Good Morning, Mr. Kay - E.M.P. Book 1

fourteen.

Chapter illustration: https://www.quotev.com/story/13784110/Good-Morning-Mr-Kay-EMP-Book-1/14

Mr. Kay looked upon his phone's screen as he sat at his art desk, admiring the elegant captions and lovely warm pictures he had snapped of his artwork.  He also included an image of his studio and its comforting wooden walls.  Hua gazed over his shoulder as well, giving approving nods at the panels on his main page.

"It's a good start," Hua muttered.

Mr. Kay pulled his thumb down to refresh his feed.  "Where are the likes?"

"What?"

"Why aren't people liking my drawings?"

Hua smiled a bit, trying to hold back a small giggle.  "You're a new user.  It's going to take a minute for the algorithm to pick up your content.  Besides, you aren't going to be flooded with comments and likes.  You gotta be active for a long time."

"Oh."

"I would also recommend following other artists and authors.  Get to know people in your community.  You might also want to try posting some of your writing online with illustrations.  Build a good following."

"Okay."

Hua abandoned her father's side and stalked around the room for the second time, and she felt the strange tension that passed between her and Mr. Kay when they first came to the basement.  The stress now was just a faded memory of the sensation, and she currently felt better about her exploration of his work.  There was so much he was drawing, mostly about Eleanor and Mary.  Lots of doodles and finalized colored pencil drawings of wild aliens also spread across the studio.  There was obviously a story for all of them, and Hua swore she could feel the temperature and weather the creatures were in.  Her father's drawings were just so beautiful and detailed.

                                                                                     .   .   .

Eve hugged her mother to her furry chest, stroking Creature Blu's exoskeleton.  She was unsure of what to do about her guardian's predicament, but it was something she would have to conjure a solution for later.

"I need to find Mr. Kay," Eve muttered before she scooted away, bringing herself to her feet. 

She knew the fireplace portal was near, and she reached out a paw, trying to swipe the panel aside and call out to her patient.  Her hoof made contact with nothing, and Eve sliced the air a couple more times, becoming increasingly more panicked.  Kelpa sensed her child's fear, and she stalked up to her.

"Mother!" Eve cried.  "The portal...it's gone!"  Eve spun rapidly about in circles, something she did when she was overwhelmed, before she flopped onto the invisible ground, her hair standing on end.  "Mr. Kay!  Hua!  I'll...I'll never see them again!"  Eve felt her broad throat tighten before the muscles stretched back apart, allowing for a horrendous, pained shriek to speed from the gaping hole in her head.  This was all wrong!  The humans she adored so much were ripped from her grasp, and the last thing they had did together was fight.  What a horrible ending!

Creature Blu snuggled next to Eve, her small body vibrating to comfort her young.  "But you know what this means, my dear?  Mr. Kay is healing.  He will be fine.  You know his fate, right?"

Eve curled her glossy hands to her chest.  "Yes.  He will become very, very famous for his work.  But I love him, and I don't want to say goodbye."

"I know, my dear.  It is something that has always upset you, when the portal closes that is.  But you must know that what you have done has saved him.  You, Eve, saved the troubled human.  Hua will do the rest."

"She will."

The two looked up expectantly as a great, shrill commotion rose from the fabric from White Space, and a doglike beast erupted from a portal, her long claws clicking freakishly as she barreled up to her kin.  A mane of flesh rose up around her head, its structure like a spider's web.  The stems of the mane trembled as she spoke.

"Mother?  I heard what is occurring," she said.

"Hello, Ingio," Eve griped.

"Eve," Ingio responded, bitterness also in her voice.  The sisters did not get along too well.  "Anyways, Blu, what is happening?"

"I haven't been able to create," Kelpa replied.  "We need help.  We have helped many humans, but I believe we will need their help now.  Ingio, find my lover, Unlyus, and go to Earth.  Find humans to save me!"

to be continued in The Report on Creature Blu - E.M.P. Book 2

And yes, Mr. Kay and Eve will return soon.