Colors and Clockwork

Chapter 5

There was no time to react. The owner took the Timepiece off of the wall right away, cradling it like a baby. She wouldn't want it to be scratched up when her friends arrive.

We're now in her Cadillac with the AC on full blast. The Timepiece still shakes, despite the fact that the owner is gripping onto it tightly as it sits on her lap. I'm pretty sure that she's speeding.

"We're going to the Fixer," Yellow whispers. "No one comes back from there."

"Oh come on, everything's going to be fine," Green says half-heartedly. "Right?" I'm not sure if she's trying to convince us or herself.

"Fine?" Red hisses. "After Blue's stupid tantrum, there's no way we're going back. We're doomed! We're going to die in the hands of the Fixer! We're going to-"

"Stop it!" Bird interrupts harshly. I can tell that she's scared too. "Complaining won't help any of us, will it?"

They all act like I'm not there. And I'm fine with it.

I glance out of the balcony, which is now above us. The owner has on way too much lipstick, although I'm not sure what shade it is. Her long, perfectly styled hair sways a bit as she drives. Her eyes are squinted, the way they get when she's annoyed or stressed. She's been planning for this party for a month now. Too bad I had to ruin it like everything else. I want to go to your party too, I try to say with my mind. I want to do more than just dance. The owner's eyes stay looking straight ahead.

I listen to the radio along with the owner. After three overly played pop songs, the hybrid stops in front of a small building. The owner sighs impatiently and runs us to the front door as carefully as she can in her designer heels.

A man in his late fifties sits behind a dark wooden desk. The glasses perched on his nose makes him look older and smarter. His hands, wrinkled with experience, hold the Timepiece delicately.

"This is a very nice clock," he says as he inspects our home.

"I know. Can you fix it?"

"Well it seems as though you just need to change the time to the correct one, which would only take a second, but I noticed that one of your dancers is scratched up also."

"Scratched up?" The owner practically screams.

"The blue one. Over there." He points a stubby finger at me. "And I'm afraid that your time limit isn't enough for me to fix and re-paint it."

"What?! But I... My... My party..."

"It's a part of a set, so I can't just replace it by itself. I can replace the whole set, though..."

Red shakes her head frantically and glares at me.

"Re... Replace them all?"

"For a small fee, of course." The owner rolls her eyes, and seeing that she doesn't look very interested, he quickly adds, "A new style just came out! They have wings!"

The owner checks her watch to see that her party's starting soon. It's either us or the huge party that will improve her company. It's a no-brainer. "Okay, okay, fine."

I realize that I've been holding my breath and let it out. I guess I'm not the only one who will be homeless. The more the merrier, right?