A Clock and Steam Heart

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Waking up hearing gears shift and turn, hearing the steam everywhere. I open my eyes, to see my room, the one I grew fond of. I got up from the uncomfortable bed, walking to the bathroom. I pull the lever to get the water running. I splash my face with cool, crisp water. Looking up I see my facial features, my crazy hair along with bright green eyes.

My jet black hair was set on my face, I change into my normal wear, unusual to ones' eye. London the heart of dreams, well the ones' here say. I don't believe anything they say nor act. I put my goggles on my head, I pull up the suspenders on my buttoned up shirt. Lacing up my boots, I pull on my gloves, and put on the mask I hide my face in, head out the door, I live in a place, called the "Underground City", all the poor and unwealthy live here, wanting to live a dream, a dream of working in the skies.

"Alexandria." I turn around, looking at my friend I've known for years,

"G'mornin, Ali." she smiles, her dark brown locks one her face, nice hazel brown eyes. "Have you seen Markus?" she shakes her head, bores her hazel eyes into the side of my head, I shift uncomfortably. "How're your folks?" she smiles sadly, "They're doing fairly well." I never got to know my parents, they died when I was little.

"Alexi!" Ali and I turn to see our friend and brother Markus. I raise my eyebrow, "Alexi? Why that name?" He shrugs, he was a fairly handsome boy, short blonde locks, and sea-green eyes. "Ready to find some scraps from the richies?" they laugh, we call the rich people that are above us richies, they all are stuck up and snobs. Markus is the middle class from us, he isn't rich nor really poor. Ali and I, on the other hand, are the bottom class, poor and sometimes homeless people. We climb up the ladder that leads to the upper-class area, we get out of a sewer hole.

I was an unusual teenager, while most girls look for a husband, I look for a job and a wife. I am the scum. No one wants to be in my life, no one wants to do anything with me except Markus and Ali. They are the only supportive people that I know, Ali and Markus look like they make a great couple, looks like they might end off with each other. We head to the alleyways that no one goes to, we know some people here that give us meals or just some food supplies for the underground. Not to mention my real family, the ones of my parents are up here. My grandparents used to say I look just like my mother, but with my father's crazy jet black hair.

I've seen photos of my mother before, a nice rich color red-head with bright green eyes, a sharp beautiful face and warm smile. My father was a joker, prankster, he had crazy jet-black hair with nice bright baby-blue eyes, a broad face and a funny grin always on his face. They passed when I was five, I miss them very much. Getting warm cuddles and hugs from my mother, playing games with my father and pranking my mother and grandparents. I cover my face, so none of my family up here knows I'm still alive. It's been two years since they tried to kill me off. They caught me kissing a fairly pretty girl. They called me scum, rubbish, a disgrace, I didn't care though.

"You alright Alexi?" I nod weakly, Ali has concern written all over her face, Markus as well. They know my dark past, there is still someone after me. "I just miss my parents." They both nod and hug my sides. I sigh, then come up with an idea, "Let's steal from the richies." They both look at me with wide eyes, "Why? We could get into lots of trouble, the council already keeps their eye on us." I laugh," Let's cover our face then. That ought to do it." they think for a second then nodded. "Let's meet in the alleyway by North Central Street by eight then." Markus and Ali nod. We head our leave and go to the shops in the underground.

I chose a clockwork mask, the mask cover with clocks and gears, holes for my eyes to see through. Markus has a bandana with gears and clock googles, Ali had gotten something identical to mine but it came with googles like Markus. We met each other in the alleyways, it was very dark already, then sun already down. My bright green eyes with baby blue specks were shinning in the dark. I Have had experience with stealing from the rich. Had many jobs, many good and many of them not so well.

The house I chose was mine. I knew it fairly well, I need that picture my mum had given to me before she died. I need to get my stuff back. I look at Markus and Ali, nodding to them I'm going to climb up the side of the house. The follow me, I get to the window of my old room, looking inside to see any lights indicating that they were awake. Silence and no lights. I budge open the window without making a sound. I climb inside making no noise. My room had looked the same as before, except there was a little girl in my bed. My eyes widened, I look at Markus and Ali, I put my finger over my covered mouth to say to be quiet. They nodded.

I scavenge around to look for the picture and some belongings my mother and father gave to me before they died. I hear footsteps and freeze. Markus and Ali see me freeze and they stop as well. I turn my head and see my old belongings. I grin, taking out the bag to put my stuff in it. I move my arm to tell them to get out the window. The person who was walking around somehow heard us and opened the door, we froze then ran. It seemed as if the person who was yelling at us was my grandfather, I turned to see him at the little girl's room window yelling at us calling us thieves. The mask I wore only showed my eyes and mouth. His eyes widened when he saw my grin, it looked just like my father's grin, he knew it as well. I see police to start to chase us. We ran through the alleyways we knew and found the secret passage to the underground, we slid in and closed the door. Looking at the peep-hole the police looked confused then headed off.

We all high-fived each other, "So, what did you get Alexi?" I smirked at them," We just went inside the house that hated me." Their eyes widened. "I just needed to get some things I left in there." I show them my treasures, that my parents had given me and their photograph of my mother, father and me. I smiled at the picture, looking at my mum and dad. "Woah, that your mum?" I nod, "She really pretty, I could tell you that." Ali hit the back of his head and I laughed. "These are my parents, the nice people they are." I hum and smile sadly. "They were the parents that cared and well the best you could have." I sigh, Markus looked straight into my eyes, "I see what they meant then." I looked confused. "You said your grandparents used to say you look just like your mother, but have your father's crazy jet black hair. I could see what they meant." I shrug, "Maybe, I'm just glad to have this back in my hands." They nod, we headed off to our separate homes. My house was the edge of the platform. I saw the clouds and land below, I inhale the crisp, cool air and smile. "I miss you guys, you wouldn't believe what is going on with me. I hope you still love me, Mum, Dad."