Bound by Metal: The Different One

Problem V

...Tick...Tock...Tick...Tock...

Each sound burned deeper and deeper within my mind, so much that if someone were to ask me to imitate a clock, they would think me some kind of sentient house object turned into a real boy...

...Instead of the constant ticks of the clock, I've already soon replaced it with the words I've anticipated so much...

...Soon, I mutter to myself constantly and repetitively, soon...

He remained there, like a statue, as the dim lights that passed through the grey clouds soon said their farewells and retreated to the sky and everybody else following suit. But besides the slight muttering of confusion, no one questioned why he stayed behind, especially the girl fidgeting awkwardly behind him whom glanced around ever so often. Addie...you don't need to act so guilty... Riko sighed loud enough for her to hear, smiling softly as he could hear her movements pause if only for a few seconds and the intimidating glare that jabbed at his back. With a slight huff, she turned around and laid her head on the cool table, awaiting Riko's next order in their devious plan of escape.

As the guards left the mess hall, the lights cut off and a slight click of a door echoes the empty room, a slight gasp from Addie following it in its travel. "Riko," she whispered loudly as she glanced in the direction of the doors, "what are you going to do? I'm pretty sure that was the lock of the doors just now." With a quick sigh, Riko stood from his seat and ruffled her hair a bit, "just as I planned. Their underestimation and over confidence will be their downfall and our advantage." Walking a few paces, he looked under one of the tables and felt around for something, pulling out metal object. With a single click, a bright light shined through the darkened room, circling around until it lit a rusty door. "Addie com'ere," he waved to her as he crouched next to the lock, pulling out a hairpin as he fumbled the interlock of the keyhole, "hold the light for me, please." Addie rushed over and grabbed the flashlight, thinking of aiding him by shinning the light on the already opened door and grumbling at his quickness. They both entered the room and closed the door behind them, Addie shined the light around as the scene laid before them were of spoiled leftovers and rotten utensils. While she was slightly disgusted, Riko nonchalantly pushed the garbage away and moved her hand so the light would reveal an opening in the wall. "After you milady," Riko bowed as he ushered toward the opening, "I must seal the opening so I can't possibly go first." He smiled mischievously as Addie muttered once more, elbowing him 'lightly' on the face as she crept into the small opening and crawled further in, Riko joining her as soon as he gathered the garbage to hide the opening.

With each turn they took, Addie listened to every command Riko gave, most likely to fasten the pace so as to get out of the bug infested shafts. "Ugh...How much further?" "There should be an opening up ahead, but be careful." Addie nodded slightly as she crawled a bit faster, hearing the faint sounds of the outside she longed to reunite with. "I can hear it," she reached out towards the grate and pushed it open as she rushed to get out, "come on Riko, we're almost there-!" The force exerted into pushing the grate open caused her to be imbalanced as gravity did its job and pulled her down, something stopping her as she dangled from the opening. "R-Riko," she shrieked as he grasped tightly onto her ankle in desperation. "Addie...remain calm! Do you see anything you can grab unto?" Her breathing was erratic as she looked around, nodding slightly as she pointed to an open ledge, her voice unable to come out in terror. "I'll swing you lightly so grab onto it tight," he aimed toward the ledge and swung her side to side, refusing to listen to the pain in his arm as she reached and held onto it for dear life. "Riko, I'm good...," she quickly gained a footing as she slowly climbed down the wall and looked up towards Riko who was about 18 feet up, "can you get down?" He nodded slightly as he grabbed onto an exposed ledge above the opening and pulled the rest of his body out of the shaft, cautiously climbing down the stone wall, gasping as soon as he reached the floor below, "hah...I don't think i'll ever do rock climbing...I hate it now." As he took in one deep breath, he smiled happily at his joke while Addie looked unamused; but his expression quickly changed to worry as a bright light from above was inching their way. "Agh,I forgot they had those," he began to look around, walking a few feet as soon as he spotted a ditch, "hurry Addie." She nodded slightly, pacing behind him when suddenly she stopped in her tracks and looked toward her ankle. When he couldn't hear the echoes of footsteps behind him, he turned to look toward her, his expression both confused and worried, "Addie, what's wrong?" Her gaze was upon him as she shook her head slightly, "sorry, my foot got stuck for a second, i'm coming." He nodded lightly, slowing his pace a bit as he ran toward the ditch and slid in, Addie following behind as she hopped slightly into it. The light searched the area as it passed overhead of the ditch, the dark blanket that the ditch provided sheltering them from the prying eyes of the beams.

Riko peeks his head out from the ditch, hiding in the shadows whenever the search light loomed over them. He searched around, frantically observing his surroundings and laying out a plan. "Looks like they haven't sent the guards out yet. I think they haven't realized that we're already outside." He snickered and glanced at the girl who accompanied him. "How are you holding up, Addie?" He looked a bit sullen as he saw her hold onto the ankle he grasped earlier, a pained expression upon her face, "I'm fine, let's just get out of here." She tried not to look obvious as she checked the surroundings as well, but the effort that she had as she tried to ignore the pain reflected on each wrinkle of her face and the suffering in her eyes. He sat back down within the curve of the ditch as the light continued to shine, his mind updating the plan inside his head. But his thoughts were clouded again and he refused the reason why; and though he already knew, he refused to do anything about it too.

Addie...