FIVE
Torment
‘Kai, is this definitely the right way?’
‘This is the way and we’re nearly there.’
‘You have been saying that repeatedly now.’
‘What does repeeedidly mean?’
‘Never mind.’ he said, wearily.
It amazed him, just how mentally draining conversing with a child could be; everything was so arduous, nothing simple. Furthermore, there was the slow death from a thousand questions. He wondered how parents coped. Kai had an abundance of energy, which clearly he lacked.
‘Am I getting old?’ he said, forgetting once more that nothing went unheard by his young companion.
‘Yes, you’re very old, because you’re big.’
‘Thank you, Kai, for that moment of affirmation.’
‘What does afformansion mean?’
He sighed, frustrated, wondering how he might break the endless cycle of pointless dia
