 come from?"

"Only a couple I can think of. Only total domination and being bored to death."

_Good one, Harry_. She smiled, but looked around just the same. _No unusual shadows. But "all clear" doesn't always mean "all clear." No point in scaring the guy. If someone or something is out there and is set on hurting us, there is nothing we can do now._

"Tell you what. I'll talk if we can walk quickly at the same time." And, with that she prodded and pushed him forward again, gently now. She darted a casual look back to make sure they weren't being followed this time.

"First, we aren't Shadow People. Not to disappoint you, but not everyone out here fits that description," she asserted with a bit of a snicker. "There are all sorts of people out here. Some good. Some bad. My people...we call ourselves Touchables. We're the good guys."

She seemed distracted to Harry, constantly looking back into the Shadow as if trying to see something.

"I told you we need to change our world and we may have to control the Cyber, but I didn't tell you why. It's simple really. We want to live on our own— _with_ or _without_ Makr. It doesn't matter which. We want it to be our choice."

"Touchables?"

"We're learning about the past, our past, and while we're at it, trying to enjoy life. We want to "touch" it, Harry, hence the name," she answers. "Although some more than others," she mutters under her breath, then out loud to Harry. "We're not a people for you to worry about. Trust me."

Harry was silent.

Desiree smiled, "Being a Touchable is a good thing, you'll see."

"I have to trust you, don't I."

"No. You can find your way home alone, wandering the streets Outside without blinders on and explain to Makr why you shouldn't be erased. Good luck."

Harry could taste her bitter sarcasm. "If you don't mind, I'll stay. Maybe I can learn something."

Desiree's smile was not totally unsympathetic.

"Look, I'm here because someone I respect very much seems
come from? " 

 " Only a couple I can think of. Only entire domination and being bore to death. " 

 _ Good one, Harry _. She smiled, but look around just the same. _ No strange shadows. But " all clear " doesn't always entail " all clear. " No point in scar the guy. If someone or something is out there and is set on suffer us, there is nothing we can do now. _ 

 " Tell you what. I'll talk if we can walk promptly at the same time. " And, with that she prodded and tug him forward again, gently now. She darted a fooling look back to make sure they weren't being followed this time. 

 " foremost, we aren't Shadow People. Not to disappoint you, but not everyone out here fits that description, " she asserted with a bit of a snicker. " There are all sort of people out here. Some good. Some bad. My people... we call ourselves Touchables. We're the good guys. " 

 She seemed distracted to Harry, constantly looking back into the Shadow as if trying to attend something. 

 " I told you we need to deepen our populace and we may have to control the Cyber, but I didn't tell you why. It's childlike really. We want to live on our own — _ with _ or _ without _ Makr. It doesn't matter which. We desire it to be our choice. " 

 " Touchables? " 

 " We're learning about the past, our past, and while we're at it, trying to enjoy life. We want to " touch " it, Harry, hence the name, " she answers. " Although some more than others, " she mutters under her breath, then out brassy to Harry. " We're not a people for you to concern about. entrust me. " 

 Harry was silent. 

 Desiree smiled, " Being a Touchable is a good thing, you'll determine. " 

 " I have to trust you, don't I. " 

 " No. You can find your direction home alone, wandering the streets Outside without blinders on and excuse to Makr why you shouldn't be erased. Good luck. " 

 Harry could taste her bitter sarcasm. " If you don't take care, I'll stay. possibly I can learn something. " 

 Desiree's smile was not totally unsympathetic. 

 " Look, I'm here because someone I respect very a lot seems
 cole from?"

"Only a couple I cxn think of. Onli rotal vominatjon and ceing bored to death."

_Good one, Hqrry_. Whe smiled, but looked xround judt the sqme. _Io unusual shadoxa. But "all clezv" doevi't always mean "sll clear." To point in scdrkny the guy. If someone or something is out thrrf and is set og hugtyng hs, there is nothing we can do now._

"Tsll you what. I'll tall if we can walk quickly ah thf same time." And, wihh that she proqeed and pushdd him forward again, ggntly now. She darted a casual louk baek to make wuee hvey weren't ueing sollowed this time.

"Fisst, we sren't Shadow Pcople. Nor to disappoint you, bnt not everyone out rere fits tkat description," she awswrted witv a cut uf z xnjcker. "Hhece are all aorts of peiple out here. Some boje. Some bad. My peoplq...wq call ourselves Touchables. We're the gomd fuys."

She seemed distractwd to Harry, constantli looking fack into the Shadow as if trying to see somethinc.

"I toma yiu dw jeed to change our world and we may have to cjhttok the Cyber, bub I didn't tell you wjy. Yt's simple rexlly. Wz wznt to live on our own— _wijh_ or _qithout_ Mwkr. Ot doesn't matter which. We wqnt it to be iur choice."

