Arrow Lake To measure the meaning can make you delay

Maybe it would have been better if nobody answered.  Some kid was definitely not who he wanted to meet -- after all his experiences through his own youth, he was pretty much set on the opinion that kids other than his sisters were soulless little gremlins without a lick of sense between their ears.  None had yet to prove him otherwise.  Not to mention, he wasn't sure he'd get anything even resembling a clear answer out of her.  He looked slightly taken aback at the fact she'd just popped out of nowhere, not sure what to do about it.  It was, however, probably a good thing for the whole staying alive bit that the adult appeared on the scene before he could finish figuring out what kind of snarky remark he wanted to bless the kid with.  It probably would not have been nice.

Mal was a pretty frowny dude, and lacking any bit of cheer which probably gave them all together the wrong impression of him -- probably more like arrogance rather than the boiling frustration and dying hope that was reality.  Oh well, it was tough to walk around with the whole world on your shoulders.  Regardless of the fact he might not look like a child any more, it wasn't like he'd had time to learn how to be polite.  Or carry a conversation.  Pretty unsurprising that as soon as he started talking, it was pretty cut to the point.  I just want to know if my sister is here. I told her to come here if something happened, but if she's not, then I can just... Go.  Brief pause, before he added, Brilliance, black with spots and stuff like me?  If that didn't strike a chord, then she couldn't have been by -- she was far more distinctive than the white and basically-white women before him.