The young man has dark hair, as glossy
as a raven’s wing, and skin glowing like golden sand. He moves with incredible
grace, under a large coat that hangs on his shoulders like a coat, and sways as
he walks, so that the dark suit with embroidered lapels appears beneath.
He smiles at you as you move out of the
way, making space for him to speak to the lady.
His voice is rich as he says, “I would
be grateful for a tale today, Madame.”
The shopkeeper raises an eyebrow he the
young man pulls from the folds of his cloak-like coat, like a treasure wrapped
in silk, an ornament, and places it lightly on the counter.
It is an origami bird, made of many
artful knots, with spearhead wings and a pointed head and tail.
But it is not made out of traditional
paper, but a dark oxidized metal, malleable enough to have been twisted and
bent.
“It’s lovely, sir,” the lady praises
it, rotating around the bird to see it at several views, rather than move the
apparently sacrosanct bird itself. “I can tell you quite the dream about a
black bird, or several,” the shopkeeper adds, and the man smiles.
“I am much obliged,” the young man
says, and waits patiently while watching the lady, clasping his hands before
him.
The shopkeeper leans
back, setting her hands on the counter and staring at the man pensively.
She sighs deeply
before opening her mouth to begin.
Art by Brian Chan
Text by Lucie MacAulay
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