Dead Men

The Clock Town

The cold salt water dripped from my hair and clothes as I limped down the street. The pain from Jack's punches lingered but strangely enough, there wasn't any pain from the fall. My head ached from all of the commotion from before and decided to find a place to settle. Most of the lights from the buildings were out and the moonlight was my only guide. I climbed up a building the best I possibly could, body screaming with pain. Tick tock, tick tock. As I reached the top, I took one final look at the dark city and everything turned black. Dong Dong.

That night, I had an strange dream. A dark skinned woman arose from the darkness, head shaking; "You! You not to be here. Wrong, all wrong." The strong Jamaican accent made it hard understand.

"What do you mean? The only thing I know is that I fell." I pointed above my head. Bright green eyes from the woman shot directly to me and then up. The woman slowly looked down upon me and creeped closer.

"Tisk. Your timing is very bad indeed. No the less, you are here." Her hands grasped a chain around her neck and lifted a key. The key was old and rusted. A clock was infused into the key but ceased to work. "Take it."I shook my head and declined.

"TAKE. THE. KEY!" The green-eyed woman appeared to be in a rush and shoved the key into my left hand. "Poor little flower... You are but a bud" The woman disappeared as the darkness consumed her. I was alone with darkness. Not a single sound could be heard except faint taps. Footsteps. I try to turn around but my body was lead. I could not move. The steps grew louder and louder. Louder and louder, my ears screamed in pain. Silence. Then suddenly a raspy voice whispered in both ears.

"Finally."

I woke up with a jolt, body aching with pain. I look up to see an enormous clock tower face me. Six o'clock. The sun laid behind grey clouds as the clock ticked. I began to rise and felt something in the grasp of my left hand. The Key. I observe the key in wounder. How is this even possible? How is any of this possible? I hang the key around my neck and began to head down the tower. I climbed down the clock tower looking around the town. Everything was so... mechanical. Metal was everywhere. I got to the last level of the clock tower when my foot slipped. Luckily it was only a few feet. I was tired of falling. This time I felt the pain of the fall, but nothing I couldn't bare. I groaned as I rose and saw a white haired woman in maroon caring an umbrella. She shrieks.

"My, how foolish you are! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" The woman complained as she dusted me off. "And these clothes, repulsive!" I looked down to see me wearing my jacket and jeans, I don't think they are that bad. I faced back to her and noticed all around me. Fancy, elegant dresses and suits.

"You Missy are coming with me." The woman grabbed my hand a pressed forward. She walked with with a proper stance as I stumbled behind. We approach a building with dresses behind a window and enter. The refined woman left me to return with a measuring tape.

"My name is Teresa Goldheart, you must be new here, hm?" Teresa said as she measured my arm length.

"Yea, I seemed to have fell into this city yesterday" She gave me a strange look and carried on.

"Well your in Chronoven. We have a representation to uphold and you do not meet the requirements, miss..."

"Rozalynn Carter. Well, I go by Roze." I don't know why I said my full name. I guess to impress Teresa but she was mainly focused on my measurements. She looks up as she memorized my measurements and rushed to the back of the shop. The shop held mainly dresses and skirts with a few suits on the side. It didn't take Teresa long to come back and take me to the back, she really hated my outfit. We enter and she hands a blouse, corset, and a skirt. "These should look much better on you."

Teresa leaves me alone in the room as I undress. I can't say I was too upset to get out of my clothes, maybe never to see them again, because they were still damp and began to smell. I get dressed and look up to the mirror. My dark brown hair waved down to my waist. My eyes were especially green upon my fair skin. The outfit wasn't bad, but I can not stand skirts. I don't have a particular reason why I dislike the so much, I just do. Teresa enters with a size nine pair of brown boots to complete the outfit.

She smiled, "Oh much better. You look so much more beautiful." So wasn't before?

"Thank you for the outfit, but I have no money." She seemed like such a nice lady and I didn't want to disappoint her. I felt horrible.

"Missy, I did this for the better of people! Now you won't make this town a joke with your clothes. Here as payment, you give me your clothes and I'll give you these".

I try to decline but she persisted and made and unfair payment with Ms. Goldheart. I could not believe the kindness for this woman's heart, she was the only one I knew so far in this city and I decided to ask her.

"Can I... May I help you out at the shop? I have no where else to go." I was pushing it, I should have just left.

"Of course! It gets lonely here making clothes everyday." Teresa smiled as she threw my old, damp clothes into what seemed like the trash. She grabbed gears out of her pocket and handed them to me along with a basket "You can first run to the market and get me more cloth."

"These are gears..."

"Of course they are. Now don't loose them, every gear counts."

I head in the direction Teresa point to in my new outfit. I felt strangely in place on the outside but in the inside I knew I did not belong here. It wasn't long till I reached the market and saw a lot more people. Well, more like machines. Some were completely normal but others had a machine for a leg or an arm. I even saw a man with half of his head ticking like a clock. I quickly find the stand with the cloths and thread. The owner only had a gear turning hat but other than that human. I gather a few materials into my basket, give the man all of the gears, and he returns the change.

I head back towards the shop as I see a sign posted onto the wall.

  Public Safety Announcement

For the citizens of Chronoven

Beware of Air Pirates

They have no mercy and search for blood

If one should come to contact,

Pay all what you have and pray 

I shook of my head as I continued down the street. Really? Pirates? And Air Pirates at best? I laughed at the thought. I hear a commotion from behind and i turn. My eyes widen as someone swings me around and holds a knife to my neck. The man reeked of oil. " 'Aft off or t' lass gets it!" The city guards stopped and lowered their weapons. A pirate. Great.