Free The Earth Painter by Melissa Turner Lee Page A

tropical rainforest. Birds called out from up in a nest. It was then I saw a herd of brightly colored brachiosaurus grazing on the trees. Theo was there with them, petting them.
    I shook my head and looked more closely before jumping back, no longer able to stay still and quiet. A knocking sound echoed in the auditorium. It took me a minute to realize I was the source. I was shaking all over, and my elbows were beating against the wall behind me as I slid down into a pile. I tried to get control of myself, but I couldn’t.
    I looked up and stared into familiar gray-blue eyes. Beside him stood a short, bald man who was candy-apple-red from head to toe. Even his clothes were red. Theo reached out to touch me, and I screamed before it all went black.
    I opened my eyes to stark white all around me. For a moment, I was afraid I was dead and floating into the light that people who have had near death experiences always talk about. My head was being cradled by someone. I turned to see Theo sitting there on the floor, holding me.
    “You gave us a scare.” He smiled. His eyes were soft and comforting. “I was afraid I was going to have to go to the office to get you some help.”
    “But that would have drawn attention to you and been in complete violation of the Sculptor’s orders. You’d be no better than Fritz,” a chirpy but masculine voice spoke just behind me. I turned to see the bald, red man leaning almost into my face. I screamed out before I could stop it.
    Theo laughed. “He is scary isn’t he? I’m not sure why I don’t scream every time I look at him.” Then he looked over at the bright little man and smirked. “I think I’ll start doing that from now on, Khai-Ree . My new greeting for you will be, AHHHHH!”
    I sat up and watched as the red man’s eyes narrowed. “I wouldn’t be so frightening if you hadn’t painted me flaming red. I am Khai - Ree - Hloa -Theo,” he said in a breathy accent, “assistant painter to Theo, not Theo’s spare canvas.”
    Theo stood and extended his hand to me and helped me up as he spoke to the man he called, Khai-Ree . “Well when someone loses someone else’s canvas, that someone has to replace it.”
    “For eternity?” Khai-Ree spun and walked off.
    Theo called out after him, “Keep up your attitude, and tomorrow you’ll look like a rainbow.” He turned his attention back to me. His eyes narrowed. “How are you feeling? I’ve heard that humans often have headaches after fainting. Do you need to run to the office and get a…what’s that medicine the humans all take… Tylenol?”
    “No, I’m good.” I shook my head a bit faster than normal as I glanced around the white nothingness. “Where are we?”
    “This is my home, sort of a 3D living canvas.” He motioned at our stark surroundings. “When I paint it—it is the way it is in my head. Full, living and moving. Not flat and lifeless like on an earthen canvas. Sort of a retirement gift from the Sculptor for my devotion and service.”
    He glanced around. “ Khai-Ree cleaned up the place while you were unconscious. He thought it was the dinosaurs that scared you. I find a forest full of animals remarkably soothing and peaceful but Khai-Ree …” Theo shook his head, “he likes plain, clean, boring, white .”
    I glared at Theo. “This is your home. So…what are you? A ghost? An angel?”
    He smiled. “Nothing so ghoulish or heavenly.” Theo looked around the way I had before I’d opened the auditorium door. “I’m…” he hesitated and glanced about again, “…a painter.”
    He stood there staring at me like I should understand, but all I could do was stare back at him. Had I missed something? “Yes, I know you paint. I’ve seen your work.”
    Theo looked around his ultra white home. “Sorry, I can’t offer you a chair or even a tree stump.” He motioned towards the floor that was white nothingness too. “Want to have a seat? This will take a while.”
    We both sat with our legs