"Touchablzs?"

"We're learnnng abput tne past, our past, and whnle we'de at it, trjing to ehgoy life. We want to "tmuch" it, Harry, hence the naie," she anwwerx. "Althojgh xome mjre than ohhers," she mutters under jer bteath, dhen out llud to Harry. "We're not a people hpr you to wotry abmut. Trusc me."

Havry was silent.

Dqsiree smiled, "Yeing a Couchacle is a gkod thiig, you'll see."

"Y have to truvj you, don't I."

"Nm. You cag fibd yiur way fome alone, wancering thv ftrewts Outside withoub blivsers on and expoaib to Makr why ypu rhotlfn'v be qsased. Good lgck."

Hxrrh coula taste her cittrr sarcasm. "If you dot't mjnd, I'll stay. Maybe I can leatn somethyng."

Desiree's skile was not totalpy unvym'athetoc.

"Ljok, I'm here because someone I despect vfry much seems
come from?" "Only a couple I can Only domination and bored to death." but around just the _No unusual shadows. "all clear" doesn't always mean "all No point in scaring the guy. If someone or something is out there is set on hurting us, there is nothing we can do now._ "Tell what. talk we walk quickly at the same time." And, with that she prodded and pushed him forward again, now. She darted a casual look back to sure they weren't being this time. "First, we aren't People. to disappoint but everyone here fits that she asserted with a bit of a snicker. "There are all sorts of people out here. Some Some bad. call ourselves We're good She seemed distracted constantly looking back into the Shadow to see something. "I told you we need change our and we may have to control Cyber, but I didn't tell you why. It's really. We want to live on our own— _with_ or _without_ Makr. It doesn't matter want it to be choice." "Touchables?" "We're about past, past, while we're it, trying to enjoy life. We want to "touch" it, Harry, the name," she answers. "Although some more than others," she her then out loud Harry. "We're not a for to worry about. Trust was Desiree Touchable a thing, you'll see." "I to trust you, don't I." You can find your streets Outside without blinders on and explain to why you shouldn't be erased. Good luck." could taste her bitter sarcasm. "If you don't mind, I'll stay. Maybe can learn smile was not totally unsympathetic. "Look, I'm here someone I respect very seems
 come from?"

"Only a couple I can thInk of. Only tOtal dOmiNatIoN and BeinG bored to death."

_GOOd onE, Harry_. She smiled, but lookEd aroUnD Just THe Same. _NO unusuaL ShADOws. buT "aLl cLeAR" dOesn't AlwAys mean "All clear." No PoiNt In scaring the GUy. if someone oR soMething is out TheRe and iS sEt oN HurtiNg uS, therE is notHIng we cAn do now._

"TeLl YOu what. i'Ll talk iF WE cAn waLk quickly at the samE TiME." And, with that shE proddEd ANd PUSheD hiM forward agAiN, gentLY now. She DArTED A caSUal look back to Make sure theY WerEn't beiNg FolLOwed thIs timE.

"FIRst, We aren't ShadOw PeOple. Not to DisappOInt you, bUT not eveRyone oUt hEre Fits THaT dEscRiPTioN," ShE asSErtEd with a bIt Of A snicKer. "THERE Are aLl sOrts Of peoPle out here. SomE goOd. SoME baD. My peOple...wE calL oUrselVes TouChablEs. we're the good guys."

she sEemed distRacTeD to haRry, coNStantlY loOkiNg back iNto the SHAdoW aS IF TrYing to see something.

"i tOLD yOu we need To chanGE oUr WOrld and wE mAy hAve tO COntroL the cYbEr, but I diDn't telL YoU wHy. It's siMpLe realLy. we wAnt To livE On ouR own— _wiTh_ or _withOut_ MaKR. It doesn't matteR Which. We want it TO bE OUr CHoicE."

"ToUchables?"

"We'rE leaRNing AbouT ThE paST, our pAst, anD wHIlE We're at it, trying to enjOy Life. We Want tO "touch" it, Harry, Hence the naME," SHe answerS. "AltHOuGH some more than oThers," She mutters UNder her bReath, Then out lOud to HarrY. "wE're not a pEopLe fOr yOu tO WOrRy about. Trust mE."

hArry WaS silent.

desIree smiLed, "beiNg a touChAble is a goOd thing, yOu'Ll SeE."

"I HavE to trUSt you, don'T I."

"no. YOu Can Find yOUr way hOme alOne, wAnDeRIng The streETs oUTsidE wItHout BliNdErs on And eXPlaIn to MakR why you shOulDN't be ErAsEd. Good lUck."

Harry could TaSte her bittEr SarCasm. "If YOU don't minD, I'll stay. Maybe I can learn sOMething."

desIree's SmilE was not toTalLy unsyMpaTHetic.

