Clockwork Twist : Waking (10 page)

“You don't understand anything,” Twist said back to him, unable to keep the disgust from his voice.  Jonas looked to him quickly, through the black lenses. “Don't do that again,” Twist said to the captain.

“You're just as bad as him,” Capt. Davis said, shaking his head. “Fine.  If you insist on blowing yourselves up again, then be my guest.”  He turned with his last words, stalking off.

Twist watched him for a moment, perplexed by his apparent lack of compassion, before the buzz at the back of his neck escalated sharply.  Twist turned to see Jonas's black lenses trained squarely on him.

“Thank you,” Jonas said, as if the words were foreign to him.  Twist smiled, even if the other man couldn't see it. “But, what did you see?” Jonas asked, his voice suddenly fragile. “You had to see something when you touched my goggles.”

“It was just a glimpse,” Twist said after a moment. “I saw a rush of the things those goggles see for you.  What you never see.”

“People, then,” Jonas said with a small smile on his lips. “Well, I suppose we're even now,” he said more brightly. “I got a glimpse of you, and now you've had one of me.”

To his complete surprise, Twist found himself still sitting with Jonas on the open deck, as twilight began to fall on the desert land below.  The longer he spent with Jonas, the more accustomed they both became to the strange buzzing at the base of their skulls.  After a while, Twist found it much easier to resist the compulsion to reach out to Jonas, while Jonas also seemed to have less trouble keeping his eyes away from him.

The strange metal earmuffs that Jonas had been wearing turned out to contain small electric speakers, connected to a mechanical device that played recorded music from wax cylinders.  Jonas said he had picked it up in Vienna, and collected a handful of recorded cylinders from cities all over the world.  He'd even recorded some, himself.  The device seemed curious to Twist, but he began to understand why Jonas was so adamant that the technology would take the world by storm, as he listened to the disembodied, exotic music.

“Where is this one from?” Twist asked, pulling one of the earphones away.  He was now sitting against the railing at the bow of the ship, watching the thin, high-atmosphere clouds stream by overhead.

“South Africa,” Jonas said, now lying on his back, at Twist's feet. “I recorded that one.  They are all local school children.  Pretty enchanting, isn't it?”

“Wonderful,” Twist said, putting the earphone back into place so that the angelic voices, singing words he found meaningless but beautiful, could fully encompass him again.

When the song ended, Twist pulled the earphones off, letting them hang around his neck by the band that connected them, and looked down to Jonas.  His goggles were sitting on his brow again, his eyes flashing gently in the failing light.  For a moment, Twist thought he saw the color of his eyes change quickly from green to lilac.

“Twist...” Jonas's voice toned leadingly, closing his eyes with what looked like an effort.

“Sorry,” Twist said, looking away and absently rubbing at the buzz in his neck.  He heard Jonas chuckle to himself. “But, you know, I haven't tried to touch you in at least half an hour.”

“Very good,” Jonas said, a light smile on his face as he opened his eyes to the sky again.

“What are you looking at, anyway?” Twist asked, trying his best to keep his gaze away from Jonas's eyes. “You're not just seeing the sky, are you?”

“Mars has been chasing us all day,” Jonas said.  Twist looked up to see it but, even as twilight began to darken the sky, the stars were all still well hidden in the deep blue. “I think it's amazing to look up and see another planet,” Jonas said, reaching up to curl one arm under his head. “I never have seen anyone on Mars looking back, though.”

“You can really see stars in daylight?” Twist asked, not bothering to hide his wonder.

“Sure,” Jonas said dismissively. “And I see them in color, too.  I can see the air patterns swimming around, as well.”

Twist smiled lightly as he tried to imagine what colors the stars might be.  He opened the cylinder player to switch to another record, but his mind flashed for an instant when he touched the cylinder that he'd just heard: hot sunlight, dry air, a handful of children with skin as dark as Aazzi's and smiles as bright as sunlight.

“By the way,” Jonas added, “I don't think it's going to be snowing when we get to Nepal.”

Twist shook his head. “We really are strange people.”

“Is this a revelation to you?” Jonas asked through a laugh, his eyes flitting away from Twist sharply as he made an obvious effort not to look at him.

