The One Went Up in Flames
His name was Piers, the chief curator of Ars Gallery in the old city of Parelle and a special guest of the competition.
I handed him the sketchbook.
Piers was even more moved than Ian. He devoured every page, breathing out soft exclamations as he went.
When he finished the last page, he closed the sketchbook and looked at me, eyes burning with excitement.
"Mr. Stewart," he said, "I would like to make you a formal offer on behalf of Ars Gallery. We hope to sign you as our exclusive artist and host your first solo exhibition in Parelle next spring. These sketches have moved me deeply. They are full of soul and quiet mystique. This is exactly the kind of art we have been searching for."