robopriest | RUFUS CATCH-ALL

RUFUS CATCH-ALL

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[The stump is wrapped in a fresh set of dressings—as is his left hand.]

Ten years, was it?

[.............]

Yeah. Went by pretty quick, honestly, but...it still was ten years.

What happened?

[He's silent for a moment, before he huffs, shaking his head.]

Well, I can't exactly keep quiet about it. I hardly want to bottle it up.

[He brushes some of his hair over an ear.]

Emet-Selch and I...we raised a kid together.

. . . What kind of child?

Just a child from the country.

[There's something...distant in his gaze, when he says this.]

He wanted to go to the city, so Emet-Selch and I took him there, and we lived there for ten years as the boy grew up.

Was that all?

...

[He shakes his head.]

Of course not.

Then what was the rest?

[His smile is...thin.]

Its complicated, but... [He shakes his head, his tone distant.] My son is dead, Rufus.

. . . How so?

It's a long story.

[He's silent, before he gestures at a nearby bench.]

I'll tell it to you. Want to sit for a while, Rufus?

[If he's going to hear the story, they may as well sit down. He goes to the indicated bench.]

[He sits down, too, folding his hands in his lap.]

...Randomly. Rufus, do you have children?

[Seated together, Rufus looks straight ahead at the town.]

No.

Hm. Would you ever want to have some?

I haven't thought about it.

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