Human (Discontinued)

Chapter 10

We stuck around with grandad for a while longer, asking him about the mechanics of the things, even though I could see Meri's eyes drooping with boredom.
"They work off of human energies, the way you convert food into energy? They can do it too. They pick up on the increases in pulse, blood pressure, those sort of things, and alter the approximate times of death."
I was thinking about that as we walked, wondering how someone could even fathom the idea of making these things, and why they felt the need to.
Had someone they loved died suddenly? An accident maybe?
But would a clock on their wrist really have changed that? Would they have had time to look at their wrist, to check the time they had left?
I couldn't imagine that people did; most people nowadays didn't care, wouldn't care, didn't have the time to care. I know plenty of people who's clocks wouldn't ever cross their minds; they could go for years without ever thinking of them.
And then there's me, I thought, sighing inwardly.
I was obsessed and paranoid, and even though Meri was alive and everything, I still wanted the thing gone from my wrist.
I silently prayed grandma would have an answer to Meri's question, and maybe help me detach my clock from my wrist as well.
She lived in a huge house on Carol street, the place were the rich went when they were old and wrinkly. It was a nice place; I glanced at all the smooth, stone buildings and tall, green trees as we went passed.
Grandma's house was right at the end of the road, near the hill that led down to a lake.
"Ready?" I asked Meredith, who just sighed and gestured with her hands for me to knock. I shrugged, wanting to reassure her, but knowing that this place could hold no answers, like the rest had. I lifted the heavy ring set into the jaws of a lion and let it fall, the sound echoing out across the estate. It reminded me of her parent's house, weirdly.
I heard scuffling and tapping from behind the door, then a lock clicked, and the door opened a crack to reveal half of grandma's weathered, old face.
"...Cal? Callum is that you?" She asked, her grey eyes opening wide. The look on her face reminded me of a goldfish.
"Yes grandma, I'm here with a friend who wants to talk to you about something. Mind if we come in?"
"Not at all! God, it's been years since I've seen you Cal, come in, come in, both of you. Would you like something to eat?"
We both shook our heads and walked inside, shutting the door behind us.
Grandma's house was as huge and grand on the inside as it looked ok the outside. The floor was polished wood, and the walls were decorated with enough old paintings to have been a museum. I sneaked a glance at Meri, who was staring at everything in wide-eyes wonder. Sometimes I wondered how grandma kept a dog in this house, but then again, said dog was an obese little brown ball that had clothes that were probably more expensive than mine.
We followed grandma into her living room, that smelled way too much like lavender, and sat down on her leather sofa. I thought it was going to swallow me; it was so damn squishy.
"I've told Clarissa to bring us biscuits and juice," she said, sitting down across from us, "so what brings you here Callum? It's been so long since I've seen you...and who is this?" Her eyes moved to look Meri up and down. I could see the interest in her eyes, and I had to struggle not to roll my own.
"This is Meredith, my best friend," I said, giving her the heaviest hint I possibly could without saying she's not my girlfriend, "She needs to ask you about something."
"Yes, go ahead..." she looked to Meri expectantly.
Meri took a deep breath and held it for a second, before she said:
"Can you tell us...why my clock has stopped?"