Chapter 5-Impaled
Weeks had gone by after 7's funeral. 9 had tried his best to be a good parent figure to the twins but it just wasn't the same. He managed to rock them to sleep well enough and they would crack a smile at him every now and then but he just wasn't 7. No matter that he was just as brave, just as persistent, he still wasn't her.
The twins mostly spent time with each other, not that this was uncommon. They didn't seem to be cataloging as much as they used to and that worried 9. One day, 9 stumbled across a dead rat outside. He almost showed it to the twins to see if that would get them in the cataloging mood but he then decided that dead things wouldn't help much.
Although it was technically dead, a wilted flower would have to do 9 finally decided. The twins had become a little too inactive and 9 was getting scared.
He brought the twins to the flower and they examined it. 9 felt relived at this until he noticed something on the ground. He picked it up and held it in his hand. It looked like one of his optics only cracked almost all the way down the middle. 9 shuddered when he realized it was 5's eye and dropped it. The twins turned when they heard the optic drop and 9 quickly kicked it to the side.
"Do you like the flower?" he asked.
Slowly, the twins nodded their heads. When they returned to the wilted plant, 9 glanced sadly over at 5's optic. Even though 9 had only known 5 for a couple of days, they had become very close. 9 noticed when he had come across 5's dead body that one day that if 5 still had both eyes and a zipper or 9 had buttons they could have easily been twins.
9 glanced back over at 3 and 4. Occasionally they would fight over who got to catalog what. It had happened when he first met the twins, 3 had wanted to catalog 9's light bulb and didn't want to share with 4. It had happened other times like once when the twins had found a wedding ring. 4 had tried to wrestle it out of 3's hand and after restless hours of trying, succeeded, until 3 snatched it back. Even then, 9 could tell that the twins couldn't possibly live without one another. Especially now. 9 could hardly understand them. The only way they could really communicate with 9 was if they had cataloged something and projected it with 4's eyes. Aside from each other, there was no one for them to talk to.
Now, 4 seemed to be telling 3 something. 9 wondered if it had anything to do with the flower. Or maybe it was 7. Or perhaps they were talking about him behind his back. 9 tried not to think about the last option.
A month had passed by then and they three survivors where passing through a familiar street. 9 noticed the roller skate full of miscellaneous items and a baby doll that 2 had collected when they had first met. 9 gently pulled on his zipper and ran his fingers over his voice box. "Friend?" had been his first word. Did he still have friends? He hoped the twins still liked him. They still tagged along with him.
They were drawing nearer to the Scientist's home. 9 was tempted to go inside but the twins didn't share the urge. They didn't want to be anywhere near the burial ground. Understanding, 9 pressed on.
They made their way through the battle grounds. 9 twitched a little when he saw the remains of the Fabrication Machine. Crushed underneath it was 1's body. 9 could see 1's arm sticking out from beneath one of the Machine's arms.
The twins slowly moved towards the Machine. They knew it wouldn't hurt them for it was now destroyed but still…
They noticed that the Machine was sitting funny on it's side. It looked like it would topple over at any minute. 9 noticed this too.
"3…4…" he whispered fearing that just speaking would set the Machine off.
Suddenly becoming brave, 4 ventured a little closer. Worrying about 4, 3 moved forward. 3 grabbed 4's arm. 4 flinched and looked back at 3. Their eyes flickered and they slowly moved back. Then forward. And then back again. And then forward again.
They were beginning to get more indecisive, 9 thought, and he moved closer to them.
"3, 4. Come on. Don't get too close," he hissed.
The twins began to move away just as the Machine began to tip. 9 lunged forward and seized the twin closest to him. It was 3. 3 grabbed 4's hand as 9 pulled them away. A jagged point on the Machine swooped down and ran through 4's middle. 4 let go of 3 and 3 turned around. Shocked, 3 let go of 9.
"Wait!" 9 cried wrapping his arms around 3's waist.
He pulled 3 with all his might, still thinking that 3 had 4's hand, and fell to the ground. 9wrapped his arm around 3's head and reached for 4's but the other twins wasn't there. 9 looked back and saw 4's limp body lying on the floor skewered on a broken end of the Machine.
"No…"
3 broke free of 9's grip and rushed to 4. 9 tried to help free 4 but it was hard. Eventually, he and 3 had to pretty much rip 4 in half to free the poor twin. 4 was still alive, but just barely. 3 hugged the twin as tightly as possible. 9 watched as the surviving twin's head shock. 3 wasn't ready to believe 4 was going to die. 4's eye' flickered, trying to say something to 3. 3 looked into 4's eyes. 9 wasn't sure what they said, but it was probably goodbye.
4's optics shut and 3's head rested on 4's forehead. Silently, 3 cried. 9 rested one hand on 3's back and the other lay over 4's left hand. 3 almost pushed 9 away but didn't.
"We should let 4 go," 9 whispered.
3's head shot up. Wildly 3's head shook. "I know it's hard and it hurts but…wouldn't you rather 4 be free than trapped in a destroyed body?"
3's head dropped. That was the same line 9 had used to get the twins to release 7. 3 agreed.
They set up 4's flag. 9 was ready to use the talisman hen 3 tugged at the fabric of his arm. By the way 3 looked at the talisman, 9 could understand.
"Do you wanna do it?" he asked softly.
3 nodded. 9 handed the remaining twin the talisman and pointed to each shaped in the correct order. 3 repeated 9's sequence and the talisman began to shake. 9 threw the talisman on the floor and held 3 back. 3 ran to 4 when the twin lifted out of the talisman. 3 wanted to hug 4 but that was impossible. 4's hands rested on 3's shoulders. 3's hands rested on 4's. They just stood there and stared at each other. Their eyes never flickered. They could still understand each other though, right? 9 wondered.
When 3's head bowed, 4's rested against 3's hood. 9 walked over to the twins and held out his hand. Noticing this, one of 4's hands left 3's shoulder and rested in 9's palm.
Never leaving 4's gaze, 9 said: "Let the others know we miss them, 'kay?"
4 nodded. 4 shared one last with 3 before taking off. 3 almost broke down. "Hey. Do you want to go back to the library?"
3 didn't move. 9 held 3 closer and rocked the twin back and forth before going up into the first room.