“No,” Twist said with a sigh. “Though it is new to find someone even stranger than me.”

“Now just a minute,” Jonas said, pulling his goggles on and leaning up on his elbows to look at Twist through his black lenses. “I'll admit I'm somewhat of a freak, but stranger than you?  I'm not sure about that.”

“I can't see planets in a clear blue sky,” Twist said to his vision-less gaze.

“I don't think clocks are alive,” Jonas said, unfazed.

“I can't see the future,” Twist shot back.

“You took on a submersible full of pirates with nothing but a shovel,” Jonas said, his voice gaining volume.

“The second time I met you, you flew at me!” Twist snapped back quickly.

“My word,” Jonas said, looking away and shaking his head. “We're a proper pair of freaks.”

Twist broke into a laugh, the tension of the silly argument breaking into the crisp, thin air.  When he looked up he saw Arabel standing farther off, leaning against the railing.  She watched them with a quiet smile on her face for a moment longer before stepping closer.

“I have to say,” she said, drawing Jonas's attention as well, “I never saw this coming.”

Jonas sat up, curling himself against one knee with his back to her.  His face lost its clever smile, and his form lost its ease.  Twist stared at him curiously, shocked by how quickly and completely his manner could change.

“Jon honey, are you honestly making a friend?” Arabel asked, her voice bubbly with glee as she reached down to pat his shoulder.  Jonas jerked his shoulder out of her touch instantly, his head bowed.  “Oh, don't be like that,” Arabel said, putting on a false pout.

“How long have you been over there?” Twist asked, nodding to her previous perch.

“I got to see the 'who's a bigger freak' fight,” Arabel said with a grin. “That was brilliant.”

Jonas shot up to his feet, turning on her with his sightless gaze. “Shall I sing and dance for you too?” he hissed, his jaw almost too tight to let him speak at all.

“Jon...” Arabel said, as if scolding a pet. “You weren't being so mean a moment ago.”

“And then you stuck your nose in where it wasn't wanted,” Jonas said, thinly pretending to think about it. “Funny how that works.”  Twist quietly got to his feet as well.

“Why must you always be so hostile?” Arabel asked, her voice losing all its kindness.

Jonas's jaw became visibly tight, but he kept it closed as he turned his back.  He stormed away to the other side of the deck.  Arabel scowled at his back and crossed her arms, while Twist struggled to figure out if there was something he should do in response to the now sharp tension in the empty space Jonas had left behind.

“I seriously don't understand him sometimes,” Arabel whispered to Twist.

“The way you’re treating him isn't working,” Twist said, his voice as small as ever, but certain. “Your uncle did the same thing and stormed off in less than a minute.”

“What are you talking about?” Arabel asked, frowning.

“Do you think he's being stubborn?” Twist asked, still trying to work it out. “I don't think he's the one being childish.”

“Of course he is,” Arabel said, looking confused.

Twist took a breath. “You're wrong,” he said, shaking his head. “I've only had a glimpse of him from touching those goggles, but I can tell you that that is definitely not how he feels.”

Arabel looked quietly at Twist, her thoughts working hard behind her uncertain eyes.

“Just give him some credit,” Twist said, turning to walk over to where Jonas now stood at the railing across the deck, staring out over the horizon.

As he approached, he was almost sure he saw the color of Jonas's eyes change again as they looked out over the desert world below.  The buzz in his neck tightened sharply with each step.  Jonas began to look to him, but Twist looked off to the side quickly.

“Are you fond of meddling in personal affairs?” Jonas asked, slipping his goggles on again and putting on a tight smile.  Though his words were taunting, his voice had smoothed out once again, and lost some of its vicious bite in favor of caution. “That's not going to make you very likable, you know.”

“You heard that?”

“Well, I heard her,” Jonas said darkly, looking away.

“Oh, well,” Twist said, sounding as serious as he could. “I could never meddle.  People make very little sense to me at the best of times.”

“Weirdo,” Jonas said, his smile growing.  Twist stared back at him, at a total loss as to how such a word could be said in a friendly way.

“Isn't he, though?” Arabel asked, stepping closer from behind Twist.

Jonas's form seized instantly again, his black lenses turning to her sharply. “You're still here?” he asked flatly.

