Ose let his gaze float over the courtyard, now empty but for him and the lone butterfly. A blur near one of the bushes caught his eye. He swallowed, hopeful. The blur resolved into a transparent figure—a woman, tall and blonde, her face stern.
“Ellanen,” whispered Ose. He knew she was his overtaxed mind’s version of a safety net and completely unreal. An exterior illusion based on an interior fantasy. It was alright. A bit of madness was fine if it kept him sane.
The ghostly Ellanen moved forward until she was standing in front of Ose. “You won’t betray us, will you?”
“Never,” breathed Ose.
“Good,” said Ellanen. “Because if you do, it’s not me that will suffer. It will be Duck, my daughter. She’s only six. Do you want her imprisoned? Experimented on?”
Ose stood up. “You know I’d never do anything that would harm Duck. Or you. Any of you.” His voice was loud in the empty courtyard.
Ellanen nodded. She looked past him and held out her hand. It passed straight through him.
Movement caught his eye, and a small girl came from behind him, holding on to Ellanen’s hand. Duck. In real life, Duck had deep brown skin and black hair, but this version of her was a transparent, glowing blue.
“Uncle Ose, are you OK?” Duck’s voice was light, like the peeps of the bird in the bush. “I think you need to have some noodles and take a nap.”
Ose’s face pinched together; tears threatened to gather. He kneeled in front of the little girl. “Thank you. I will do that. What do you think I should do about Last Kester? Your mother is worried that I’ll betray you and your family. Are you worried too?”
He could feel Ellanen bristle. “She’s a child, Ose. You don’t ask such questions of a child.” Ellanen’s voice was firm.
Ose stood up. “Duck is honest. I value her advice.” His face reddened. “Besides, the two of you are generated by my own brain. You might be the only way I can give myself decent counsel.”