“What do you think happened to your ’arents?” said the character authoritatively.
Hyphen could only assume he was referring to parents. “No one even remembers having them,” said Hyphen, crinkling his eyes. “For that matter, no one even remembers you. Who are you?”
“The most offensive letter in the alphabet,” he explained, “followed by I-L-C-R-O-W.”
“Pilcrow,” Hyphen said, grabbing hold of the character before he could disappear.
“How dare you use that letter in front of me?” he spewed. Seized by an uncontrollable coughing fit, Pilcrow doubled over.
“You have to stop doing that, or you will choke,” said Hyphen.
Pilcrow straightened up, abruptly ceasing his coughing fit. “Why? I am already dead. Are you afraid I will choke myself to life?” He doubled over again, dissolving into a fit of laughter at his own joke.
Hyphen smiled in spite of his misfortune. He examined Pilcrow more closely. “You are actually the reverse of … um, the reverse of the offensive letter.”
Pilcrow smiled appreciatively. “So nice of you to notice.”
