Lights. Everything is brighter. My heart is beating in my head. Everything hurts. I'm laying on a cold surface facedown. Squinting, I try to move, but it's no match against the Fixer's grip.
"Have you noticed the back of this Dancer?" the Fixer asks the Owner curiously. "The blue one. Something's wrong with her programming... I wonder if it affected her in any way?"
My head is still pounding. Something's wrong with her. Something's wrong. Something's wrong. The blurriness from being moved too quickly subsides, and I can see the Owner tapping swiftly on her phone and a wall full of clocks. Above them is a quote in giant cursive letters: "Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it." The Fixer lets go to grab another Dancer. Wait, I try to yell. Tell me what's wrong with me.
I hear high-pitched screech as Red is pulled out. "Let go of me!" Of course she knows that he can't hear her. Our voices have a frequency of 35,000 hertz, which is way too high for human ears, but she still screams anyway. "Let go! Someone help me!"
One by one, all of the Dancers are taken out of the Timepiece. Green is the only one who doesn't scream.
"Are these dancers what you're looking for?" The Owner is surprised as the Fixer shows her the new dancers, and so am I. Their elegant, golden wings sparkle and their dresses have the most intricate lace designs that I have ever seen.
"They're beautiful," she breathes. "I love them."
"Wonderful. I will dispose of your old dancers right away."
The Owner looks at me and something flashes in her eyes, but it's gone in a second. "Of course. I won't be needing them anymore."
I've practiced so hard to make the owner happy. All of the love I've been dancing with pours out of me and I'm left feeling empty.
We watch as the new Dancers are carefully placed inside of the Timepiece. My eyes linger on the blue one, who radiates charm and sophistication. Once the owner has left without a backwards glance, the Fixer brings us to the giant garbage bin.
"Oh! Look at the time," he says as he realizes that his shop will open in a minute. He hurriedly flings us towards the bin and goes back inside.
I feel like my heart has been pierced.
YOU ARE READING
Colors and Clockwork
Science FictionBlue is Lead Dancer of the Timepiece. But her flawless dancing is the only thing that earns her the approval of her fellow Dancers. Even with her advanced programming, she can't seem to change the one vital detail she needs- her eyesight. No, she's...
