I opened my eyes to see Garret just staring at me in awe. "What is it?" I asked him. He just lie in front me, staring into my eyes. He seemed to have been shook.
"Kristie Clockwork... is... is that you?" he continued to stare.
"Of course, it's me, Garret." I looked right back at him.
"How are we going to explain this to Robbie? It can't be you!" Garret continued to stare.
"Garret?" I became slightly sad.
"Look into my eyes..." Garret said softly. But, I looked away, knowing what had become of me.
"Please?" he spoke softly.
I finally looked into his eyes. Suddenly, Garret's face began to beam again. "It IS you Clockwork! You just changed
overnight!" he laughed happily. "You're amazing! You... You should get a mirror!" he shot up and grabbed me to get to a mirror. I looked into the mirror to see a completely different person in front of me. It's happened, again... What is wrong with her?! Death! I know you can hear me! Why?!
I thought it would work... I...
"Kristie... What's going on?"
"I... I..." tears filled my eyes.
Garret suddenly wrapped his arms around me. "It doesn't matter." he told me. "It's you, and I know it. No need to explain."
"Wha... What?" I was caught off guard. He... He believes me?!
"I know it's you..." Garret turned me to himself.
"H... How?" I asked him.
"I know it's weird... but... when I look into your eyes... I swear... I see—"
"DOBBINSON, YOU ALRIGHT BACK THERE?" Robbie called loudly.
I covered my ears.
"Give me a moment... ha." Garret went to the front of the van. There were mumbles from Garret, and a less loud voice from Robbie. Finally, Garret came back with a grin on his face.
"What is it?" I questioned him.
"Just a day left, and we'll be at the Motel!"
"Why are you so excited?" I asked him.
"Because, you're going to LOVE it there!... at least, I hope. I used to go all the time... but, alone."
"Why alone?"
"I've just never been so into anyone like you." Garret smiled.
What is WITH him?! I have to kill THIS guy?! What did he do to deserve his soul being taken?!
"Kristie?" Garret waved his hand in my face.
"Huh? What?" I snapped out of it.
Garret just smiled. "Do you zone out like that a lot?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Well, no... I, uh..."
"None the matter!" he told me. "How about we play Eye Spy?"
"Eye... Spy?" I was confused.
"Yeah!... You don't know what that is?"
"Well, no..." I admitted.
"Ah, well... come to the window! I'll show you." Garret took my hand and pulled me to the window.
"Okay, okay!" I told him.
"So... I find something outside, and you look for it. You're timed, but, the van is about to go to the gas station. Come on!"
"We're stopping?" I frowned.
"Only to get gas. It won't take long. Are you worried about something?"
"Oh, no, I'm not worried about anything." I shook my head.
"Alright." Garret nodded. "I spy with my little eye, something—"
"Did you just say 'with my little eye'?" I laughed.
"What? You think my eyes are too big?" he pouted.
"No... it's just... it sounds like a kids game." I held my laughter.
"Would you rather play Would You Rather?" he grinned.
"That sounds like a kids game, too." I told him.
"Is there any pleasing you, Miss?" Garret asked me.
"Maybe." I replied.
"Would you like something to eat? You must be hungry!"
"What are you cooking?" I asked him.
"What about... fried chicken? Do you like fried chicken? Homemade fries... Soda... and... applesauce?"
"So... unhealthy things?"
"Would you like a salad?" Garret asked me.
"Nah, fried chicken sounds fine." I told him with a grin.
"But... You JUST said..."
All I did was grin at him.
"Aight." Garret shook his head.
"And you better not make this van explode."
"My fair lady, now, why would I do such?"
"So, you can REALLY cook?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Of course." he put his attention to the raw chicken legs and the flour. "I love to cook... it's just... people usually cook for me, and I hate that. I like to do things myself, like an everyday man."
"Man?"
"Yeah, I'll be 20 soon." he put the stove on 6.
That's when you'll kill him... or he might be already dead.
You TOLD me I could take my time!
"That's cool."
"Do you want me to teach you how to cook?" Garret asked me. You can batter some of the chicken if you want." he poured the grease into the pan. "This should get hot soon." Garret put the stove to 7. "The temperature is sensitive, so, don't get burnt; it's hotter than it looks."
I walked over to him.
"Here." he told me after getting the fries grease hot. "It's not so hard." Garret held me from behind. Garret wrapped his arms around me and battered the the chicken in the flour. "You try."
"Okay." I did exactly what Garret did, and he smiled.
"Great, now, dump the chicken into the hot grease. Carefully, though, or it'll pop you."
The grease sizzled as I put the chicken into the pan. The smell of the chicken filled the room. It smelled delicious as I put chicken leg after chicken leg in the grease pan. The aroma... just breathing it in made me hungry. I hadn't realized I was hungry, until now.
Suddenly, the grease in the other pan began to pop. "The fries! We have to get the fries!" Garret rushed to the freezer.
So, I was just standing there watching the chicken. When Garret came back, he was grinned. "Iz gots curly fries." he told me. "Turn the chicken over when it turns a goldish color, almost brown."
"Okay." I nodded.
"I'll cook the fries, heh... I don't want you to feel like I'm taking advantage of you." Garret looked me in the eyes.
Why... Why does Death want this guy DEAD?
Because... he's broken.
