The Wall Of Cogs

Shipped off

"Emily!" I sit up quickly only to feel my head slam into a blunt, metal hand. I rub my forehead opening my tired eyes, only to find my right hand woman and best friend. Crit.

"Of course it's her"

"what the hell? I told you to stop doing that." I say massaging my throbbing head.  " Alexander wants to see you...like right now" She said giving me a look that said "get your ass in gear." I roll my eyes and drag myself out of bed. Though she is friendly, Crit was a force to be reckoned with. I've seen her dangle people over the side of our ship several times. her tough exterior has everyone scared, it doesn't work on me. I found her when I was 16, in a junkyard; partly dismantled.  The word Crit was engraved in the metal of her chest and hip. So thats what we've called her ever since, she has no real memory of her passed makers. I cautiously brought her back to my family's house, careful not to cause any more damage. I spent days upon days piecing her back together. Her voice came back before I could build up her body. Her voice was smooth unlike most of her kind that we find down here. It was astonishing to hear, being that she looked like she was a 1st class metallic human at some point prior to me finding her. 1st class MH's are taught right away that they are servants, and many of the upperclass people beat it into them. Even though they can't feel anything. Not only was the abuse physical, but it was mental. The emotinal torment that these beings went through caused many of them to go insane. The upperclassmen see Crit as a pet, a lesser being. Even though her feelings and emotions are apparent. But I never treated Crit like that. She was my friend; my equal. Since we met, we always discussed the dream we had for our future. We said that we'd grew up together, buy a ship, get a crew, and ship goods across the 3 walls; that's exactly what we did. One day we'll have a house in first class.
At the quarter deck standing proudly was Alexander.
"Is it to late to kick him off the ship" Crit said
Alexander is a passenger on our ship. We not only ship products and produce we Occasionally ship people. He is a second class citizen, usually dressed up in a brown silk vest that Crit and I are very jealous of. We'll never say it to his face it's just an unspoken hatred for this man.
" Ah Emily were have you been, I've been waiting for hours" he wined
" it's been seven minutes" Crit said scowling
"Well the other passengers and I are wondering, are we going to get our rooms or food. Because I didn't pack my own food. GOOD ships always have complimentary products." Alexander said gesturing at the other passengers
"Alexander the rooms are in the hold of the ship you will all be sharing one big room, and the food is at seven o'clock.
We're having meatloaf." I said calmly trying with every fiber of my being not the coldcock this man in the throat and have Crit throw him off the edge of the boat. Alexander crossed his Arms and walked back into the crowd of passengers.
Crit was looking intensely at the crowd with a very scared look.
"Hey Crit are you Good?" I said shaking her shoulder.
"That man in the blue coat is staring at me."
         I looked at the crowd for the man. He had a navy blue trench coat and a very expensive hat on, and he was staring at Crit. Many people stare at Crit, for most people it's the first time they've seen a first class machine. although she doesn't look like it now with the dents rust and paint spots. people tend to stare it usually doesn't bother her or me, but this man he made a shiver run up my spine. He wasn't staring at Crit. He was glaring at her, eyes barely blinking. He had a white knuckle grip on his Cane.
"Okay everyone move it your rooms are down stairs." Said Edwin our ships cook
He guided all the passengers to the hold and came back upstairs.