Of Gears and Humanity

| 06.1

[ELENA]

"Well, you said you weren't afraid. Why not prove it?"

Whoever it was on the other side of the wall didn't sound like a machine? I mean, I'd never heard one before, but the voice sounded very human to me. Very much like Theo. Very cocky, enticing, challenging.

Whoever it was, I hated him already.

Folding my arms over my chest, I stared at the wall. I snarled at it. A part of me even wanted to kick it but I knew that would do no damage to the massive structure. If anything, I'd hurt myself more and without Carmine close by, there were no easy means for me to get home. I'd have to crawl back to my horse; crawl through the water and mud.

I shuddered at the thought.

"Well, will you?" the voice taunted on the other side. "I could just leave if you want me to."

I paused for a moment. He would leave? Perfect. The danger on the other side of the Gate I shouldn't have ventured towards would leave me alone. Then I could just return to the castle and tell my father the truth:

I hadn't been ill, I just hadn't thought of walking to the lake. If it was the morning glory stone he wanted me to find, I would, and I'd find it faster than any royal before me. I only... pleaded for his forgiveness.

He just has to forgive me.

"But if I leave, you won't get your journal back," the voice said.

I stopped. But it was more than me, my heart ceased its beats, my lungs wouldn't fill. Time refused to move and I only knew it because the wind didn't blow, the howling above my head died out, silent. My gaze was fixated on the wall before me. My mind replayed what he said.

But if I leave, you won't get your journal back.

So I had dropped it, just not here on my side of the Gate. It landed on his side. And he decided it was best to play tricks? Demonous, evil, conniving shadow.

Clenching my jaw, I couldn't help but think my father had been right about this Gate. What good came from it, other than Carmine.

Sharply exhaling, I lifted my eyes towards the wall's top. "You have my journal?" I asked the mysterious voice. "Why would you have it?"

"Why?" the voice responded with a chuckle, a snicker. Both sounds made me scowl and shake my head. Yet, he continued and I listened. "Well, miss on the other side, you happened to have dropped it the last time you were here. Wouldn't it be right for me to return it to you?"

Because he was so honest, sounded polite, I had to smile. Just a little. With my tongue pressed up against my tooth, I let out a slight snort. "That's very nice of you," I said to the voice.

"I sure am nice," he said. "Now if you aren't afraid, as you say, you need to walk right of the wall, a good few yards."

I knew he was on the opposite end, so of course, I wasn't sure which direction he actually meant. Common sense told me to look left. But when I did, there was nothing but stone, iron, and shimmering lights emitting from the noted cracks. I sighed, then frowned. "Mister on the other side," I addressed him as he addressed me, "I don't see anything this way."

"Are you looking at your right or mine? If you're thinking mine then you won't find anything there. That side goes on for miles."

My right. Right. With my lips still pulled into a frown, I looked the opposite way. Again, there was nothing but walls, but I remembered a passage in mama's journal that explained a door to the other side. Mama never opened it, but wrote about it, detailed it. Even wrote all about the tiny designs symbolizing the freedom of the humans from their Attribution machines.

I took a few slow steps in the direction. Small rocks rolled away from my feet.

"There you go," the voice said. Rocks echoed on his side, too. "Just keep walking that way and we'll meet each other."

There was excitement in his voice, more around the word meet. Was this the purpose of reaching the Gate? Was mama's journal being used as bait? Or worse, could he be holding it for ransom? I'd pay whatever sum to get it back.

"Not sure if I'll call this meeting," I said as I kicked another rock. The wind shifted overhead, as did the clouds. When I looked up at the sky, I saw the stars brighter than I knew them back at Homestead. They seemed freer here, but how? And why?

"When one person meets another, isn't it called a meeting?"

I could hear him walk at my pace. His feet were heavier than mine, and I wondered if he were taller, broader. He just had to be. The further I walked and listened to his feet, the more I wondered what he looked like. His voice was different but pleasant. Could a shadow appear to be human? He had to be the shadow I had seen earlier in the day. How else would he have mama's journal?

"I always believed it was called a meeting, you know. People look at each other, greet one another, a casual hello," he said.

Even though I tried to picture him as someone who could resemble a human like me, I couldn't ignore the evilness of it all. If he knew I wanted my journal, then why hold it and force me to walk to the Gate's door? Could it be a trap? I stopped.

Am I falling for a trap?

Because I stopped, I heard him hurry ahead. There was a rattling just a few feet ahead of me, clinking of metal and stone. The sound made me look up and focus. Squint and narrow my eyes until I was able to see.

There was indeed a door connecting the sides separated by the Gate. And from it, extending through an opening, was a hand. A man's hand. Brown skin wrapped with silver clothes near the sleeves. The color reflected the moonlight.

And like an animal, I gravitated towards it. Curious. Mesmerized.

"I mean you no harm, I mean it," he said. His voice grew louder as I approached. "I simply wish to say hello before I give you this journal. That's all I ask."

All he asked for was a hello in exchange for a journal? If that was the wished upon sum, it was easily deliverable. I took in the deepest breath to prepare for it, too.

I stretched my right leg as far out as I could to stand directly in front of the door. My eyes were squeezed shut as I did because I needed another second to prepare. My face needed to be straight, firm. My chin was to be lifted, direct, proud, and demanding. I was to be the next Queen of Homestead and anyone who laid eyes upon me was to bow in my presence. As he didn't know who I was, I needed him to feel the need to respect me.

But when I opened my eyes, through the iron bars of the door, all I saw was a handsome young man, not much older than me. His skin was smooth, an even brown which complimented the dark hazel golden green of his eyes. He was tall, broad shoulders and strong arms; he matched his voice to a key. And as I watched his full lips lift into a smile, showing me white teeth without the slightest imperfection, I swore... I swore to all of our Kings of old I had never seen someone so beautiful, so breathtaking.

I took a step back. I didn't demand my journal as I dropped my hands, nor did I request the respect that was owed to me.

Instead, I simply said, "Hello."

*

[Thank you for reading! <3]