Old friend

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There were three knocks.
Once, and twice followed shortly.
The door opened and a man stood at the entrance.
"How can I help you?" the man asked.
"I was searching for a friend of mine who used to live here but it has been a long time since I have heard anything from him," said the visitor. "He is about this tall, though he seemed to grow taller everyday. He has scruffy hair but he also has the most curious eyes and brightest smile. And his laugh, his laugh," at this point the visitor begin to laugh himself, "his laughs are the most infectious things in the world. You cannot see him laugh, without you laughing yourself. He also has lots of scabs on his knees, from falling. He falls quite often, most of them during his adventures with me," the visitor, ending his descriptions with a smile. The man at the entrance listened closely, in silence.
"I'm sorry, but the boy died," the man said.

The visitor was shocked by the news. Only after a minute did the visitor managed to compose himself.
"How did he died? Are you his father?" the visitor asked.
"Who are you?" the man questioned back.
"I am Hope. Are you the boy's father?"
"No. I was him."

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