Re: Tandy/Billy/Atticus: the lake
Atticus had never known a life without the supernatural, but he did not have trouble believing that the boy Billy had brought on his boat had no prior experience. Despite Repose's supernatural concentration, the majority of the world wasn't aware that the things that existed did, in fact, exist. Was easy to forget in this town. Had realized that years ago, when he'd given the town a wide berth on his way to teach in the Capital.
"Not wrong. Everything is a derivative, a variation. The gift of a good author isn't to come up with something new. It's to come up with an interesting way to tell it." Was a subject he discussed often with his students. Was interesting to watch them work in reverse, to realize just how many of their ideas came from the same kernel. The same derivative. "Think Tolkien might surprise you," was his conclusion, offered lazily and with a smile as he guided the ferry around the island's curve.
Grinned at the robotic kid. Had some of them in classes in the past. So adult, or they thought they were. Wasn't going to get into the mental studies done on young adults and teens, but knew they always thought themselves older than they actually were. Wasn't sure how old this kid was, but, like Billy, the kid felt young, albeit in a completely different way. Wondered what had happened to him, but knew better than to ask. "Know about mid-40s as an existential age?" Mirth, around the corners. Wasn't sure the word existential even pertained, but lobbied the question back at Billy. "You knew me in my mid-40s. What's mid-40s like? From observation."