouldnt be too long before Henry greets us. Surely he knows we are here." Key chimed in to the group.
Henry always knew exactly nineteen minutes and forty six seconds before our arrival that we were coming. He was a wonderfully gracious host. He has a way of always greeting us at the door. Keeping the lanterns lit is just the icing on the cake. Although i think Mung Chung helps him out as he climbs up in years.
I always looked up at the monstrosity of a house our good friend Henry lived in. As if to breathe it in and prepare myself to enter. Just then the doors flew open from the face of the house. BOOM!
"Good evening fuckbags!' Henry screamed, sliding down the banister to the foot of the stairs. He always made a fun entrance. That was our old friend Henry.
"Key, you old box hound, how ya doin?" He said excitedly. He continued making his way towards me.
"And look who decided to finally grace me with his presence. Parky, you old cock gobbler you! You are getting grey their old friend." He said, pulling at my hair. I guess it had gotten rather grey. And long. It had been quite some time since i had göne to get my hair cut.
"Give us a hug!" He yelled, grabbing me and pulling me in for a hug. Henry gave good hugs. He always held on for at least eleven seconds. He was known all around time for his hugs.
Henry grabbed my bags and threw them on the donkey. He followed süit with the rest of the bags. Henry loved his donkeys. Henry lived with them for years. Giving them free range of the house and property, they must be the happiest donkeys in all of time.
He didnt even give Key a chance to introduce Margo, he must have seen her standing there. Maybe he didnt. But he must have. He started scurrying us all up the stairs to the house.
"Lets get em moving people!" he cheered
"Lets keep em moving!"
Henry always lifted my spirits. Even when they weren't down. It didn't matter. He always brought a certain amount of wonder to my days.
Key didn't want to wait any longer, I could tell he was excited for Henry to meet the strange Margo.
"Henry, I want you to meet our very good friend Margo." Key said, making a gesture towards her as she stood in the entryway.
"Very pleased to meet you Henry, I've heard nothing but horrible things." Margo said laughing.
Henry quickly fell in love with her wit.
"Everything you heard is true! And probably not the half of it!" He boasted at first. "The pleasure is all mine, Madame." Henry finished, hopping off his donkey at the top of stairs. He took Margo's hand and kissed it lightly. Henry was an eccentric.
"Lets make our way into the house, Ag has prepared the study for us. He will see that your bags are brought to your rooms."
I loved Ag, he had been with Henry for years. Before he met Lily even, if i remember correctly. He was a very short man, a killer at tennis. I made the mistake of challenging him to a match once. I had to wear my pants as a shirt and my shirt as pants for three days after losing. It made for a very interesting experience at the market.
We followed Henry down the hallway towards the study. I followed Margo's lead, looking up as we passed under the magnificent glass dome cieling in the first living room. Henry had the most wonderful things. He traveled for years and years with Lily to all the ends of time and back again. And with them, they brought back such wonderful things. Henry was one of the only people i had ever known to go to the end of time and make it back not in a box. The fact that Lily made the trek with him made it even more impressive. But that was Henry. Impressive.
"How's work going Henry?" I wanted to broach the subject early on and get it out of the way. Once you understand Henry's work, you understand Henry.
I could see Key holding Margo's hand through the dim lit corridor. We could all see the bright light up ahead. Oh how i love the study! It was Henry's favorite room in the house. It showed. He took such care and put so much love into the little details of the room. It grew quite the personality over the years. A personality I have come to enjoy.
"Ah its a bunch of bullshit. Same as always. People are constantly trying to slip through. You would think they have learned by now." He said as he took a sip of tea that was waiting patiently for him at his desk. "It's always the little shits from university trying to prove something." He set the tea back down on its saucer.
"I am growing quite tired of it really. I've been thinking about just shutting the gate from the university entirely. At least until they gain control over it again." He said as he moved towards the windows where a wall should be.
He stopped to glance out at the horses that were making their way back to the barns.
"Those insolent little shits need to learn how to respect the algorithms, or they löse them." He said turning to me, as I sat on the edge of my chair listening intently.
"And frankly Parky, old friend, i want to retire. But, there is no one to take over. No one to trust." He said. He finally sat down next to me and pulled a cigarette from his chest pocket, lighting it with the candle from the table.
He let out a long hard pull.
"The light needs a person that holds certain attributes. I haven't come across anyone worthy of being an apprentice in decades. The ones that do show a little promise always end up vanishing off to the church. It cant just be any one of these fucking hooligans roaming through time. And the church knows that, the bastards." He said, taking another long, hard pull from his cigarette.
"You should see some of the people that try and get jobs at the Grand Arc." He rambled while frantically moving chairs together for us all to sit.
"No one understands that it isnt our light. We just watch over it. Its not ours to fidget with. Everyone has this grandiose idea of spreading the light everywhere and making it available to who even knows." He continued.
"I havent gotten a good trustworthy feeling from a single applicant. Which is beyond depressing." He paused to take a long draw from his opium stone.
"Because i pick them all myself." He finished as he pushed out his massive hit.
"Henry, let us help old friend. Relax yourself." I said, pushing my favorite chair into the group. I always loved a nice chair. This particular chair was brought back from the year 1212 and it belonged to Genghis Khan. It is a marvelous chair, perfectly worn and fit for a king. Henry has always had great taste in things. Which is beneficial, as he has many, many things. And, there doesn't seem to be an end in sight in his collecting.
"I just love your house. Its so wonderful. It must have taken so many years to collect all these marvelous things!" Margo exlcaimed as she poked and pulled books at random.
I could tell Henry felt something in Margo's presence. I wasn't sure quite what it is. But I knew he felt something. It was in his eyes. How a man can look so tired and yet so full of life I will never understand. But that's Henry. He hasn't changed much, if at all, in all the years I have known him.
"So where my dear are you from? Do I detect a bit of Emosenol in that magnificent voice of yours?" Henry asked, his curiosity is blatant. I admire that.
Key and I both fixed our attention to Margo, we didn't know even three percent of what Henry knows. I don't even know where people who speak Emosenol live. I have never heard of it before in my life. I dont think I could even repeat the word having just heard it aloud.
"I can't remember. Maybe you can help! You seem like such a brilliant person. Please, you have to help me." She begged. Her voice had become a little bit desperate. Just for moment, but it was there.
"All i remember is running thro-" Key cut her off
"She is having trouble remembering. She kind of showed up on the doorstep to our apartment house in a strange way. I think Parky should explain it to you while Margo and I go upstairs and see our room. I want to show her more of the house. You dont mind do you?" He asked, taking Margo by the hand and leading her towards the dim lit corridor.
Of course Henry obliged.