“I saw Twist first,” she said almost teasingly. “You only just met him, and you've been hogging him all afternoon.”  Jonas seemed to watch her silently, as if unsure of her meaning.

“Heaven save me, I'm popular,” Twist said gravely.  Both Arabel and Jonas let out a tentative chuckle.

“Well, fine,” Jonas said, walking away to collect his music player. “You can have him for now,” he called to them over his shoulder. “I'm going inside anyway.  The sun's going down and I'm already cold,” he said as he headed for the stairs below deck.

“That's more like it,” Arabel said proudly.

Jonas stopped just in front of Arabel and turned to look at her through the goggles. “But this is only a loan.  I'm taking him back later.”

“Do I get a say in any of this?” Twist asked.

“No,” Jonas said with a clever smile before he turned to walk away.

Arabel watched him walk away with an amazed look on her face.  Twist pulled his coat tighter around him, starting to feel the cold too, now that someone had mentioned it.

“That's got to be the most pleasant and friendly I've seen my brother in years,” Arabel said softly at his shadow.  She looked to Twist. “I haven't got a clue why, but you are really good for him.”

“I didn't do anything,” Twist said with a shrug. “Like I said, I'm no good at people.”

“No, you figured him out,” Arabel said, shaking her head. “You seem to know exactly how to make him civil.  So, share.  I haven't had a good conversation with him in … I don't know how long.”

“Well,” Twist said uncertainly, “I don't think he's trying to be mean to you, he's probably just defending himself.”

“But why?” Arabel asked.

“I don't know,” Twist said, giving a shrug. “Clocks are so much easier to fix than people.”

“You've got that right,” Arabel said with a sigh. “Well, anyway, could you spend more time with him?  I think it might help.  He could use a friend.”

Twist frowned at the thought of such an assignment.  He couldn't remember ever having a human friend before, in his life.  The prospect only seemed daunting to him now.  As Jonas moved farther away into the airship, the buzz that Twist had all but gotten used to, dimmed to silence so complete that Twist clutched to his watch just to feel its tiny heartbeat in the back of his mind.

Twist awoke the next morning to see towering, mist enshrouded mountains reaching up to the clouds outside his porthole windows.  The land below had turned emerald green during the night, broken by jagged gray stone.  The peaks were all topped with white and wrapped tightly in haunting, shifting whips of fog.  Twist stared out at the mountains for a while, trying his best to remember any other mountain ranges that might still be between the
Vimana
and the Himalayas.  By the time he'd gotten dressed, he gave up trying and decided to go out and ask someone.  An unexpected knock at his door stilled his hand, just as he was already reaching out to open it.  Twist felt the same nagging buzz at his neck.  Opening the door, he found Jonas outside with a pair of plates and two mugs in his hands.

“You were late for breakfast, so I brought you some,” Jonas explained with a smile half obscured by his black goggles. “I was late too.  On purpose.  Can I interest you in a quiet, nonjudgmental and un-spitefull meal?”

“Sure,” Twist said, opening the door for him.

They pushed Twist's trunk into the middle of the room and set their small meal out on it, sitting around it on the floor.  Jonas put his goggles on his brow and sat so that his vision might not easily fall on Twist.

“This is probably only the second breakfast I've eaten on this ship,” Twist said before taking a bite of buttered toast.

“They told me as much,” Jonas said as he stirred sugar into his coffee. “Ara said you usually sleep until lunchtime.”

“It's not by design, I assure you,” Twist said.

“Of course, you're always getting yourself into some kind of trouble or other, wearing yourself out fighting pirates and what not.  I understand.”

“You have got to be the most sarcastic person I've ever met,” Twist said, focusing on slicing up his fried tomatoes and sausage.

“No ... really?” Jonas said, laying it on thick with a wide smile.  Twist fought the urge to glare at him.

“Oh, I wanted to ask someone,” he said, pointing to the windows with his fork, “what mountains are those?”

“We're flying over the feet of the Himalayas,” Jonas said. “I think we're technically in India right now, but Nepal is just across the next border.”

“Then we're almost there,” Twist said, stunned, watching as another crag of gray and green sailed by the windows, wrapped in the mist.

