His body was covered in soft blue feathers, with a black trail framing his white face, neck and underbelly. The white plumage continued down to his in...ner thighs, swallowing his crotch. His crooked tail feathers fanned out about two feet behind himself, and he shook them to straighten them out. These had black and white stripes intermittent along their length.Below his elbows, his arms were navy-hued, scaly appendages that ended in clawed fingers. Below his knees, his shins were likewise, ending. Finally, one day I heard a different, more hesitant, tap on the door. It didn't sound like Ron's mom."Jan, can I come in?"My heart lurched. It was poor Pete. I didn't want to see him, but I didn't want to make him unhappy, either."Yes, Pete, you can come in." Mom said you were sick, and I didn't want to get sick, so I didn't come." It's OK, you can't get sick from what I have." I know. I asked Mom, and she told me."I could tell from his voice that he was standing near the bed, and I turned to. I smirked. “Us? You make it sound like you and I are guilty of something together.” I could hear her smile. “Maybe we can be.” My heart skipped a beat. I knew it, I knew she was thinking the same thing. “Do you mind if I finish off what I started?” I asked, confident with the fresh burst of fantasy. “No.” I went at it again, this time a little more aggressively. “Do you mind if I watch?” she asked. I blinked, stopping what I was doing. “Yes. You can’t see this.” “Why not?” she giggled.. After my "Hello," I heard "Hello, Mr. Dobron - this is Amanda at the Front Desk. I'm just calling to see if everything is o.k. in your room." I stuttered a fragmented "Yes - everything is just fine."Amanda then asked if I'd started what I announced at the Front Desk, and I said "Just!" Amanda laughed a bit, then said "It's really boring down here - all my work is done! Can I talk while you do your thing?" I replied "Only if you join me!" It was quiet on the phone, then she said "I can't leave.