"Uh, you can come in!" The boy laughed, gesturing me inside. I stepped in gingerly, hearing Hanna click the door shut behind me. His home was a little odd, the windows were tiny and crooked and there were strange odds and sods lying in every corner of the flat. To all the large dominating buildings I'd seen on my way there, Hanna's place was comparatively small and although I'd not been inside anywhere else, the decor seemed old and the brickwork was crumbling away.
I heard a strangled yell from behind me, and turned to see a slightly whiter Mr. Cross.
"So, sir –heh- does your visit have anything to do with the... marks on your back?" He asked, unsurprisingly calm in the circumstances. I nodded silently back at him, and he seemed a little disconcerted.
"Do you... speak?" he asked awkwardly, and I considered his question.
Somehow I remembered all the words I could use, but had almost never been able to articulate my thoughts into them, useless for other people of course, but I knew what I what I was thinking, which was enough for me.
The front door swung open, and standing in the doorframe I saw a most interesting sight. A very tall, greenish skinned man wearing a snazzy suit was standing there. He went to walk over to Hanna, when he noticed me. If he was surprised he hid it remarkably well. The strange creature gave Hanna a small smile, and moved to the kitchen area, and began busying himself with pots and pans.
"Sometimes." I said quietly, looking back at Hanna "When I can." Trying to organise those sentences had already tired me, and I believe Hanna could tell, and he asked me no more questions. Instead, he began an investigation of his own, and started circling me and staring, looking for some hint or clue to my identity. He 'hmm'd and muttered. The creature looked up at Hanna, curious about what he was doing, when Hanna said "Maybe you're some sort of spirit-" and gave me a prod to prove my mass.
I leapt backwards, the strongest of my emotions rushing back to me. I felt a red mist glaze my vision- I should have swung at him- destroyed him, my fists were raised and the meaningless haze around Hanna turned to darkness and I saw only him. I was prepared to obliterate the wicked threat, when another body leapt into my sights, the creature.
All of a sudden, I realised who I was going for, it was a small zany boy who was excited to help me. The creature raised his fists as I lowered mine.
"Galahad wait!" Hanna shouted, and the creature (or the 'Galahad' whatever that was) turned his head.
"I shouldn't have touched him, he just got a little scared is all" he said kindly, and I felt that the creature must be as surprised as I.
"You okay man?" he asked me, smiling like a child. I could think of no reply, though I was sure there was some word that would have expressed my gratitude- I just couldn't think of it.
"What's a Galahad?"