The Stolen Child — Page 8
Well, I said it would be up this week, at any rate. There was a lot going on this week: meeting with my son’s school officials, holiday cards and shopping, babysitting my grandchild, random technical difficulties (needing to recharge my iPad always comes at the wrong moment), and so on.
I think I’m more tired than usual, too. This is the part of the story of this year. We’re all so tired.
Anyway, this page marks the end of establishing the magic rules around the Otherworld for this story. More might pop up later as needed, but I wanted to get that squared away, as it will be necessary for Owen to have some idea what he is getting into. But then, he really doesn’t. For all of Fetch’s exposition, he is leaving a lot out.
↓ Transcript
PANEL 1: Fetch and Owen keep walking along the country road. Mountains and tall bushy trees rise up in the background. Fetch’s tail is burnt and dripping wet.
FETCH: I forget you’re not a magical being like me. Even I find magic hard. It’s not like learning to ride a bike. It takes a lot of time and a lot of practice.
OWEN: You have to “level up”.
PANEL 2: Fetch and Owen close up.
FETCH: Yes. But this place isn’t a video game. Everyone you meet will be more powerful and skilled than you. And smarter. You’re smart. But not Fae smart.
OWEN: What do you mean?
PANEL 3: Fetch gestures around him.
FETCH: You’re a city kid. You may have gone camping or swum in the ocean. But you have no true connection with the forces of nature.
We Fae are part of it. We get our power from it.
PANEL 4: Same pose, but behind him the air around him becomes electrified, glowing with energy.
FETCH: Think of the electricity your cities get from waterfalls and rivers. Or the energy needed to keep protons bonded to an atom. That’s the kind of power we can wield.
PANEL 5: Owen is thoughtful, and Fetch is back to normal, smiling.
OWEN: Huh. What if you ever decide to take over the world?
FETCH: Lucky for you we’re incredibly lazy.
FETCH: I forget you’re not a magical being like me. Even I find magic hard. It’s not like learning to ride a bike. It takes a lot of time and a lot of practice.
OWEN: You have to “level up”.
PANEL 2: Fetch and Owen close up.
FETCH: Yes. But this place isn’t a video game. Everyone you meet will be more powerful and skilled than you. And smarter. You’re smart. But not Fae smart.
OWEN: What do you mean?
PANEL 3: Fetch gestures around him.
FETCH: You’re a city kid. You may have gone camping or swum in the ocean. But you have no true connection with the forces of nature.
We Fae are part of it. We get our power from it.
PANEL 4: Same pose, but behind him the air around him becomes electrified, glowing with energy.
FETCH: Think of the electricity your cities get from waterfalls and rivers. Or the energy needed to keep protons bonded to an atom. That’s the kind of power we can wield.
PANEL 5: Owen is thoughtful, and Fetch is back to normal, smiling.
OWEN: Huh. What if you ever decide to take over the world?
FETCH: Lucky for you we’re incredibly lazy.
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