Half [Part 8]

Emir uncovered the portrait and took out his tools. He squeezed the paints onto the plate and gestured for the android to sit across him. He still couldn't take his eyes off the streak of crimson on his canvas. It had, somehow, faded into light brown, blended perfectly with the rest of the fireworks.

He finished colouring Shane's face and deepening the shades in his hair.

That day, he brought the canvas with him to the ward for the first time and showed it to Shane. His grin stretched from ear to ear.

'Would you like to finish it before I leave?' Shane had asked.

Emir began to cry. His hand trembled as he held the brush. He didn't want to finish the painting because he knew the moment it was done, Shane would be gone.

So he procrastinated. Each time, he would only finish a portion of it; Shane's eyes this time, his nose next time, and then his lips, then his cheeks, his neck, his collarbones, and then his shirt...