"Clock! Clock, get up! Now! Hurry!"
"Wha, what are you?"
"No questions, move!"
Arya pulled the poor thirteen year-old out of his bed, yanked him to his feet, and guided him to the window.
"I need you to do me a favor, okay?" She asked nervously.
"Um...okay." Was the unknowing, sleepy answer.
"I need you to jump out with me..."
Clock, had no idea what she was talking about. He didn't realize he was next to a window, but he never told Ayra no.
"Sure I guess...but, out of_?"
"Okay, we need to leave, now. Mickey!"
Something is thrown against the door. It opens, in steps a blond haired Australian boy, sixteen years old.
"Yeah?" He replied breathlessly.
"Where are they?"
"Down in the den, we gotta leave, through the window?"
"Yes."
"Window?" Clock asks.
"Yes, the window, Mate. We gotta go."
"Um...I don't_."
Something bangs on the door, hard. It splinters, bits flying everywhere. A fist flies through grabbing Mickey's arm, Ayra runs to help him, the grip is iron strong. When they finally get his arm released, there are bruises, already very dark. Sharp pain shoots through his arm to the touch.
"Um...", He stutters, "We should just go..." He runs over to the window where Clock stands, clueless. He scoops him up, Arya sits on the ledge, Mickey helps Clock through the window and Arya takes him. She holds onto him tightly, then helps him down holing on to the ledge and falling down ten feet to the ground. Mickey is waiting at the window and is making his way out, he jumps, then a hand clamps down on his collar, he struggles, fighting desperstly against the grip. When he figures out he can't escape it, he slips out of his shirt and falls to the ground with a thud, landing on his side. Arya rushes to help him, but he scoots her away and takes off with them across the lawn. Clock looks back and sees a silver-haired woman half hanging out of the window, she looked extremely angery, a sneer on her face. He turned back around and continued running. They continued for hours without let up, then Clock stumbles, trips and falls. Arya picks him up.
"We can't keep running," she breathed, "he won't make it much farther."
"I know. He's been sick, I just...Just don't know. I don't see anything anywhere, lemme hold 'im. I'll carry him 'til we find some place to stop." He quickly grabbed Clock, and slung him onto his back, Clock's arms around his neck, legs around his waist.
"We'll go just a few more miles, if we don't find anythin' we stop where we drop."
"Sounds good. Let's go." With that they took off, for five straight miles they saw nothing. It was amazing how much the landscape had changed. They had started in a well-nourished, rich forest, that eventually turned to desert. Now only patches of grass remained, cacti dotted the landscape, and no wildlife is seen. The temprature constantly falls with the dusk. The sun continues sinking lower into the horizon, leaving behind a purple and orange sky. Stars gently twinkle amongst stratus clouds that half hide the moon. Clock's face is red, Arya's full of concern for the child. She reaches out to touch his face, it's burning.
"...I...see a motel," Mickey said, breaking the silence, "...A'bit odd, but we ought'a go check it out at least."
"Yes, he needs to rest. He really sick. I'm worried."
"Ay, don't worry, he'll be fine. He always has been, eh?"
"Yeah, I guess. Still, we might want to hurry."
They continue on until they reach the motel, they enter the front room. A man about forty years old sits behind a warped, old counter.. He looks bored, a scowl on his face, hair thinning at the top.
"Hey!" He blurts, "Whadda ya want?"
"We need a room."
He huffs, "Fine. Try'n survive the first night without doing anything stupid."
"I have self control. Jeez, how much?"
"How mucha got?"
She stares at him, unamused, scowling. They politely pay, and exit taking a right to their room. The room is run-down, old and shabby, but the beds don't look bad after being on the run all day. Mickey places Clock down on the bed, he moans in pain, or in sickness. Ayra sits next to him and rubs his forehead soothingly.
"I'm sorry, Clock. I want to help...maybe I can just calm your nerves..."
"No, Ayra. The slightest bit'o...whatever this is, the power we have, 'll set'em off. They'll find us quick, we won't have anytime to run."
"I know. I just, don't like to see him hurt so much."
Mickey looks down at the poor boy, red faced, twisted in his pain.
"I, I think this is related to our...condition." He states
"Everything is. Everything that's wrong is! It causes people to want to kill us! Expiriment, torture_!"
"We don't want to do that." A silver-haired woman says, "We want to help you, control, your condition. We know many others like you, children younger than you. We help control your powers. Come with me, I'll take you someplace no one will mess with you, a place where you can be taught, cared for, Ayra. Believe me."
"Why should I? Why are you here, when did you get in?" Ayra inquires.
"I'm like you. Like you, Mickey, and maybe even Clock_."
"Maybe even?" she interrupts, "What do you mean? He's like us right?"
"In ways...he's not supposed to exsist."
There was a long pause.
"Not suppoese to exsist? Like, not...a person?" Arya wonders aloud, breaking the silence.
"Exactly. He's not human, you all aren't, but he's man-made...I made him."
"...What?" Arya asks, puzzled.
"I created him. From, things, different, solutions. He wasn't born, from a mother or anything, he's made from a substance_."
"This is bull! He's a person!"
"But he's not, he fake, sort of. If you come with me I can demonstrate. I can explain, you just can't comprehend while you're stressed like this, just relax and think. He's not like anybody_."
"I'm not like anybody!"
"I understand, but he's different from even you. Think hard for a minute."
"Um, please, lady_." Mickey starts.
"It's Silver. My name is Silver."
"Silver, lemme think about this, don't try'n explain it to 'er now, just tell me. I'll try'n make her understand if I think it's true."
"That will be fine."
"Outside, please. Ayra watch Clock, I'll check this out."
Mickey and Silver exit, then Clock opens his eyes, and sits up.
"Ayra?...I...I don't feel good..."
"Hmm?" She answered, lost in thought.
Clock sits still for a minute, then looks dizzy, his eyes roll to the back of his head and he leans forward, instantly he begins to puke...blood. Ayra is so shocked she stands appalled at the sight of the thirteen year old. He sits still for a minute, then falls foreward, hitting the ground with a sick thud.