The Clock Actually Ticks

Summary: Since a year and a half ago my parents started fighting, and I somewhat moved into the cellar, I knew not to do anything drastic to myself knowing that he'd be angry. Getting through the morning to go to school can be a job on its own.

I Can Hear the Clocks because it's So Quiet.

I quivered into my corner, my hands over my head, head leaning into my knees, something I had always done when I was scared – they were fighting, again that's all they seemed to do these days for the past year and a half that was all they did every time they fought, I hid knowing if I was there their they'd take it out on me. For some reason, they hated me; I didn't even know what I did wrong. I cringed hearing glass smash and a door slam what followed that was complete silence not even the crickets chirped. I didn't know how late it was nor did I want to know, my watch died long ago, I didn't ask for a new one knowing there would be something thrown into my face, or legs. I knew their, was enough morning for one, but the money I snatched was for my own survival. I'm not trying to say my parents are abusive or anything, they just have bad tampers – at me. To say my parents knew I was hiding, they didn't know, well they didn't remember, to say I was alive – well I was a mis fit…. Ever since I left my soul, my mind back there where my dreams took me, to say people laughed at me, well I could be as violent as my parents when I wanted to, they deserved it, they didn't know what I had been through, what I was missing. Even to say I had friends was a laugh.

I don't know. Maybe I don't belong in the Human world anymore. Which is a laugh because it is sad… Very sad. I crawled over to the small window, opened it to reveal bars, I was used to them by now but, hey, no one deserves to be locked up in a cage like some sort of animal that was born in the wild. The wind that came into the darkened room was welcomed. But the only reason I was in the cellar of my house and locked in here was because I was smart. Now you're looking as if I'm nuts. Believe me I'm not, I'm smart for locking myself in the cellar because I wouldn't get hurt, maybe a little hungry, but at least I can feel that hunger. Oh and those bars? They are fake, I could pull them off since I was twelve – I'm now seventeen, one more year of this and then I'm free to do whatever I want, the first thing I will do will be to move, far away. I went back to said corner and tried to get whatever sleep I could.

Even before they were turned into pigs, they still had arguments – I hated them. So you see, after I found my room I counted figuring out how long it would take to the cellar in case they started up again. So in a way the cellar is my second bedroom, I properly know it better then my actual bedroom. One day I was in here for one then a hour and realized that it did get stuffy so opening the window I saw my escape route was blocked, I being the klutz and stupid tried pulling them off – with my whole weight on them I fell backwards seriously hurting my butt, then realizing I had broken it I panicked not realizing it was meant to be like that, for several hours I panicked. I don't know how the idea got into my head but as I was standing there I was like, maybe they are fake. My parents don't exactly know I go missing while they are arguing but lately I spent more outside the inside.

I dreamt of him again. I only knew that because I woke up crying it had only been seven or so years, he hadn't come, I wonder if he even remembered me…. Before my parents became needing anger management and we just moved into the house I picked the room which was white and pleaded to change the colour to emerald. I went to a ribbon store and found an emerald green ribbon which has one end tired to my purple hair tie and in the wind that blew into my face the ribbon would dance in it. It would make me smile even when I was sad because it reminded me of him. I silently crept out of the cellar and looked around – it was too quiet and I was straining my ears. I rounded a corner and looked up the stairs – still no loudness my eyes found a clock which I found was actually ticking it said it was six my parents are normally fighting. I sighed as I went up the stairs. My bedroom door was open – like the way I left it, the window closed the desk still unnerved, bed made, the picture of a dragon still crocked like usual. Past an empty room. Oh, I guess I should tell why that room was empty, you see it was the reason why we moved in the first place and I wasn't very happy about it. My mum was pregnant it was due a couple months after we moved in, but he died while in labour, maybe that was why they were angry. My parents tried everything to get me to except that there was a new comer coming and yet that new comer never came, my mum cried, my dad got drunk and me I was confused about the whole thing. I pushed open my parents' door to only see my mum sleeping, no dad, not going inside he could very well be in the bathroom, I knew to keep a distance from them both so if they did turn on me I could run I was fastest out the lot but only by a little.

I found out that my dad was never going to come back. Remember that door slamming? Yeah that was him leaving the house half drunk. He died while in his car hitting a light pole which caught fire. When the ambulance and everyone else pulled him out he was already dead. I sighed inaudibly then left the house for school.

