Posted by kabouter on December 15, 1998 at 19:54:19:

He is 8 years old and fair with that impossible translucent whiteness. He stands at the end of the checkout waiting for his father - a big rough man...dressed roughly, a worker, dark and weary like a worker.

The boy was dressed entirely in black which served dramatically to enhance his paleness. Black shoes, black trousers and a black jacket and then on his head a soft black woollen hat not entirely containing the butter-yellow hair that ringed his pale face.

The boy was restless and his father gave him a block of chocolate from the shopping. He accepted it silently and then began delicately to eat the rich creamy chocolate in small bites and whereas before he had been dancing about with boy-impatience he now stood stock still eating his chocolate as if it required all of his energy and concentration.

I realised that I was staring at him transfixed when he looked up at me with enormous green eyes fringed with long blond lashes.. I fell into those blue-green watery depths as into a deep well... I couldn't move speak or remove my eyes... he held me in an hypnotic trance.

He watched me curiously as if he himself was wondering who I was or what I might be. All the while he nibbled the chocolate and then a small pink tongue crept out and licked his lips carefully to ensure that he had the least bit of chocolate that might still be there. We stood for a few moments, man and boy, looking at each other while strange, secret messages passed between us and power... his power, extended itself fully over me. Then he spun away, my Midwich cuckoo and followed his father's shopping trolley out towards the entrance.

I came to my senses with the checkout girl calling me from a long,long,way away... "yes, Sir?" she said.... she wanted me to put my shopping on the moving rubber band. I started in fright at the interruption and looked at her. I might have been in another dimension for you see my sweet captor had me still in his grasp.

15th December, 1998