CHAPTER 4: FLASHES IN THE DARK
The four stitches had walked the entire day in silence. When the last rays of sun wailed silent death cries across the sky 7 instucted the others that they would finish the journey in the morning. In minutes the twins were asleep, flickering random unspoken words in their sleep. 9 wondered what they saw when they closed their optics. He shifted his position on the torn fabric that served as his bed and willed his optics shut. He thought he might just be able to get through one night without a problem, when his vision went bright for the third time in the past day.
9 never really was the luckiest stitchpunk.
He seemed to float in the white abiss, his mind blank, waiting for whatever he was to be shown. Sure enough, the figure of 6 appeared again. This saddened 9 at first, he had been hoping to speak with 5, or 2.
2.
9 pushed his grief into some dark place inside himself. He had to pay attention to what 6 had to say.
"Okay 6, I'm going back. But I still don't know what I'm looking for."
6 didn't answer. He seemed to turn and walk back into his drawing room.
Wait, his drawing room?
9 looked around to see that he was back in the cathedral. "Sanctuary" it had been called by 1, although 9 knew it had been more a prison than a sanctuary. 6 emerged seconds later holding a piece of yellowed paper.
"6, whaddaya got there?" It was a stupid question, but 6 didn't seem to care. He simply called 9 closer with a wave of his hand and showed him what he had drawn. It looked like a box of some sort, nothing really interesting about it. But when he looked again he saw it. A small carving on the lower left corner: A small heart, open on one side, pierced by a dagger. Wait, no, not a dagger, a key.
6's key.
When 9 looked up again 6 was gone, along with the cathedral. All went dark again. 9 was wondering if he would ever get used to this new ability, or if it would just be random. His thoughts cleared as he opened his optics to the morning, and to 7. Her back was turned to him, staring at the sky. Without turning she said,
"Good morning 9."
9 knew she had more to say but he answered her before she could ask.
"It happened again, you know." This time she did turn, her smile as warm as the new day.
"What did you see this time?"
"I saw what we will be looking for."
9 told her about his latest "flash" knowing that this will become a common thing with 7. After he had finished 7 proceded to wake the twins, and immediatly they were off again. 7 led, keeping her optics out for anything suspicious, the twins walked behind her, having one of their silent conversations. 9 took up the rear, a smile on his face and 6's key dangling on his neck.