Close your eyes

Chapter 10

I felt cold hands grasp my shoulders and feel my head shake front and back, my eyes shoot open and I find myself face to face with a Gold-Bot. It's amber coloured eyes wide and unblinking, I stare into its eyes and see my reflection.

"Awake" the Gold-Bot said in a monotone voice and letting go of my shoulder causing me to fall back into the fluffy pillows and warm bed.

"Up and out" said a deep voice, a voice deep enough to outcompete the emotionless tone of the robot, the lady from last night.

The Gold-Bot grabbed me by the front of my shirt, gripping me tightly, it held me a good two feet above the floor making me kick my legs, trying to kick the robot but missing terribly.

The Gold-Bot spun on its heel and walked out of my room, following the lady from last night. I was forced to look at the robot and growled at it.

Is it a guy or gal?,or not at all?, I don't discriminate but I'm going with guy

I screamed and started yelling for someone to help me

"Felix!"

No reply

He must already be at work

I screeched "Phoenix!"

No reply

Where was he?

"Kerrie!"

No reply

She must have gone with Felix to fix up her hand

I caught a glimpse in my bedroom mirror of the white haired woman leading the Gold-Bot and growled harder, bitting the robot or at least trying to but only succeeding in spitting, licking and growling at it. The robot let go of my shirt and I shrieked in surprise, thankful that he let go but my gratefulness vanished as soon as I felt him catch me by my neck. His grip tight and I felt myself wheezing. His grip got tighter.

Oh god

Fear was clearly painted across my face as I felt my vision cloud with black spots and I felt my throat burn from lack of air, I clawed at his hand and he suddenly let go of me. I collapsed onto the floor and dug my fingers into the fluffy, red carpet as I struggled for air.

I heard a soft grunting sound lifted my head up frantically looking at the robot and the lady but the made no sound nor were they looking at me, they had their back to me. Confused, I angled myself so I lay on my side and saw Phoenix strapped to a chair and shrinking back in his jacket as a the robot towered above him.

Phoenix saw me and started making sounds but they were muffled due to the tape on his mouth. The lady saw him look at me and she laughed before walking over to him and sitting on his lap, her legs draped over the armrest of the chair. Phoenix visibly leaned back and this only made her laugh she grabbed his face in her hands and started speaking, chuckling as she did so because of Phoenix's resistance.

"Why do you call it that and not it's serial numbers?" She asked "That little piece of scrap metal is worthless, only good it does is maintaining your house"

I sat up straight and curled my hands into fists.

Kerrie is not an it

I try to speak but only a soft croak leaves my mouth and I try to stand up

"Hold her!" She snapped and curtly nodded her head at the Gold-Bot, I snapped my head around and see the robot coming towards me and I promptly scampered backwards. I kept backing up until I bumped into the coffee table and looked at the robot in fright.

He leant down and pushed me so that my side pressed against the carpet before placing his foot on the side of my face.

"On my command it could send you to limbo" she said with a smirk

"Mhm" I said lamely, seeing the world on a tilt due to my awkward angle.

"You two are coming with me due to your crimes against the inhabitants of the In-between" she said smugly

I heard Phoenix's muffled protest and I bit down on the inside of my cheek doing all I could to not say anything so that the Gold-Bot won't smash my skull to smithereens.

The lady laughed and pressed her forehead to Phoenix's. "You two are charged with the failure to pay the Ferrymen"

Phoenix's murmurs grow louder and the lady rips off the tape on his mouth. She smiles broadly and says
"Judith Hammersmith and J-"

Phoenix starts rocking the chair almost causing it to tip over and making the lady jump from his lap. Phoenix took a deep breath and started screaming at the top of his lungs which made the lady angry and she punched his temple knocking him out cold as well as making the chair fall.

She signals to the Gold-Bot and it places something over my mouth, I struggle against him, twisting and clawing at the floor with my nails in a pathetic attempt to get out from under his foot. My head feels dizzy and the world starts to blur before my heavy eyelids close.