TABOO (A DEAL WITH THE SHADOW ALPHA)
She gave a slight, polite bow of her head and left as quietly as she’d come.
For a moment, I just looked at the package. Then, with fingers that trembled slightly, I tore the paper away.
Inside was a sketchbook. Not just any sketchbook. It was the exact large-format, heavyweight paper brand I preferred, the one with the slightly rough finish that held charcoal perfectly. Nestled in the crease was a full, untouched set of professional-grade graphite and charcoal pencils, ranging from hard to impossibly soft. There was a kneaded eraser, a blending stump, even a small, precise pencil sharpener. It was a perfect, complete kit. Better than the one I’d left at home.