Chapter 2: Twitching
The colorful lights had awakened me in the morning, as I slowly opened my eyes to see how the stained glass window of an angel had made such wondrous lights peer through the church, I finally had time to look around this new place I called home, seeing as how I couldn't see much in the dark last night. I sat up straight now very weary of the twins were still sleeping on my neck, I raised a hand to pat the rest of my neck only to touch the back of my neck hairs, tickling myself in response. I turned around completely to see if they fallen on the floor or on the seat somewhere, when I couldn't find the twins a feeling of worry washed over me, what if a machine arose in here and took off with them? That was popristious, since I would have been killed as well. Slowly arose from the seat, my back aching while it arched and my arms sore as if pricked with a thousand needles, I looked around and was a little startled by the binary code appeared in my right eye, flashbacks of the contact came over me and I remembered. I then pushed the blond hair out of my face and I turned my head hoping the contact would give me information about the location of where the twins were located.
" 3? 4?" I whispered as I glanced around, all I saw was the row of slightly damaged church seats, the end of the church was cracked letting little bits of sunlight seep through. The banisters were starting to crumble, collapsing into each other while pieces of marble would crumble down so every 5 minutes as well a bunch of virgin Mary statues were tossed among the floor, I then checked the floor and felt my face turn pale, a couple of huge black holes loomed throughout the floors, I felt myself snap awake and start to run towards the holes, my body ached like cogs that hadn't been worked in years. My legs hurt the most from my running Marathon the other day, surely there would probably be another one today. I made my way slowly to the floor and glanced down wards, the entire hole was black and I could feel tears start to fall from my eyes, they danced their way like diamonds through the deep, dark abyss. I then leaned closer and whispered.
" 3....4?" I was expecting a couple of flashes from their optics, however there was nothing. The heaviness on my heart had lifted and I slowly stood up to search the rest of the church, as I stood up I heard a snap coming from my leg, as soon as the sound exclaimed from my knee I fell to the ground in a spite of pain, gritting my teeth and holding onto my knee, I let out such a yelp that I hoped nothing outside could hear me, just to make sure I started to drag myself towards a darkened corner that was surrounded by broken floorboards and church base frames, I then felt something grab my leg. I was startled and reacting to whatever was grabbing me I grabbed a piece of floorboard that jagged out in front of me, snapping it in two I swung my body around so that I could see who my attackers where, I had the floorboard still gripped within my hand, my pulse radiating throughout my hand due to the fact that I was groping too hard. I was surprised when I saw 3 and 4 holding onto my leg and starring at me terrified, they kept their eyes on the floorboard that I was holding, catching myself I threw down the floorboard and cupped my face in my hands, letting out a silent groan I couldn't help but chuckle at this. 3 and 4 flickered their eyes at me wondering what was going on, I looked at them and smiled.
" You scared me I thought that you were a machine" I replied as I used my left hand to stabilize me as I sat up, pain shot up from leg and made me fall to the floor again, 3 and 4 looked at me and flickered messages violently in each others eyes, they then ran over to me, 3 put his tiny hand on my face and stared at me. All I could see was his small face painted with the picture of worry, his small optics seemed to be scared but full of curiosity to find out why I was screaming in pain.
" My knee hurts" I replied weakly, I turned my gaze towards my knee which was now being examined by 4's flickering eyes, 3 was beside him in a dash, both proding at my knee but being gentle not to hurt me, they then looked at each other and started talking. 4 nodded his head and ran off, 3 stayed with me and to my surprise he started cradling my knee, I would have stood up and smiled kindly at him but the pain was exgrucating. I just stared at him with reassuring eyes and a kind smile tugged at my mouth, I wondered where 4 ran off too, I slowly moved my neck not moving any part of my lower body I made my neck stretch far enough for me to see all of 3 and not just his hood.