Walking up the street then going into a shop which newly opened digging into my extremely-very-short-school-skirt for borrowed-without-permission-money handing it the to the guy I had food I've had ever since Friday. Walking down into the forest which was my long but short; short-cut. Jumping over one shrine-frog-thing I kept going. The wind picked up and my ribbon danced as usual. I got to school an hour early, which believe me was an achievement. I found my tree and climbed up it. I'm not a Goth or Emo or anything I just like high places, digging into a hole I picked out my school bag, their was a reason why my bag was at school, in a tree, last time it was at home my parents thought it be fun to play catch and throw with it, that wrecked my bag and I had to come up with a very good excuse; my-inexistent-dog-played-a-role-in-destroying-my-bag-it-dug-a-hole-then-re-dug-it-so-my-inexistent-cat-could-play-scratching-pole-with-it-and-that-somehow-broke-it. The bell rang I actually heard it; I swung down from my tree and went to Math.

My math teacher doesn't give a damn, she hands out work, but no one ever does it. She just sighs and goes on marking everyone an F or an E but mostly an F. The day went to, laugh, way too quickly for my liking, the was a reason why I chose my tree as my break tree, no one could see me, which meant no one could laugh/tease/snicker/punch/kick/throw things/anything that comes into this category at me.

That next period was English, she was way to caring for her own good, she gave me this look which said; you-can-tell-me-what's-wrong-I-won't-tell-but-I-will-tell look its so annoying because she only gives it me, the girl needs a life, seriously.

School ended after placing my bag back in its tree hole. I left the grounds of my hide-away-from-parents. I never went straight home, God, that'll kill me, I'm not exactly afraid of my mum but her throwing stuff at me can be scary even though I know she doesn't mean it. That was what broke my whatever bond I had with my mum, I never had much respect for either one of my parents but I had some bonding with them and that broke that day one and a half years ago, when they started throwing things at me, and that can never be replaced.

I came home, and seeing my mother wasn't guarding the money pool I took some, I knew she blamed dad for taking it so he could get drunk and he was always drunk/stupid enough to not say it wasn't him.

Walking out the house I went back to that store and bought my dinner. Walking down into the forest I found that new pond and sat by it, I didn't know the name of it, never had the chance to find out, and when I did have time – it slipped my mind I placed the rubbish into my pocket of my jeans, I changed from my school things… it was properly a bad idea to leave them at home…. Oh well. I stood up looking down at the pond I looked up to see it didn't end where it once had. I was confused so by the edge of the water I marked it so if I went around in circles I knew I was.

It just kept going; I sighed then looked up to the sky scratching the back of my neck. Seeing a near by tree that was the same kind as the one at the school, I went over to it and climbed it. I lost thought and time for awhile. Not that I cared, I looked back down to where the ground was then followed the water I saw that it ended with a little waterfall, I didn't know I was on a slope. Giving the sky a confused looked then swung down from the tree and went over to the waterfall looking down into the mist I saw a large pool. In the water next to me there were rocks which I stepped onto. Walking back I heard my foot step on something metal I jumped back then looking down I saw a watch

'Heh.' I said as I bent down to pick it up it said it was near midnight and I wondered if it was telling the truth. I knew I couldn't go back to the house now

'I can't go back to the house now…' I thought out-loud. But I knew no one would answer me. If someone did there'd be seriously something wrong with me or them.

I sighed as I sat down by the waters edge again not caring that my shoes were getting wet, I gathered some water into my hands and sprayed it onto my face letting it run down onto my shirt and jeans. I'm not a run away, nor would I consider myself one, I consider myself as a wanting to do a runner. But I know on the inside I'm not like that, no matter what was thrown at me I wouldn't run. I'd properly stand still in fear knowing me. I wasn't that little so I could take care of myself if need be, I just don't like the fact that I can't stand to people shouting their mouths of and making words which would make sailors blush.

I don't know how long I sat there for, I didn't care either. But the clock must have been right or something because when I looked at it again it said four and the sun was rising. I sighed for the umpteenth time then stood up then made my way back to the house.

I knew what to expect, but yeah. My mum started yelling at me as soon as the door opened; she popped out of no where

'Where were you young lady?'

I rolled my eyes knowing saying anything would get me into even more trouble, if it was actually the truth she said it was a lie because it was too bland, every time I left the house and came home she yell at me saying;

'If you've been shacked up young lady, I'll murder you.'

Yeah, sure you will. I thought standing there with my foot against the wall my eyes darted to the stairs, she'd properly follow me… but that's where I left my school wear so if I could… she was yelling at me again, I tunned out, whoops. I looked at her she was about to slap me. I ran for the stairs she blinked startled for a second then chased I ran into my room grasping my school wear. Taking a risky jump out the open window into the tree then throwing myself onto the ground, I kept running. I could hear her yelling "It's your fault!"

