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Theolain sulked in the corner, sitting on a sack of potatoes. He rolled his eyes at the kitchen. It was not easy to do: he could roll his eyes at Mother, and at the oven, and at the ceiling, but not all of them together. Out of stubborness, or maybe because it was something to do, he tried to roll them in such a way as would encompass the entire room. His head ended up rolling more than his eyes did, but Theolain was satisfied.
He sulked again. He busied himself with untying a hard knot on the piece of rope that held close the sack he sat on. This feat proved to have the better of him, as his fumbling fingers were too clumsy, and the bandages on his right hand got in the way.
Suddenly, a new door opened for him - quite literally. A man opened the door just wide enough for him to get in. He asked the women for something. Theolain did not listen; he was too concentrated on getting past the man, through the door, and out into the open without getting noticed. When the man stepped forward to take a bundle from one of the women, Theolain snuck quietly on his knees behind him until he was on the other side of the kitchen wall. No one seemed to raise any alarm, or, indeed, mark his absence.
Theolain stood aside as the man walked out, closing the door behind him. The stranger was already striding out the big doors when Theolain made up his mind to follow him. Maybe he would go to someplace interesting and bring Theolain somewhere where he could play in this strange and unfamiliar place.
He paused on the threshold, blinking against the bright sun and feeling the frosty wind on his face. Then, spotting the man several feet away, he scrambled head over heels in his wake.
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