" Where's 4 going?" I had to admit, my voice sounded like a worried mother looking after her children, it reminded me of my mother but I dislodged that thought into the farthest depths of my mind, never for me to think of again. 3 came beside me as I was lost in thought. He flickered once to regain my attention, I stared down at him and he tried to explain to me, however I still wasn't sure of much so he ran away, leaving me alone. I looked in the direction of him but no matter how hard I looked it was pure darkness. I once again felt worry tug at my heartstrings and my eyes widened in fear, I leaned towards the floor and started to drag myself towards the darkened nook, I could feel my knees going limp and my arm starting to ache with needlepoint pricks within my veins, I kept going I wasn't going to let a little bit of pain stop me from saving my friend, I put my hand out and touch the darkness however I felt a bit of tugging at my leg, gritting my teeth by how hard the person was pulling I turned my head in response.
" Well hello there young lady" My eyes were astonished by what I saw.
There was a rag doll holding onto my leg, he was made of what seemed to be shoe leather, he wore such a hat that it would take me a while to list the words to explain it. In front of the hat he had a pan of glass, I hypothesized that it was for him to see better. He smiled kindly at me and shifted his eyes towards my knee, I nodded allowing him to proceed with what he was doing. He walked around my knee and poked at it a little to harsh for my liking, he then realised this when I gritted my teeth that he rubbed it in response. He then whispered something to 4, 4 nodded and came by my side, holding onto my elbow and smiling at me, he then flickered his eyes as if to say something to me, I cocked my head to the side to remind him that I couldn't comprehend however I was stopped short by a shaking tremor of pain that arose from my knee, I opened my mouth and screamed, 4 covered his ears in response and the other doll looked down upset as I saw he drove his cane into a socket of my knee, when the pain calmed a little and the tears had ran dry in my eyes, the doll looked up at me and tried to smile even after he felt sorry for the pain he inflicted on me.
" How does it feel now?"
I then looked at him puzzled, I returned my glance towards my leg and slowly moved my knee, I noticed a huge purple bruise start to blemish on my knee and a dent of flesh as the cane had fitted through the joint. I moved it closer to me, in my surprise it had stopped hurting, I kept moving it up and down faster each time until I realised that it was fine, the pain had stopped abruptly did he put some Tylenol on his cane? I looked at the doll who smiled kindly at me.
" H-How did you fix my knee?" I asked as I moved it up towards me and started to rub my now purpled and blue colored knee.
" It was removed from it's socket, I pushed it back into place" The doll moved his glass from his eyes and walked closer to me, he nodded at me and I let him examine my knee on last time, he looked embarrassed by the bruise, but I quickly covered it with my hand, even my hand had been scraped but I still managed a smile. He noticed this and turned my hands over and saw the dead flakes of skin starting to peel, little scabs of crimson dotted my hands like ink blots, and pieces of asphalt within them, he looked up at me disapproving, then he stumbled with his cane towards a pair of wore out stairs, with broken railings and holes dissolving every step, I watched as he stood in a pail at the base of the stairs and started to pull the bucket up the stairs. I just sat as I looked at my hands, how bad in shape was I now? After running from machines I was pretty much starting to feel it now.
" He seems nice" I replied while I smiled towards 4, 4 nodded and flicked his eyes happily, I still smiled though I had no idea of what he was saying.
" What's his name?" I asked, though I was sure of my response. This time I stared into 4's eyes and he flickered twice, I still watched but he paused again and flicked twice, then again. I understood what he was saying to me, I felt my eyes light up and my I balled my fists in determination as I smiled brightly.
" 2!" I exclaimed, 4 smiled a huge smile and nodded, he then hugged my elbow in congratulations, we both looked as we heard a clang of metal hit the floor. 2 arrived with an old rusty box, he came beside me and opened it up revealing gauze's, peroxide and other medical supplies, 2 put my hands palm up and put peroxide onto my palms, I felt as it started to clean my scab and removed the asphalt from my hands I still could feel tears well up in my eyes from the pain I felt from the whole day. 2 then rubbed it off with a piece of blue rag cloth, then he took a piece of gauze and put it around my palms as well as my flower bruised knee. I stood up and walked around, I felt so relieved that my knee was feeling a lot better and that I could walk, even though my muscles ached in every part of my body. 2 smiled and started to walk away. Before he could left himself up I ran to the bucket and bent down so we could see eye to eye.
