(This story so far resides here: https://ofourmaker.com/2023/10..../17/adolphus-search- )

Her tears were a strong but brief overflow, subsiding back to the quiet trembles. These she began to succeed in stilling by nestling tightly against Gareth's tempered immovability.

There was a squeak as one of Raleigh's crutches slipped, and a loud crack as he just saved himself from falling sideways.

"Sorry, Excuse me..." He cleared his throat, gestured, and blinked. Gibbsen was gratified that this human was at least perceiving some of the importance of the situation now. Enid smiled at Raleigh's apologetic display, and hid her face again.

Dr. Kilver, who had remained as fixed as a tree, now asked quietly,

"Gareth, would you like me to get anything for her... or both of you?"

Gareth shook his head.

"Send for Nurse Kley; she will be glad to arrange the necessities."

The doctor nodded, and went to speak to a mask-like face in the centre of a box of controls on the wall.

Raleigh asked Gareth what family he had, who might wish to know.

"Apart from Enid, only my father," Gareth said, and Raleigh made a gloomy grunt. Gareth's father was a political prisoner of Nova Atta - had been for nine years.

Enid brought her face a little from its hiding place and looked up, but her eyes remained barely open.

"I had a family, the time Moses was here. This time, again, I have a family."

Gareth gave her hand back to her, bent down, and took her up in his arms - easily, in a stately manner, without flourish. As he carried her away, she pulled a loose part of his robe over her head.

Gibbsen did not follow - in this case, he was certain that he did indeed count.

#dailycreatedoom #writtenoom #adolphussearchandrescue 2023/11/26