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((The 14 pages of Valentine's Day + Double Wednesday -- Page 6 of 16))
‘Yeah,’ said Hector. ‘Like, um... when I move, it makes the air move a little, which then makes it even easier for me to sense it, I guess?’

‘Oh, I get what you mean. You make the air move, and then that air pushes against more air--to a lesser degree, of course--but you’re saying you can still sense it, even at that lesser degree? Like air dominoes, is what you were trying to say?’

‘Er, yeah... I think.’

‘That was a weird analogy, Hector.’

‘Wha--how would you describe it, then?’

‘Oh, as “waves,” maybe? Y’know, the way a normal person would conceptualize it?’

‘I... ah... hmm.’

‘Your movement causes air to move away from you in waves, and the scarf allows you to sense those waves, no?’

As Hector thought about that, it did seem to make more sense than dominoes.

Well, shit.

‘It’s okay,’ said Garovel. ‘I’m beginning to see a pattern with you and weird descriptions of things, though.’

Hector tilted his head. ‘What’re you talking about? I don’t, ah... do I?’

The reaper chortled. ‘Do you remember that time you described Lynn’s purple shadow as “death-taffy?”’

He did. ‘Hey. That was... that was accurate, wasn’t it?’

‘I never said your descriptions were inaccurate. Just weird.’

‘Hmph.’

‘Anyway, what else is the movement of the air telling you?’ said Garovel.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well. I guess what I’m really wondering is if the airflow is allowing you to sense the locations of objects around you.’

‘Oh. Yeah, it is. Like, uh... I can see where Mr. Sheridan is right now, even though I’m not looking at him.’

‘Aha, excellent. Alright, I’m watching him. Tell me what he’s doing.’

Hector focused on what the lines were telling him. ‘He’s crouched down and examining something.’

‘Good. Maybe with this--’

‘It’s a box in his hands. He’s struggling to open it. Doesn’t seem like he’s having much luck. It needs a key. There’s some kind of cut stone inside, standing on a little tripod or something.’

‘Whoa, whoa. You can sense THAT much detail?’

‘Er, yeah...’

‘You can even sense what’s INSIDE the box?’

‘Yeah. Because it’s not, uh... vacuum sealed or whatever? I can sense air flowing through it.’

The reaper paused, perhaps thinking. ‘How quickly is the air in the box moving? Can you tell?’

‘Uh... seems pretty slow, I guess. The air around the ceiling and walls is a lot faster, by comparison.’

‘Holy shit, Hector. Do you have any idea how useful this could be?’

He was beginning to.

‘Well, that clinches it. You have to keep that scarf on forever now. It’ll be your new fashion statement from now on.’

Hector exhaled a laugh and walked the few short steps back to the trunk in order to pick up the other two items he’d put down earlier.