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There was a child standing in a pile of leaves just off the path. They were young, maybe 12, wearing a striped shirt, with brown hair cut short and framing their chin. I couldn't tell what gender the kid was, even as I got closer to them. They looked up when a stick cracked under my foot. There was a smile stretched across their face and their bangs tangled in their lashes they were so long.
"Uh, hi," I said. My head ached. There was something pounding behind my eyes. Gold was laughing at me somewhere in the darkness.
"Hey there," the kid said, foot shuffling in the leaves. They bit their lip. "What are you doing all the way out here?"
"I'm looking for someone," I replied. The ache in my head was growing by the second. "Name's Merlin." A flash of suspicion. "How about you, what brings you out here?"
Part of his reply was lost in a sudden haze of noise that stretched to engulf half my vision, the world growing white around the edges as bells rang in my ears.
"--I bet we can find him together!"
I blinked the light out of my eyes, scowling down at the kid. He was grinning up at me, guileless. The pain had receded to something if not pleasant, manageable, and I could hear Gold's whispering laughter again.
"Probably not your best idea, kid," I replied, and made my way past him. There had to be something, someone, who I was less of a danger to lurking around here somewhere.
The thought made my heart skip a beat.
"Okay," said the kid. "But I have to go this way anyways, so we might as well go together." He reached out, palm up, beaming as the autumn breeze swirled around us. "Let's hold hands!"
"I-- I shouldn't," I said, through grit teeth. But I was already holding his hand.
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