What's Your Story?

Was he looking at me? Hard to tell with shroud of linens and veils over the seated figured. It was like old furniture with respiration. It shifted and a voice surprising normal came from within the wrappings.

"My story? In broad strokes it's not of much interest. I was born and considered deformed. Shunned by most of society, and being greatly bothered by a minority I have secluded myself here in the wilderness. It is not a perfect life but at the moment I am content."

I nod. "You said in broad strokes, but as they say the devil is in the details. For example, what is the nature of your deformity. I doubt it is simply a cleft palete, or one foot shorter than the other."

A chuckle.

"I'm sure you've heard the rumors or else you'd not be here.  But you are right, it is all in the details, or perhaps in the lack of them."

There was an explosion from the chair as the coverings moved up and away fluttering as they fell to the grass.  There in a wheel chair was a man.  Half a man.  Exactly.  Half.  A man.  split straight down the center of the body.  Amazingly there was no skin covering that split and I can see clearly veins and other parts of the body that should not be seen and certainly not in action.

"Well the rumors said you were crazy, but I didn't expect you not to be all there."

He gave me an odd little look and dare I say half a smile.  It was grotesque as I can see a half tongue lolling in his mouth. 

"Droll, Sir.  I have heard you aren't the ordinary journalist or vulture, which is why you are here at all.  Now let me give you the whole show." 

He grasped the armrest of the wheelchair and flexed.  Then with a graceful leap he was on his one foot.  For a second he leaned forward and then...  and then he walked.  Not hopped as I expected, but walked with a graceful stride.  The problem was that without the other leg, his one leg would seem to float oddly in the air as he glided forward.

"My half shape is bothersome of course.  I don't even want to go out if I have eaten any  time earlier as the sight my digesting has made a negative impact on people's perception of me.  But it is in my simple act of walking that drives the wedge.  It can't be helped to  be seen as.... unnatural.

"Unnatural yes," I said, "But not unexplainable.  The simpliest explaination is that despite what I see you have two legs." 

"Yes yes," he agreed.  "I have two legs, two arms, two eyes.  But you were also correct when you said I was not all here."

"So then, you aren't half invisible.  Where is then the rest of you?"

"In the land of the dead.  My father was one of the Barons and he loved my mother so.  After being pregnant with me for 18 months out I came.  My poor moma nearly went mad, but her love my father taught her what I was.  She in turned helped raise me up in two worlds.  Without her I would have been mad from being in two different worlds.  Still it is not all bad, would you like to see my little trick?"

I nodded and then....

(The rest of the notes are missing.  The author too is missing.  The location of the subject of the interview is not known at present.)