" Thank you 2 I'm grateful" I said as I stook one of his fingers, weary of how breakable they were I just touched his fingers instead. 2 smiled and began to pull himself up until that is he say my eye.
" What's with your eye?" 2 asked as he pulled the pan of glass across his eyes to examine it, I touched it feeling how cold it felt, the contact immediately zoomed in on my palm, allowing me to examine the lines of my hand and as well as some bacterium, the words HUMAN LIFE arose on my eye, I put my hand down so that 2 could see as well.
" I don't know I was attacked by a machine and in a compartment was this eye contact" I explained. The bacterium was stuck in my mind, it was astonishing looking, a small creature created from cytoplasm and it's cilia that whisked across my hand, it seemed weird how we could not feel this strange thing on our hands.
2 swung the bucket towards me as he tried to touch the contact, to his dismay he kept moving backwards and forwards, frustritred with himself he then let the bucket clang across the stair railing, scaring the twins in the process. They ran behind my legs and peeked at 2, who smiled reassuringly and stared kindly towards me.
" Would you mind coming with me? I can get a better look in my workshop" 2 explained, I nodded and watched as he pulled the bucket upwards the church steeple with rope, I then turned towards 3 and 4 who still were hiding in the shadows of my legs, I bent down and put them on my shoulders and stood up slowly trying not to make them fall off. I applied pressure on the first oak step, it creaked softly but wobbled a little bit, I then put both feet, nothing happened it seemed to balance itself. Then I walked up the stairs, almost falling through holes and tripping a couple of times I was glad when I finally made it up towards the second floor of the church. I then looked around at the floor.
There were 2 stained glass pictures that were starting to shatter in places, one of Jesus and one of the virgin Mary, was it me or did they look saddened? There were many holes in the floor and I had to watch my step, slowly I walked around the corner, it revealed an organ that had been shattered and the keys were scattered among the floor, many robes of priests were hanging from various places as well as the usual corpse still in shock, from the machines rambling inwards on this place. To be frank I expected this place to be full of people asking for help from God, but instead to be perished instead. I kept my eyes on the organ as I saw 2 motioning for me to follow him. He stumbled into a crack within the organ and returning by the time I saw that I was beside the organ, I sat down slowly and sat on the cold, wooden floor. 2 came out of crack covered in a bit of giprock, but immediately brushed it off. In his coopered hands he held a piece of glass, he then walked closer to me.
" Would you mind taking it out so I may examine it?" 2 was courteaus, I could tell how he wasn't willing to jump right directly to my eye socket.
" Sure" I said as I put my index fingers around my eye ball, I pushed the contact out or so I thought, Weird was all I could think off, I tried again but another failed attempt. 2 looked at more curiosity arising within his optics. I then tried harder this time but instead I poked my eye out, I retracted as soon as I felt my eye start to water, I started to wipe the tears away, 3 and 4 looked at my eyes and started flickering to each other, both of them started to poke each others optics out, I gasped and stepped in between them, well put my head between them.
" Don't do that it hurts!" I exclaimed, once again 3 and 4 looked at me like I was a machine, they both tapped each others optics and all I heard was like someone tapping on glass, I realised that they couldn't hurt each other's eyes since they were shield by glass. I felt my face heat up and I turned towards 2, 2 was as puzzled as I was he put his hand under his chin in the thinking pose, then he shielded the pan of glass over his eyes as he looked closer at my contact.
" What do you see in that?" 2 asked, his fingers lingered towards me hoping to touch my eye, however my eyes would close involintarliy before he could.
" I can see many things, I can detect human life and movements as well" I explained, yes I was glad for this eye for it helped me to find these people, and thank God they were helpful.
2 smiled and circled around me, when he returned to my abdomen, he returned his gaze towards me.
" Well that's great you can find out where the machines are coming from, I'll be right back I'm going to grab some loose leaf and copy your eye" I nodded as 2 sneaked his way through the small brick wall, a couple of rocks hit as soon as he walked in, blocking his way. I bent down and scooped the small white pebbles out of his way, and we awaited his return.
