Between Love and Blood Chapter 5
Close to the center of the main field stood the home of Mr. Age's which was an ancient piece of farming machinery no longer put in use. The farmer could get rid of it at any time he wanted to, but fortunately for now there were no signs of him even thinking of doing so. The entire thing was situated close by the river a small one that made it convenient when needed a close source of fresh water.
The only way inside the machine was all the way on the top. There wasn't anything in place to help us in doing so without assistance by any tools. Although our bodies were generally small they were well equipped for climbing heights. Our claws, legs, arms, and feet allowed us to do so.
Leaning back with a hand on a hip, the other shading my eyes, I breathed "That's a really steep climb."
As if just to spite me Justin dug his claws into the side of the machine and began to steadily make the climb up to the very top.
"Hey," I exclaimed, indignantly, hands on hips.
Stopping for a second Justin looked down at me while grinning. He appeared completely amused of my predicament.
"What's the matter," he asked. "Can't climb up?"
"Are you kidding me," I scoffed, smirking. "I can climb this contraption in my sleep."
"If you can do so then what are you waiting for," said Justin. "Get up here and join me."
"I'm coming," I called. "Just give me a moment."
To be honest I sounded a whole lot more confident than I actually was making myself out to be. So nervous to even start, but knowing I had to follow him further up. So hesitant and with great reluctance I began to make the climb up to him. This was made more difficult by the dress I was wearing there. It kept getting in the way of my legs causing them to end up getting tangled together within the length of the fabric. I didn't fall, but my position needed to be corrected before such a thing actually happened to me.
Justin waited patiently in the same place as before knowing that despite his provoking words along with my brief moment of bravado I needed time to carefully reach his current height. Caution was the better solution instead of unnecessarily rushing matters eventually causing harm.
"You all right," he asked, concern in his eyes.
I found myself completely out of breath in order to regain it along with arms and legs gaining the strength returned to their muscles. My head was placed over the knuckles of a hand, forehead laid against it.
"I-I'm fine," I gasped, exhaustion clear, "just n-need to catch my breath. My body isn't used to doing anything like this before now."
Justin chuckled "I can see that. Maybe I should bring you back to the rosebush if this is too much for you to handle right now."
That snapped me right out of it. I'd already come this far so my very pride wasn't going to allow me to turn back now. Besides if I returned and later on Jenner discovered out where I went without gathering any information for him as eh wished of me I knew I'd be in serious trouble with him.
There was no turning back at this point…at least not for me.
"Just give me a minute," I said. "I have an idea of what to do."
"All right," said Justin, looking on at me curiously.
With feet dug into the steel and the other hand hanging onto the side of the machine I quickly fixed most of the lower half of the dress around the knees and waist. The one thing was that it was at a level where nothing would be revealed for anyone who came from below to see.
Once done I released a satisfied sigh, saying "There that should do it."
Amused, Justin inquired "Finished are you?"
Sticking my tongue at him, I said "Weren't you just saying we need to keep moving?"
I then began climbing again.
Justin remained observing for a few moments before he too followed. I was only in the lead for a few seconds before he passed me by. He made it up there far ahead of me patiently waiting only a little while before I caught up. Once he helped me stand straight away from the ledge over the side I arranged the lower part of the dress to the way it was previously the climb making it descent to walk in around again. During this time I had Justin turn around until I was through. I hadn't done so before. Now there was just cause to have him do so.
We then went for the large opening that lead deep into the center of the human's machine. We had to be cautious as we went within so w wouldn't slip up. If anyone hadn't been completely paying attention to where they were going they would easily have fallen to their death at the sudden drop.
I nearly did so.
In fact I released a sudden yelp as I felt the floor disappear beneath my feet. As soon as my rear end began to slid once it hit metal Justin grabbed my shoulders to keep me in place. At the same time I quickly locked my feet against one of the spiked blades used to shred crops into much smaller pieces while locking hands onto one of his arms in fright.
"You all right," said Justin.
Eyes wide, I said "Yeah, I'm fine."
Although I was scared a little I allowed the grip of my hands to loosen slightly as he moved from above to where I was. He moved far earlier than I did since he'd already in so many amount of times before. In respond to this I sent a glare his way.
"You couldn't have warned me about that drop beforehand," I demanded, teeth gritted.
Shrugging, Justin grinned "and where exactly would the fun in that be? Besides you look quite cute when you're surprised like this."
He's so infuriating!
For that I smacked him on the rear of his head, but it didn't affect him at all.
With plenty of ease he led us safely down and around a few other sorts of obstacles. We eventually reached what would lower us to the section of the machine where Mr. Ages resided. It was a basket hanging there by a strong rope tied to the handle. The entire thing was just big enough for two our size even though it would be somewhat of a tight cramped squeeze together.
Peering down over the edge of the basket, I said "It's pretty dark down there."
"Nothing to worry about," said Justin. "It may look dark now, but it'll get easier to see once we're all the way to the bottom."
I grumbled "You'd better be telling the truth."
I didn't like being up this high in the air without any sort of protection from falling over the side of the basket. A mischievous smile formed on his mouth as an idea came to mind. He looses hid grip on the piece of rope he was holding causing us to drop.
Immediately I shrieked in terror thinking I was about to die. Almost as quickly as the basket began its rapid dissension it ceased with me frozen from fear in place.
Justin was nearly laughing his head off hardly able to breathe while slapping his knee in the process. "You should see your face," said Justin, an arm wrapped around his aching chest.
I then came to the realization of the stunt Justin had pulled on me.
"Justin," I exclaimed, furiously punching at him, "why would you do something like that?!"
"I apologize," said Justin, regaining control over his laughter. "I just couldn't resist the temptation."
I then started punching him hard at every part of him I was able to reach shaking our means of transportation in the process.
"I nearly had a heart attack so next time you better resist it," I shouted.
Grabbing my wrist so to keep still from knocking us both over the side of the backset Justin attempted to calm me down.
"Whoa, Joanna, calm down before you knock us both off of this," he said. "This basket is very delicate."
That statement caused me to freeze in place making the basket steady itself in a matter of seconds.
"You're very lucky we're up so high right now or you'd be so dead," I said, grudgingly.
Justin wisely kept silent about this not wishing for me to get more furious with him than I already was. He carefully lowered the basket the rest of the way to where we needed to be.
Authors Note:
Hope you guys like this one.
Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!
Glad you all had a Happy Halloween! I was on candy duty, but unlike the majority of those stuck with the task I actually like it. :D
Also, I lost one of my jobs today. Good news is I have more time to write, bad news I need to go looking for a new second job again. Sucks, huh. So for the time being you guys have me for however long that'll be.
