Hugo stopped a couple of feet away from Alan, looking down at him with a sorrowful expression. He crouched down in front of Alan, who sagged to his knees, hands flat against the floor, rocking back and forth. “It’s real,” Hugo whispered. “I promise you. And you’re right: it’s not fair. It never really is. I don’t blame you for thinking that. But if you let me, I’ll do what I can to show you there is more to this world than you ever thought possible.”