Just then my eye went crazy again, a wall of 0s and 1s had blocked my vision and revealed a path to another life form. Thinking it was just 3 and 4, I turned my whole body around. The twins were running about the top floor at amazing speeds, digging through robes and picking up pieces of floorboards, and stained glass pieces as they picked it up and found how is sparkled beautiful colors onto the floors. I smiled at their curiosity however my eye pointed me in a different direction.
My eyes zoomed in one what appeared to be an old fireplace, surely this must have been the priest's lounge as it had some luxuries instead of the church downstairs, the fireplace had a bunch of grey ashes that had been inside of it, the whole place was dark except for the flickering of light, illuminating like a candle within, I felt myself start to slowly crawl towards it in my own curiosity, my mind snapped back to reality and awaited 2. I tried to turn back towards the organ but my vision kept pointing me towards the abandoned fireplace, that's when I noticed all the pieces of paper that had hung from the bricks, some of loose-leaf, others of post it notes and some of what appeared to be of books. I felt myself loom closer as each piece of paper had the same drawings on them. It appeared to be a circle with 3 symbols being connected by the circle, I saw this before but where do I recall it from? I thought to myself. I then looked up to see a pair of eyes staring at me from the darkened fireplace, I jumped back startled by the sudden movement of seeing the eyes, it too I must have started it as it jumped back towards the darkened room, flickering the candle making it dance in various directions. I leaned closer but heard the crumbling of rocks coming from 2's room.
" Alright may I see that eye?" 2 asked as he came back with a piece of paper, I turned around and nodded, as fast as he could move his hand 2 drew the diagram of my contact. As much as it was tempating I tried not to look towards the fireplace, though I could feel someone's eyes staring at me, more like examining me I knew that because my contact able me to detect movements of many which made me dizzy feeling 3 and 4's. It felt like being on a rollercoaster 24/7.
When 2 was finished he put down the olive colored crayon and picked up the piece of paper, he then studied it carefully and looked towards the fireplace as well. He seemed to move closer to him I was hoping that I could meet whoever was in the place, instead he shook his head, rolled the paper into a scroll and stuck it in between the cracks of his room. 2 rubbed his hands getting rid of giprock and turned his attention to me. I felt my body had turned to the side so I could get a little look of the fireplace but it wasn't enough, whoever it was stopped staring now and was sitting alone in the darkness.
" Is someone in there?" I asked as I turned my body directly towards 2.
" Yes 6 is in there, however he is very shy and rather stick to his drawings, he claims to see the future and channels his thoughts by drawing this weird symbol" 2 walked over to the fireplace and tapped his cane against one of the pink tinted papers, I moved closer feeling more comfortable that 2 was with me this time, I also felt 3 and 4 touch my feet again, I held in my laugh but I was hard.
" Not to be rude but he's been shunned the outcast by 1, 1 found his drawings useless and he's been hear drawing all the time" 2 explained while peering into the fireplace.
I knew how that felt, I used to be like that as a kid as well, my mother and father would come up to my room to find my hands full of clay, making cups or making diagrams of many things I had seen from my windows. My whole room was covered in papers just like 6's makeshift home. I felt myself start to fell sorry for him, his life was art and so was mine, it used to be but it made my memories start to replay themselves.
" I used to be like that" I said indirectly to 2, I really wanted to meet this 6 character, " My life was art as well and nothing else, I remember that my room was covered in papers much like yours, if you feel like coming out I'd like to be friends, see?" I put my hand in the fireplace, a little frightened by what might grab my hand. I banished the thoughts of fantasy out of my mind and kept my arm straight in, behind me 3 and 4's eyes flashed violently and 2 just peered in the fireplace like me. I detected movement within the fireplace, as I felt a brush of metal hit my hands, it was slowly and it quickly brushed away, after a couple of minutes I felt a whole hand cup around my enormous fingers. I felt myself smile as another hand seemed to cup around it as well, I felt like the person was cradling my hands, these creatures were sure nice. Just then a huge shadow loomed over us, I remembered this feeling and it brought back so many memories at once. I turned around as a machine broke through the window, it fell on the floor and seemed to have been stopped. However as fast as it hit the floor it's eye glew red and I noticed this wasn't the same machine I had encountered yesterday.
