George nodded kind of reflexively, rather mechanically than approvingly, and the guest smiled pleasantly, alluringly, but scarily. This happens when those who are smiling are strong and powerful leaders: their smiles lure and scare at the same time. Other weaker people sink in this smile losing themselves.
“Don’t you recognize me?” The man was genuinely surprised.
“I’m…N-no...” George stammered again.
“After all, I am the one who helped your flowers to spring, I was still with you all the time, everywhere. The one you were waiting for, and I felt it in every smile, in every breath... Didn’t you recognize me, the one you admired while reading books about me?”
Having found his kerchief finally, George was wiping his wet face, lips and hands. And shooking his head.
“You’re lying!” the guest said a little sharper. “You did recognize me. You did, but you’re scared. I don’t need anything from you, don’t be scared...” He continued again more tenderly.
George looked at him rather with distrust, tilting his head to one side, continuing wiping his face, sweating with fear, and wondering how he was still conscious.
“Yes, I recognized you,” a few moments later the man admitted quietly.
‘This ca
ot be happening, this is nonsense,’ George kept repeating to himself.
The guest nodded gravely.
“It’s a pity that it took you longer than I expected.”
“But I haven’t called you for a long time, I haven’t thought about you for a long time ...” George said timidly. “And it seemed to me that you were completely different ...”
“As what?” He smiled ironically in response. “With horns, hooves and a tail? I didn’t think that you are so stereotypical. But I can easily arrange both the first, and the second, and the third, and even more...”
That sounded ominous.
“But why did you come now, when all my childhood desires have stepped aside? Now that I don’t call you anymore? And why didn’t you come when I was desperately calling for you?”