[Continued from here]
“Is
he fixed now?”
“Yes,
Mad Man, he’s fixed.”
“Why
isn’t he awake, then?”
“Because
he needs to sleep. But, I suppose…” Mendel reached under Stan’s shoulders and
did something that made the sleeping man flinch. Then there was more movement,
and Stan’s eyes flickered open.
“Mendel?”
He muttered drowsily.
“Your
friend wants to know if you’re okay.” Mendel nodded towards Quinton, who had
hurried forward at the sound of Stan’s voice.
“Are
you okay?”
“Quinton.
I think so. Where am I?”
“In
a house in the woods. I don’t know, but this is the man that made you.”
“No,
he’s… damn, what is it? I know him. I know you.” He looked up at Mendel with an
anguished expression. “Who are you?”
“Go
back to sleep. You need to recharge. Sort things out when you wake, eh?”
“Recharge.
Is that what sleep does? I do feel
tired.”
“Go
to sleep, Stan.” Beranwen stepped forwards. “We’ll be here when you wake up.”
She
barely reached the end of her sentence before Stan’s eyes closed once more and
his head lolled to one side.
“How
long will he sleep?” Quinton wanted to know.
“How
long do you sleep?” Mendel asked shortly.
“Until
morning. But it’s still morning now. I don’t go to sleep in the morning.”
“He’ll
probably sleep until late afternoon or evening, Quinton.” Beranwen explained.
“We’ll just have to leave him to it.”
“You’ll
be off, then.” Mendel said suddenly. “Thank you kindly for returning him.”
“Beranwen
blinked.
“No,
I don’t think we will be. We’ll wait here until Stan wakes up.”
“This
is my house.”
“And
we’re very grateful for your hospitality.” She stepped up to Mendel – it didn’t
help that she was so much shorter than him, but she tried to stare him in the
eye anyway. “I don't believe you when you say you have no idea why he left.
Even if I did, I wouldn't leave him here alone - I don't trust you with him.”
“You don’t trust me with him?” Mendel’s eyes
blazed angrily. “After what I’ve done? Ungrateful whelp. He is my creation, and you think you can tell
me how to treat him?”
“You
made a real person. You might have made him out of metal, but he’s alive, and
you have no rights to him that he doesn’t give you. Even if he were your own
flesh and blood I wouldn’t leave him here alone with you. He ran off for a
reason.”
“How
can you be sure of that? He can't even remember his own name. Maybe he simply
went for a walk and forgot where home was."
"Maybe?"
"Or
maybe I beat him, hmm? Worked him too hard? He’s only a few days old, he’s not
had time to be sad with his lot.”
“How
about we wait until Stan is awake, and ask him?”
“If
he hasn’t told you already, then he doesn't remember.”
“He
said your name when he woke just now. He remembers something.”
Mendel
glowered at her, but didn’t back down.
“Get
out of my house.”
“We’re
not leaving Stan!” Quinton shouted. Mendel looked about to shout back, but
suddenly something distracted him. A noise in the background, barely audible
over the argument. To Beranwen, it sounded like floorboards creaking.
“Then
take him with you.” Mendel said agitatedly. “Sling him over your horse and ride
away. Just get out of my house.”
“We
will!” Quinton snapped, and picked Stan up.
“Is
there someone else here?” Beranwen wasn’t even aware of Quinton’s actions. Her
focus had turned exactly where Mendel clearly didn’t want it to be, and that
was towards the approaching footsteps from further into the house.
“Get
out of here.” Mendel cried, shoeing them towards the door. With Stan over
Quinton’s shoulder, Beranwen was happy to obey, but before they could reach the
front door the other door into the kitchen swung open and a small, angry face
peered round.
“Stop
making so much noise.” The face belonged to a woman, and the woman wasn’t
happy. “It’s distracting me. Is that Raif? Why has it come back? Who are these
people?”
“Yes.
I’m not sure. And they’re his new friends.” Mendel hurried over to the woman,
standing protectively in front of her. “Go back to your work, Derra. The people
are leaving, they won’t make any more noise.”
“I
made new base plates to stop it coming apart. Come get them.”
"He's
leaving, Derra. Put them to one side."
"No,
they're ready now. Come get them and fit them, or it'll keep falling
apart."
The
woman called Derra turned and disappeared back through the door. Beranwen
frowned after her. There was something very strange about the way Derra spoke
and the way she moved. It was like no one she had ever seen before.
Mendel
turned back around.
"You
should leave now. Take your friend and go, before she comes back."
"Did
she just say she had something to stop him coming apart? You said you couldn't
stop that."
"Please
just go." Mendel had completely changed with the appearance of Derra - he
seemed weary now, no longer angry, and resigned to something.
"Can
that woman fix Stan properly?" Quinton had finally caught up with the new
turn of events. "Master Win, can she stop his arm coming off again?"
Beranwen
sighed.
"Come
on, Quinton. Let's get Stan home - we've got that broken tube fixed, and that's
what we came out here for."
"But..."
"Quinton."
Quinton
flinched a little at the sharpness of Beranwen's tone, but stayed silent. She
felt slightly guilty, but it meant that he was turning and walking out of the
house, Stan over his shoulder. The sooner she got them all away from this
house, the better. She'd be extra nice to him as they rode home, to make up for
snapping at him.
They
had just draped Stan over the saddle of his horse - Quinton was getting better
at securing him - when there was a scream and a crash from the direction of the
house. They turned, startled.
"Quinton,
wait here with Stan. I'll go see what's going on."
"What
if it's not safe?"
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