DYSCHRONOMETRIA

CHAPTER 4 - Ticks Of Memories

Lianna wandered the pavements that night. Aimlessly walking under the stars. She looked above, they were beautiful. Their lights reflected on Lianna's blank eyes. They were empty. Once filled with enthusiasm. She knows that every experiment needs to end once it fails numerous times, but she invested so much time theorizing and thinking about this portal machine built 80 years ago.

They gave up on it. After just a few failures of testing and studying.

They didn't have enough patience and passion.

They were scientists and what was their purpose? To study the unknown for the mass to know.

Liars.

They didn't know what they were doing. They just did it.

It was annoying, frustrating.

She hate them. She hate everyone.

She needs to vent out her anger. But to where?

She didn't notice, she paused walking and was gazing at the sky angrily. She was burning with loathe.

"Hey! Lianna, " Collins panted "Finally caught up to you!"

He ran to her just to find her.

But she was blank. Collins looked at her with a beaming smile. He was happy.

But she wasn't. She was frustrated.

"Wanna go grab a bite?" he offered. Lianna didn't answer, she simply stared at him blankly.

"Lianna?" he called at her, seemingly  questioning her sanity.

The silence was deafening and Collins doesn't like this feeling. He was uncomfortable, she was as if staring at the very inch of his soul.

Lianna turned her steps and went. She didn't have any time for nonsense now.

"Lianna?"

She doesn't want any distractions now.

"Lia?"

She didn't want anyone near her. She was tired.

"Lianna!"

"What?!" she snapped.

"What's wrong with you? You've been acting all quiet all day! What made you all so disturbed?" he waved out all of his fustrations. He wasn't just going to bottle it up.

"Wasn't it obvious?" was the only thing she said. It was intimidating, Collins was taken back. He's an idiot.

Stay away from me. Tick.

______________________________________

Tick.

That sound. It was faint yet so clear.

A watch.

It ticked loud. It was supposed to be weak. Not that soundful.

But that wasn't the strange part. The very moment when the clock ticked, she disappeared. She was taken away by a force. A mysterious force.

He was taken aback. He was as still as a tree and surprised like something scared him.

And he did. He was scared.

What if something happened to Lianna? No. He shouldn't think of anything like that-- but he was confused.

He took a moment before going home. Still thinking about her disappearance.

"What was that?" Collins asked to the air baffled as he walked. He wasn't sure what to do, find Lianna or let it be? Was it dangerous or is it safe--obviously the former--should he risk or not?

No. He can't. He doesn't even have a way to find her. But hope flinted in his heart. He had hope, but it was faltering. Doubt. He hates it. But he clinged to that hope, he contacted her number, just to make sure she's still alive. He was breathing hysterically. He tried to calm himself down, that Lianna was safe.

.  .  .

She didn't answer.

He dialed again.

Same result.

He kept dialing her again and again. Pressing his phone then and there. Placing his phone on his ear. Hoping for communication.

Nothing.

He can't take it anymore. Maybe. . . he was just overreacting.  .  . His body was getting numb.

"Lia. . . nna. . ." he last breathed as his sight went dim.

______________________________________

She slapped the alarm button as it rang. Lianna doesn't want any of this load of crap anymore. But she did the usual routine, get up, and breakfast. Except she wasn't going to get ready for work. She didn't have the energy to do so.

Tick.

"Life's really tiring eh, Pa?" she scoffed, talking at a picture of her and her father. The other sode of the picture was ripped off, only a woman's body and clothes was left.

Looking back, she recalled memories, not reminisce. Her childhood wasn't really that much enjoyed.

As the only child, her father and mother were full blown of giving attention to her. Her father supported her to whatever she likes, buying her toys that were meant for boys like dinosaur toys, legos and building blocks, climbing trees, playing with dirt, it was fun. It was like a passion. A passion that her mother didn't like.

Tick.

She snapped at her father for 'spoiling' her and forced her to play with barbies. At first she liked them, but she eventually got bored of them, and she desired to play outside and climb trees. Her mother would scold her for it. She bought Lianna kitchen toys, doctor toys, barbies, dresses and make-up toys, everything a little girl wants. But she was dissatisfied. She wanted to stain her clothes, she wanted to build legos, she doesn't want the boring dressing up barbies.

Tick.

There was even one time when Lianna's mother forced her to a Child Beauty Contest. And she failed to win because she intentionally ruined the whole show and the other children went home crying. It was fun ruining that fucking show. It was torture. "You need some discipline, you young lady." her mother's threat was still clear as day as she stretched out the belt to hit her. She hit her everywhere. At first it was at the bum, the usual punishment spot. But it took a turn, she hit Lia to the arms, legs, torso, chest, and the worst of all, her head. She was violently hitting her with anger. Each sound of hit was painful. She felt a pang of pain. She didn't want to remember it anymore.

Tick.

Her father tried to stop her mother, threatened to divorce her and take me  away from her. Her mother stopped. But she wouldn't budge. She abused Lianna whenever father was at work for she was a failure of birth.

She told her father everything after she couldn't handle it all. The two left the house at one night when the mother was gone, left to wherever it is. They lived a new life, a peaceful one. Until when she got 19 years old, her father was sentenced to jail for 30 years. He was framed. Framed for robbery, rape and pedophile. It was all accusations of Mrs. Dahlberg, and old woman with a fashion-loving daughter. The woman looked oddly familiar. Lianna's father couldn't handle the environment because of his developing tuberculosis. He eventually died 3 years after he was jailed.

Tick.

Lianna didn't notice as she recalled the the memories and gazed at the picture. Her eyes were stung with sharpness. Hot tears flowed down her cheeks. She checked the time, 9:45. Her mind went blank.

The whole day was all normal. The birds raspy chirps, the sky's withering blue, the clouds leaving as the wind pushed them, the busy cityscape.

Except for one thing that's been bothering her: the pocket watch's continuous ticking. She wanted to destroy it, but she couldn't. A force was stopping her. But nonetheless, she carefully wielded it.

It was an ancient relic one should handle with caution.