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Chapter 7

  • She flipped on the light and went straight over to the table; clearing a space she bent over and searched for the book she wanted among her many stacks.
  • “This room is quite different than it was.”
  • She sat on the stool and turned to look at him. “It has really good light for drawing.”
  • He slowly looked around. On one wall were sketches that had been framed; he wandered closer. It didn’t surprise him to see the sketch of his own face in the collection of pictures. “Is it still a good likeness of me?”
  • Randy got up and went over to study the picture. “Yes, you haven’t changed one bit.” She ran a hand over the sketch. “I had to draw it so I wouldn’t feel like I was losing my mind. I had to feel that you were real.”
  • “I am real in the fact that you can see me, but I sometimes have doubts about how real I truly am.”
  • As she looked up at him, her eyes became serious. “I think you’re very real, in every way...we’ll just have to find a way to reconnect you to this world.”
  • He shook his head. “I am certain there is no way to do such a thing. I was cursed for not returning an item gathered during a mandated trip. This item was illegal to have.” Memories flooded through him, most he had relived for decades after being cursed. He sighed. “I do not see how it would be possible. The items are not near, and I cannot leave here to see if they are still hidden...as I am also certain the gypsy who cursed me is long from this world.”
  • Randy studied him for a moment. “We’ll see.” She turned and went back to her table. “Come and tell me what font was used for the name of your ship.”
  • Jareth stood there for a moment staring after her. Had he not spent years trying to unravel the mystery of how to be solid again? How could she possibly find the way? “I do not know what a font is,” he stated abruptly.
  • Randy turned and motioned for him to come over to where she stood. “It refers to the design of letters’.”
  • “Ah.” He came over and looked down at the table. She had a book open to a page filled with the same words, written over and over again in so many different swirling ways that he couldn’t believe a body would ever use all of them. “Writing has changed a great deal.”
  • She laughed quietly. “No, probably not. I’m a design artist, so I use all of these to create ads, logos, and promotional items.”
  • “I have many things to learn about.” He studied the page again. “The letter style is not on this page.” She flipped the page without comment. “I tried to follow what changed as the years went by from watching others, and television was of great assistance to me.” He shook his head. “Not that page, either.”
  • Randy flipped the page and looked at him. “I guess you’ve seen every style of fashion come and go. You’ve witnessed the world changing for more than two hundred years. That’s awesome.”
  • He looked from the page to her. “Awesome?”
  • “Yeah, amazing, remarkable, tremendous.” She smirked.
  • “Ah, yes. It was awesome.” The word came awkwardly off his tongue, but the smile on her face was very rewarding. He cleared his throat and turned back to look at the book she held. “It was close to this.” He held a finger over a printed word.
  • She flipped through several pages before stopping. “This?”
  • He looked over the page and recognized a font. “Yes, I believe that is a close match.”
  • “Cool.” She got up from the stool and went over to the drawers that lined one wall. “I’ll get some brushes and paint.” She straightened and looked at him. “What color was the name and design done in?”
  • “Black.”
  • She nodded and turned back to the drawer. “Hey, maybe we could name the rest of my ships...I mean, sometime, if you like.”
  • He frowned at her. “You do not have to entertain me, Miranda. I know you have a life to live.”
  • Randy snorted. “Not so much now.” She turned back to him with the jar and brushes in her hand. “I lost my boyfriend and my job this morning, so I presently have no life and all the time in the world.”
  • Moving, he came to stand in front of her. “What do you mean, you lost your boyfriend?”
  • She shrugged. “He left me a message on my answering machine, giving me the kiss-off.”
  • He sighed. “I do not understand some...all of what you just spoke.”
  • Turning away, she went over and grabbed the book. “Let’s go back downstairs and I’ll see if I can explain it.” She walked past him to the door.
  • Jareth stood there for a moment. Despite feeling that he should never have come to her this morning, he could not help enjoying a sense of purpose again after hundreds of years.