Not knowing where I was, and if she was still chasing me my hand clutched the school clothes tighter as I stopped placing the other hand that wasn't holding clothes onto a near by tree I breathed several times. It took me five minutes to get my breathing right. I looked around and to my surprise I somehow was looking up at the waterfall. I scoffed in surprise then dug into one of my pockets for the watch. It was nearly five. I had an hour or somewhere along that line to do whatever I wanted.

I folded my jeans and top then placed them on the grass and sat down staring at the waterfall. I swear I could see a rainbow. I looked down at the watch I inaudibly gasped at it, it was six, I gathered the jeans and top under my arm as I stood up I turned around and walked to the nearest road.

Buying the food I needed and received one hell of a look from the guy who served me. But I didn't say anything.

I climbed the tree and found the hole where my bag was kept, stuffing the clothes into the bag, I then found a comb taking the hair tie and ribbon out I did what teenage girls do – brush their hair for several minutes. I only did it because of the knots. Stuffing that back in the bag I dug my hand into my skirt to find the watch reading the time I then placed it back in the pocket, digging into my bag again I found my home-work, well tree-work. I did that for a stingy five minutes before the bell went. Sighing I placed the finished work down in the bag swinging that over my shoulder I swung myself down to the ground and looked around – no one was around. Great, assembly. I thought with distaste. Sighing as the bell went I headed for the home room I was in. Lining up like a little kindergartener trying to ignore all the glares/looks of distaste I was getting. What did I do wrong? But the one thing I did notice was a girl who looked a little older then me. Give me a smile; I didn't think anything of it because she could have easy thought I was someone else. Not that anyone looked like me, that is…

I found out that, that girl was new. Her name? Well I can't remember it; even though she was in every class I had that day. But she seemed to take me as an un-asked friend or the teachers were extremely torturing the girl, but she didn't seem to mind sitting next to me in very class, which scared me. But I knew once she heard every un-fair-rumour-about-me, she wouldn't want anything to do with me.

But the strangest thing was, she did. She was strange, liking me that was the first step to becoming insane, but she was beautiful. Every guy fawned over her she looked at them as if they were insane. But I guess she wasn't really helping, flicking her long brown hair out of her fair face every five minutes, causing major sparkles to come out of no where.

'You wouldn't happen to have a spare hair tie would you?'

That was the first thing she ever said to me. I was stunned, let alone surprised she was actually talked to me.

'Uh… no…' I said after I said that I felt extremely foolish, even though I didn't show it. She laughed

'You're in every one of my classes so far aren't you?'

I nodded still feeling extremely stupid

'My names Rillian, but you knew that didn't you?'

I shook my head the extreme foolishness started to rise again

'I tunned out…'

She laughed

'Well now you know, I don't know yours…'

'Chihiro.'

She nodded

The bell went

'Math here we come!' Rillian said I stood there shocked

'I was only trying to be cheerful about it…' She said this time it was my turn to laugh.

Well I now knew, I…- We… Had a new teacher, at seeing him Rillian groaned and seemed to want to sink into the chair she was sitting in. I found out that the new teacher was her father. I actually felt bad for her. But he expected us to work, me and Rillian did without complaint. All right I confess, Rillian whispered into my ear what her father would do if I didn't work. The first one beside me and Rillian to know was a thuggish guy who properly listens to Rap and hangs out with a group. He was taken outside, the door closed. For several minutes the classroom was silent I felt Rillian move I looked at her, well her desk – she wasn't there I raised an eye brow – she was under the desk

'Do I even want to know?' I asked her she just placed a finger to her lips then pointed to the door. The door opened and they came back into the classroom. Well, lets just say, we found out the guy was actually really afraid of cats and spider-man and was never thuggish at all.

After that incident, the class never got on the bad side of him. The class knew to work.

When Rillian told me she was only staying for a month it actually hurt, she became my friend. Her and her father, I found out were the only ones I trusted in the whole school, which was kind a strange. And she was about to found out all my secrets. She asked me to come over one day. For several hours we explored the house she and her father were staying at, she told me her secrets it was only fair for her to know mine. After all that she hugged me in a friendly-grown-up-way. Then went to tell her father, I sighed and shrugged to no one in particular. There was something about this girl I knew about, but every time I tried to place it, it slipped my mind completely. When she came back I expected her to tell me she was leaving that very day, but surprised me when she said she and her dad were going to stay and let me stay with them.

