Lion Head Mesa borradura

soto laughs, but the sound is not with cruelty. oh — to be Emilio’s age again! to look through the world in his lenses, a world yet devoid of all its warmth. 

he turns back to the boy, leveling him with a long and studious look. finally, he speaks again. 

me voy a casa. aqui no hay nada mas que fantasmas para mi.

but he waits — the angle of his shoulder leaning towards the boy in the unspoken suggestion his company would not be unwelcome.