“Just about,” Jonas said. “No one will tell me exactly where we're going to land, but Nepal isn't that big.  We should reach our destination by tonight, sometime.”

“Why won't they tell you?” Twist asked.

“They think I'm going to try to steal the clockwork girl and sell her for a load of money,” he said calmly, and then took a bite of fried egg.

Twist stared at his face from the side.

“Twist, stop it,” Jonas said around the bite, dragging his eyelids down.

“You're not going to, are you?” Twist asked, not looking away from his shielded eyes.  The buzz at the back of his neck grew stronger as he stared at him, but he knew Jonas was feeling the same thing.

Jonas's eyes shifted towards Twist, while still staying low. “A walking, talking, life-sized puppet made of clockwork?  It would be worth a lot.”

“But she's not just a puppet, she's still a person,” Twist said, his small voice tight. “So you're not seriously going to try to steal her away just to sell her off, are you?”

“According to the story,” Jonas said, frowning, “the princess, whose soul haunted that puppet originally, died so long ago that the whole story is considered a myth.  According to Ara, the puppet is lifeless now, and it's only Aazzi's guess that it's the princess's ghost that is still haunting the palace she died in.  What makes you think you're going to find anything alive when we get there?”  Twist's vision slipped away from Jonas, the buzz lessening instantly.

“Arabel brought me a piece of her,” he said. “When I touched it...”  He shook his head. “She's still alive.  I'm sure of it.”

“If you say so,” Jonas muttered, rubbing at his neck. “Look, it's pointless to be worried about me at all,” he said. “Uncle Howell is planning to do the same thing, and he has a ship.”

“What?”

“Why else would they fly from Nepal all the way to London and back again?” Jonas asked. “Did you think this was a charity mission?”

“They told me they weren’t pirates,” Twist said as he felt his heart beat harder. “Repeatedly!  They get mad whenever I even call them pirates.”

“They're treasure hunters,” Jonas said. “Pirates steal from people, treasure hunters steal from time and legend.”

“Oh no...” Twist said, a cold lump of ice beginning to grow in his stomach. “What am I doing?” His breath came faster now, unbidden.

“Twist?” Jonas said, his hand stilled a breath away from a comforting touch.  He took his hand away with obvious effort. “Calm down.  It's all right.”

“No it isn't,” Twist said, shaking his head. “I wanted to help her!  She needs someone to help her, and I thought that I could.”

“You can,” Jonas said, stopping himself from looking into Twist's eyes to reassure him. “You will.  I saw it.  I can see the future, remember?”

“But then what?” Twist asked, his small voice ready to break.

“Twist,” Jonas said gently, moving in so close behind him that Twist could feel the heat off his skin.  The buzz at the back of his neck grew intense enough to take on its own heat. “It's going to be all right,” Jonas said. “If you fix the puppet, and it actually does come to life and become a real person again, that will change everything.”

“It will?” Twist asked hesitantly, turning to just see Jonas out the corner of his eye.

“Yes, it will.  These people, while rather cold towards me, are not evil.  In fact,” he said brightly, “they are more cruel and heartless to me than they are to anyone else.  And they never tried to sell me off for loads of money, against my will.”

To Twist's surprise, the warmth of Jonas so close beside him became relaxing.  He felt his heart calm despite the hum of energy running fluidly along his neck and down his spine.  The simple fact that Jonas seemed to truly care that Twist was upset calmed him as well.

“Well,” Twist muttered over his shoulder, “you wouldn't be worth as much,” he said, forcing some level of brightness into his voice.

“Now, now,” Jonas said, his words colored with a smile. “I sold myself to pirates, and got a pretty penny for me.”

“Are you obsessed with money?” Twist asked, trying to give his words a snap.

“I'm not obsessed with it,” Jonas said, backing off again. “I'm just saving up for freedom.  It's expensive these days.”  The hum calmed back down to the usual buzz, leaving Twist's senses slightly chilled and hollow in its absence.

By the time they had finished eating, Twist's fears had quieted into a nervous murmur that hid beneath the rest of his thoughts.  No matter what the crew planned to do, they were moments away from her now.  After what felt like an eternity, after crossing countries, combating countless pirates, and pushing himself to new limits, Twist finally saw Nepal sail silently under the shadow of the airship.