Story and art copyright 1999, 2000 by Leigh Kimmel
After her recent bad experiences with the foster care system, Nadine's first thought is panic. She slams her sketchbook shut and attempts to hide it the moment this mysterious man comes over to speak to her.
However, he offers to show her his own sketchbook, and there is something familiar about the pencil drawings within that wins her trust. He tells her that the children call him Puggy. She shows him her own sketchbook, and that leads to talk of her troubles with the Memphis child welfare system.
In the distance a church bell begins to ring. Nadine panics, sure that she has lost track of time and will be punished for getting back to the Wainwrights' house late, her chores still undone. She looks at the watch, but it clearly reads 5:00.
However, the bell continues to toll all the way up to twelve. Puggy produces a pocket watch and shows her that it reads noon as well, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Nadine suddenly realizes that she is not in Memphis any more.
Puggy tells her that this city is Port of White Fleet, and the river before her is not the Mississippi, but the White River that runs eight thousand miles from its headwaters at Lake Lhune in the Dreamcatcher Mountains to White Fleet Harbor and the Sea of Eternity. Although Nadine never considered herself any great genius at geography, she is certain that these are not places anywhere on the Earth she knows. Puggy tells her that this world is called Elysium.
However, she gets no further chance to question Puggy, for at that moment a youth comes crashing through the brush, two thugs in hot pursuit. Before her horrified eyes, the youngster trips and falls. Before he can regain his feet, the thugs set upon him with truncheons.
From the other direction the brush parts and out steps a tall man dressed in a long cloak and a tricorn hat, whose appearance makes Nadine think of George Washington.
All pictures on this page copyright 1999, 2000 by Leigh Kimmel, all rights reserved.
If you are interested in using these images on your webpage or in a publication, or would like to obtain the originals, please contact me.
I am currently accepting commissions for artwork. If your interested in having me do something, please contact me with information on what you want.
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This page last updated March 15, 2000