Everyone called Rillian's dad Ka, Kama or Sir. And knew not to shack his daughter up or give his Daughters' best friend the glare anymore. Which I kind a did enjoy. But the loud whispers started to piss Rillian off. I could see it not that she'd let on. She laughed at me when I tripped, over thin air, which I hadn't done in awhile

'You have an IQ of a turtle…' she joked

'Yea, and you have an IQ of a mouse.' I joked back she pretended to look affronted. But couldn't keep the face for over a minute before she burst out laughing.

To the truth? I got used to living at Rillian's I got used to going to school, I got used to having a friend again, I got used to having my meals at a table, I got used to having a bed, having an actual shower without having to rush it, an actual bedroom that was aloud to be trashed, and I didn't want it to go away. I feared it would when I left Rillian's to go to the river to sit and ponder. I came back around eleven. Rillian actually looked like her father after giving her, a very fast and quick explanation to where I went all the while she was glaring at me then, she laughed at me. Then went to tell her father I was back and very loudly said that I had been shacked up

'WHA-!?' I said well asked cross with a scream. When I stormed into the room only to find Rillian and her father pissing them selves with laughter. I glared at them playfully then went to my room, which was the spare but they didn't seem to mind lending it to me nor letting me and sometimes Rillian make it look like a home of the cats.

We all took turns in cooking meals; we all quickly found out that I couldn't cook, unless we were cooking poison. Which was a remark done by Rillian and she got chocked and tickled by me and her father.

I had been with them for a year. I went back to my own house to gather my own things of course in the dead of night so my mother couldn't know I was there. I had fun making a mess of the kitchen, but didn't do anything else. I went to my room, it was like she hadn't done anything to it, not even cleaned it. I gathered that because there were several layers of dust on everything. Even though I was quick it took me to four in the morning. I was kind a glad it was Saturday because not even Rillian could wake me up.

But of course… Rillian being Rillian…

...Nothing she could do at all could get my attention...

'CHIHIRO YOU GOT SHACKED UP!!'

Except that.

I jumped out of the bed and chased Rillian around the house for several hours then somehow we ended outside and Rillian was in the pool. I stood there with a sweat drop on the side of my head as she glared at me I got an idea I walked away and before Rillian could do anything I jumped in splashing her with water. I somehow took in several lungs full of water but that didn't keep me from laughing.

At school Rillian and I had to help in taking care of the littlies. Meaning from grade one under. That I cannot believe, we were alone with several hundred littlies, we did several drop backs. Rillian somehow got tied up with pretend fire around her shoes a star on her check a moon on her forehead and a sun on her right arm. Add that with paint and you get Rillian on a chair tied up with fire in her eyes looking very pissed, and that even one kid whose name got me stumped Beano But everyone called him Bon. Go figure. Anyways Bon was actually sent into crying tears at Rillian and everyone but Rillian stared at him

'Bon, no, like, Rill, in, tie!!' He cried out or something similar to it at that they untied Rillian who did a high-five in the air then looked over to the clock and sighed; her happy mood swept away because we still had half a day left.

Another week of torture went passed as we went to the littlies who seemed to be controlled by the crying shrimp Beano. Which I had to emit got to the best side of me. Especially when I happened to become a klutz over thin air again, he saved me from certain death from littlies jumping all over me and squeezing the air out of me.

I knew they were hiding something from the moment I looked at Rillian she was drinking water to hid her giggles but then chocked and gagged somewhat dreadful. I laughed at that and she hit me over the head.

After the last day we had of littlies, Bon cried, well he always cried

'Bon, no, want, Chi, and Rill to leave!!'

Really how can the littlies be controlled by the little crying Shrimp?

Rillian dragged me somewhere with a rag over my head/eyes and refused to tell me where she was taking me. When she took the rag off it took me a moment to get used to the light, looking around for Rillian I couldn't see her. I started to walk while looking the other way, I bumped into someone and when I looked up, what I looked up to was a familiar smiling face.

I guess I was afraid of clocks that tick; that was the only thing that told me to move on, to stop waiting for him. And which is why I hated ticking clocks, I blocked them from my mind, well actually my parents blocked it for me. Time is used for passage of time, and to remind us of memories and promises that have faded.

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A/n; Alright FINISHED!! WOOT:-) I'm very sorry if the way I lay out the story got you confused, but it kinda had to be that way... Oh wells, Review me please! .:Beg-full eyes:.