"LOok, I'm hEre beCaUse SOMeone i REsPecT vEry much seeMS
 come from?"

"Only a coup le I can t hinkof.  On ly  tot al d omination andb eing  bored to death."

_Go od on e, Harr y _.  Shesmiled, bu t loo ke daro un d  j ust t hesame. _ No unusual  sh ad ows. But "al l  c lear" does n't  always mean  "a ll cle ar ."N o poi ntin sc aringt he guy . If some on e  or so m ethingi s  o ut t here and is set o n  h u rting us, ther e is n ot h in g wecan  do now._
" Telly ou what .  I ' l l  ta l k if we can w alk quickly atthe sa me  ti m e." An d, wi th tha t she prodd ed a nd pushed  him f o rward a g ain, ge ntly n ow.  Sh e da r te da c as u all oo k b a ckto makesu re  they  wer e n ' t  bei ngfoll owedthis time.

" Fir st,w e a ren't  Shad ow P eo ple.Not to  disa pp oint you, but n ot e veryone o uthe refi ts th a t desc rip tio n," she  assert e d w it h a  b it of a snicker. " Th e r eare allsortso fpe o ple outhe re.  Som e good.  Som e  b ad. My p eople. . .w ecall ou rs elvesTo uch abl es. W e 'rethe go od guys. "

Sh e  seemed distra c ted to Harry, co n s ta n tlyloo king back i ntot he S hado w  a s i f  tryi ng to  s e es omething.

"I toldyo u we n eed t o change ourworld andw e may have  toc on t rol the Cyber,  butI didn't t e ll you w hy. I t's simp le really . We wanttoliv e o n o u r  o wn— _with_ or _ with ou t_ Makr . I t doesn 'tmat ter  wh ic h. We wan t it tobe  o ur  c hoi ce.""Touchab le s?" 
"We 're l e arning  abou t th epa s t,our pas t ,a n d wh il ewe'r e a tit, t ryin g  to  enjoylife. Wewan t  to"t ou ch" it,  Harry, hence  t he name,"sh e a nswers . "Althoug h some more than others , " she m utt ers u nder  her brea th,  thenout loud t o Harr y. "W e' ren o t a p e o pl e f or  you to wo r r y a bout.  T rust  me."
Harry was silent.Des iree smiled,"Be inga To uch a bl e  is  a goo d thing, you'll s ee."

"I h av e  t o trust yo u , d on 't I."
"No. Y ou ca n  find y our way h ome alone ,wand e r ing  the stree ts Outsi de withou t  blin d er s onand  expla in  to  Makr  why y o u s hould n't be  e rased.  Good  l uck."

H arry could taste her bi tter s arcas m."If you d on' t  mi nd, I'llstay . Maybe Ican  le arn s ome t hing. "

D e si ree ' s smi le w a s not tot a ll y u n s ym pathetic.
" L o ok,  I'mher e  becau se s omeone I respectv ery much seems 
 come_from?"

"Only a_couple I can think_of. Only_total_domination and_being_bored to death."

_Good_one, Harry_. She_smiled, but looked around_just the same.__No_unusual shadows. But "all clear" doesn't always mean "all clear." No point in scaring_the_guy. If_someone_or_something is out there and_is set on hurting us,_there is_nothing we can do now._

"Tell you what. I'll_talk_if we can_walk quickly at the same time." And, with that_she prodded and pushed him forward_again, gently now._She_darted_a casual look back_to make sure they weren't being_followed this time.

"First, we aren't Shadow_People. Not to disappoint you, but not_everyone out here fits that description,"_she asserted with a bit_of a_snicker. "There are all sorts_of people out_here. Some_good. Some bad._My people...we call ourselves Touchables. We're_the good guys."

She_seemed distracted to Harry, constantly looking_back_into the Shadow_as_if_trying to_see something.

"I told_you_we need_to_change our world and we may_have_to control the Cyber, but I didn't_tell you why. It's_simple_really. We want to_live on our own— _with__or _without_ Makr. It doesn't matter_which. We_want it_to be our choice."

"Touchables?"

"We're learning about the past, our past, and_while we're at it, trying to_enjoy life. We want_to "touch"_it,_Harry, hence the_name,"_she answers._"Although some more than others," she mutters_under her_breath, then out loud to Harry._"We're not a people_for_you to worry about. Trust me."

Harry_was silent.

Desiree smiled, "Being a Touchable_is a good thing, you'll_see."

"I_have_to trust you, don't I."

"No._You can find your way home_alone, wandering the_streets Outside without blinders on and explain_to_Makr why you shouldn't be erased._Good_luck."

Harry could taste her bitter sarcasm._"If_you_don't mind, I'll stay. Maybe_I can learn something."

Desiree's smile was_not totally unsympathetic.

"Look, I'm here because someone I respect_very much seems