This machine had a huge cat skull with a bright red eye. It's body was made of many rusty and grostique metal parts, it's whole body mass was about as big as me maybe a little bit more then me. I stood my ground as I felt 6 go back into the fireplace, 3 and 4 went to go hide and 2 was beside me as well. I had no weapon except for my brain, however my brain was stuck in the past and wouldn't cooperate with me, visions of me outrunning the beast were arriving in my mind every 5 seconds, I snapped out of it when I heard the beast growl at me. I started to run towards the end of the church where there was a huge window that was busted open, I stopped short just as my feet touched the end of the floor, I turned around to find the beast right at my heels, it stopped short as well when it noticed my contact, surely he must have one himself I thought. My mouth no longer in a scared form was now in rage, I felt myself pick up a piece of glass and start to run around the beast. My mind searching and screaming at me, What the Hell can you do with a fragile piece of glass against that? I was mouthing the words, I have no idea to myself over and over again, until I stopped and saw how the floorboards were stationed. They all went up wards and circled around the bell tower, I had an idea and I started to run up the floorboards, being extremely careful of my feet that they didn't get pricked by splinters, I jumped my way towards the clock tower. When I was stationed I saw the cat beast had been searching for me. It was frolicking throughout the church, I keep my eyes on 2 who kept a steady pace away from the machine. When it moved my way I squinted my eyes and decided to jump.
He's going to move 180 degrees west in 5 minutes so curve yourself, I thought, how did I know that? I curved myself weary of the now less stable base board, I jumped downwards, feeling my hair fall and gravity descended felt weird, I did this a thousand times in movies in stunts. But this isn't a stunt it's real life I reminded myself. I hit the beast with a huge clang, I got the look of 2's surprised face as I immediately pondered about what to do next.
His left back leg is going to try to move you,
I nodded what ever was guiding me was accurate enough, sure enough his left back leg came up trying to grab me, I shimmed towards the north and saw that I was atop of the cat's skull. I was being jiggled around a lot by the beast swaying back in forth, it crashed itself into the wall a couple of times only to have made more holes in the walls, I was still on the beast wondering what to do, the piece of stray glass in my hand I was wondering where I could jab it.
The engine is located in the back of his neck, manage to cut his neck off and you'll defeat him.
My eyes looked at where I was. I was at the base of the neck and inside I could see a small walky talky looking item, that must be it I thought to myself. I jammed the small piece of glass inside of the neck of beast, I then smashed it down farther with my hand, the glass jammed right into the box making it electrocute, I looked at as the head slowly slid off and landed with a crash, the body fell down knocking me off as well. I could feel my heart pounding and my forehead was caked with sweat, I smiled proudly of myself and I raised my fist to find it bloodied. I put it on my chest feeling the blood ooze between the silk wedding dress, it felt good to have it cool down my chest. 2 came over to me and started smiling he then took my fist in his hand and examined it. I saw him run towards the organ, I kept my breath steady as 3 and 4 with worried eyes looked at my dress which was now bloodied, 3 took it and grabbed the silk which he flickered his eyes with along with his brother. I looked up at them and they both cupped their hands around my face. I cuddled them back. 2 returned and put gauze's around my already gazed hands.
" Good job lady" 2 compliement as he put tape around them to keep them together.
" Jessica" I introduced to him. 2 smiled as he know knew my name he walked away leaving me and the twins, I turned towards them but they were interested with my blood and my gown. I sat up slowly and felt all feelings go to my legs.
" Would you guys like to go exploring with me?" I asked, as I was eyeing my red and white gown, I took it in my hands and felt myself how bad I was bleeding through, I was interrupted by 3 and 4 moving their heads up and down excitedly.
"Nobodies going anywhere" I heard a grumpy voice awaking in the darkness, I turned my head to see another rag doll who wore a hat that resembled the popes hat to me. He had a red cape around his neck and he bared a staff with a bell on it, his eyes were squinted in anger at me. I cocked my head as I saw others behind him. One was bulky and had a huge razor in his hands, he also looked mad at me. There was one who was of lighter texture and she wore a bird skull on her head, she seemed to smiled kindly at me. The last guy had only one eye as well he was the second one smiling.
