She was looking at him very closely. Hugo was getting in trouble with it, because he was not used to see people staring at him like that.

"Your godfather wants to talk with me because he found that I'm stealing things from the shop."

"Are you a thief?" asked Isabelle.

"I'm no thief! I need to do something. Sorry." And he stared to walk.

"Wait! Hugo!"

But he didn't stop. She went after him, but he started runing.

"Hugo! HUGO!" she screamed.

But he didn't care. He entered the walls and she did it to.

Hugo was still running, but he thought that she wasn't going after him. He entered his room and fell on the bed. He looked to the automaton and whispered:

"Oh, my friend…you are the only who understands me…" and he started to cry.

The automaton moved his head and looked to Hugo.

"Don't cry, little boy. I'm your friend. I'm here with you. Don't fear, you are not alone." He said, not moving his mouth.

Hugo screamed in fear.

"Don't fear, Hugo. I won't hurt you. I'm your friend."

"You are talking! How is it possible?" asked Hugo, in panic.

"I'm your friend. I can talk with you…don't fear me, Hugo."

Hugo let his tears start to fall again and hugged the automaton.

"I'm so alone…I don't have friends…only you…no one likes me, no one cares about me…I'm so alone, I'm so afraid…"

"I know Hugo. I know. And I have a gift for you."

"A gift? What gift?" asked Hugo.

"HUGO! ARE YOU IN THERE?" asked Isabelle, knocking at the room's door.

"She is there! Oh no…" whispered Hugo.

"Don't let her in, Hugo. She will destroy my gift." Said the automaton.

Hugo looked at him, confused.

"I can't let her there. She will get lost in the walls…she didn't do anything wrong to me. She can be a friend…"

"No one will be your friend but me." Said the automaton.

"But…"

"Please…"

Hugo left the automaton and walked to the door.

"Isabelle? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I wanted to know more about you. You are so mysterious Hugo…I needed to know more."

"You call me a thief. I'm no thief."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Sorry…"

"I forgive you…" said Hugo.

Isabelle hugged him.

Hugo blushed.

"Friends?" she asked.

"Friends."

"I'm so happy! I always wanted to have a friend like you! A mysterious friend!" she smiled, very happy and proud.

Then she looked at the automaton.

"What is that?"

"It's an automaton. It's my friend."

"Oh! So beautiful! What does he do?"

"I don't know yet…I think I need a key. A key in a shape of a heart."

She looked at his light blue eyes.

"Oh…" she said "I guess I need to go now. Sorry."

"Did I say something wrong?" asked Hugo.

"No, of course not! It's just me. Please, there is nothing wrong with you. You are perfect." She kissed him on the cheek and left the room, closing the door.

"Do you know the way out?" shouted Hugo.

"YES!" she answered.

Hugo turned to the automaton.

"She didn't hurt me. She is my friend."

"She will destroy you, Hugo! Don't trust her. Please…"

"Don't be silly. She is so good for me."

"No, she is not. She doesn't like you. Let me give you the gift before she comes back."

Hugo smiled, very happy because of the gift.

"Please, tell me what is it?" asked him.

"You need to give me your hand. You need to feel my heart, my vibrations. You need to be with me. I will give you my friendship gift."

Hugo put his hand on the automaton's hand and smiled.

"And now?"

"Are you feeling me?"

Hugo nodded.

The automaton screamed in a strange language and Hugo froze in fear. He tried to let the automaton's hand, but he couldn't. He wanted to escape from the automaton.

And then he started to hear a clock. The clock was playing a song.

Tic toc tic toc tic toc tic toc…

Hugo looked at his chest. The sound was coming from inside his chest! He screamed with fear.

"Don't be afraid Hugo, now you are like me."

Hugo looked at the automaton and then looked at his hands. They were getting grey and rusty. His legs were changing to metal. All his body was changing into metal! He was transforming into an automaton!

"PLEASE! STOP, I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE YOU!" he screamed.

But the automaton did not answer.

"ISABELLE! PLEASE, HELP ME!" he cried.

He was changing…