" Who are you?" The grumpy one pointed directly at me, I tried to smile but all the other ones were staring at me confused at what I was, they must have seen a thousand human corpses but not a live one.
" My name's Jessica, I came from Hollywood and I found you guys here" I explained, my voice kept breaking up with nerves, as they he gave me glares.
" Leave her alone 1" 2 reappeared by my side, he glared at one who gave him the same look, " She can help us she just defeated a beast by herself" 2 pointed to the cat beast who had just been devoured by me, all eyes stared in my direction and I flushed.
" Still it's against our rules no one is aloud to go outside no matter what" 1 explained to me. I just kept looking at my clothes.
" Well what about my clothes? There caked in blood and they'll start to smell if I don't replace them soon" I added, 1 looked nervously up at the contact with the eye dislodged in it.
" Take them off" 1 replied with harshness, he turned around to his group.
" I can't do that!" I literally screamed with embarrassment, I couldn't imagine walking around naked, even if they weren't humans it would be embarrassing to me. 1 looked at me and started harshly.
" And why not?
" Because I'd be naked, and your anatomy is different then mine and I'm not letting you see my privacy" I glared back. The others looked confused, I felt 3 and 4 run away from me and return with a book about human anatomy, they flicked a couple of pages but they stopped at one and put the book behind their back in embarrassment.
" See what I mean?" I whispered to them, they both nodded at me.
" Fine, You may go out in the next dawn, we still need sleep none of us received it from last night or today" his cape flicked away into the distance. I turned towards 2,3 and 4. They both nodded and we followed the others, just in case the beast reactivated.
I watched as all the others slept in various rooms, I sat by myself as 3 and 4 decided to even start to fall asleep. I learned the others names all from 1 to 8. I sat as I drew in the dirt and dust that washed aboard the floor. I then felt a presence behind me. I turned around and I recognized the eyes from this morning. It was him, I felt my face light up as he came and sat beside me. He had striped skin with little pieces of hair atop his head, he had one eye bigger then the other and his fingers were made of pen nubs. I smiled down at him and realised why he was the outcast.
" Hello 6" I greeted, he looked up at me but looked down quickly, beneath his legs were a piece of paper. I watched as he drew the symbol that I had seen on every one of his pictures. Where did I recognize that from? I leaned closer and 6 stared at me nervously and moved away from me. I looked up and figured I was to in his personal space.
" I know that drawing from somewhere" I said hoping to drum up a conversation with him, instead he looked up at me astonished but quickly went back to his doodlings. I felt the urge to draw with him, he brought back the child in me who loved art. I decided to ask him.
" May I borrow a piece of paper?" I asked timidly, 6 looked up at me and I found his eyes cute even if they were uneven, he then walked away and pulled a piece of paper out of a book and gave me it. I thanked him and searched for a pen, when I couldn't find on I took a piece of floorboard and dipped it in a ink bottle that 6 had. I started drawing a picture I used to draw when I was kid. It was really depressing to me, it was a barn that seemed to abandoned and with a hand sticking out, like a murder was committed here. I then felt 6's eyes on my paper, I looked up and he seemed to be excited by what I was drawing.
" Would you like me to help you draw this?" I asked, 6 smiled and it seemed rare to me, like it was a once in a lifetime scene. Carefully I took his fingers and together we started to trace the picture, I had fun drawing it but it seemed different this time, more cheerful like it was a normal barn, probably just me hallucaing I thought to myself. Maybe I should catch some z's I thought.
I stood up and started to walk, I wasn't returning downstairs I was going to walk and search for a new room, before I left I felt 6 start to follow me, I turned around and saw that he was tapping his fingers together nervously, he then looked up at me. I smiled and turned around.
" T-thank y-y-you" he said as he pointed towards the picture.
" Your welcome good night 6" I said as I climbed through the curtain into the attic of the church, I found some old rags to sleep on. and I pulled them close and started to close my eyes, I could still hear 6's voice as he was still drawing.
" B-B, Pretty" I heard him say, I smiled to myself and closed my eyes.