Patchwork, Chapter 7 - Closer And Closer...

       The next day passed in a flurry of pen tapping and clock watching for Mort. Every hour, every minute, every second counting down. He could see the numbers ticking down in his mind's eye. His last lesson on Monday was core history. He was staring at the white clock on the wall.
       Two minutes, thirty-nine seconds...
       He was tapping his pen quickly on the table.
       Two minutes, thirty-four seconds...
       "Mr Nightingale." the voice swam into his mind but made no connections. "Mr Nightingale!" Mrs Johnson shouted and woke him from his clock watching daze.
       "Yeah?" he asked, startled and dragging his eyes away from the clock.
       "Finally, I seem to have got your attention. Now tell me, how many died in the hundred year war?" she asked, looking at him like she was going to eat him if he got it wrong. Her white dark hair was tied back from her face and her nose was pointed, only adding to the affect that she was a hawk about to eat a mouse.
       "Uh, around one million, five hundred thousand to two million, Miss." he said.
       "Well, it looks like I've managed to teach you something, now pay attention!" she said and turned back to writing on the board while Mort returned to staring at the clock.
       One minute, forty seven seconds...
       The tapping of the pen returned.
       One minute, thirty nine seconds...
       Mort dumped his stuff in his bag with one movement of his arm.
       One minute, twenty four seconds...
       He chewed on his lip. The teacher told everyone else to pack away and get ready for the bell. He shrugged on his blazer and stood with the rest of the class and got ready for the bell. He lifted his back pack onto his shoulder and waited.
       Fifty eight seconds...
       He watched the red hand tick round, almost in slow motion, his eyes following it's every move.
       Forty seconds...
       Nearly half way there. Closer and closer...
       Thirty two seconds...
       ... Closer and closer...
       Twenty six seconds...
       ... Closer and closer... The hand ticked round and Mort started to wonder if it was a good idea at all to see the Council.
       Fifteen seconds...
       No, he knew he had to go. The route may be dangerous but less so than if he did not go.
       Nine seconds...
       No chance for second thoughts now, Opstanak had to be stopped.
       Five...
       Four...
       Three...
       Two...
       One...
       The bell rang clearly through the corridors and when it had finished ringing Mrs Johnson nodded. "Okay class, dismissed." she said and they all piled through the door. Mort got on the other side and started sprinting down the corridor with Rätsel right behind him. They were three feet away from the door when a voice called out behind them.
       "Mort!" it called.
       Mort stopped, reluctantly, heaved an agitated sigh and turned to see Liv and Espoir walking over to them. "Yeah, Liv? What's up?" he asked, feeling the precious seconds slipping past.
       "You've been watching the clocks all day, both of and you haven't said twenty words between you all day. What's wrong?" she asked, a look in her eye that suggested she knew what they were doing and was going to stop them.
       "Nothing." he said and turned to go. For once, he wasn't nervous around Liv.
       "You're a terrible liar, Mort." Espoir and Liv said together.
       He turned back round. "Right, you want to know, then fine - two night ago, I had a dream vision that Opstanak is back and now I'm gonna go tell the Council but I have to use an old portal because Sinne has banned me from Main." he said in one breath.
       Him and Rätsel started away but Liv grabbed his arm with a hand like an iron clamp. "You don't mean-" she started, her eyes widening.
       "Yes," Mort cut her off "The old portal off the B468." he said.
       "I won't let you." she said, shaking her head. Espoir stood looking bored.
       "Try and stop me." Mort growled, a little more sinister than he intended, shrugged off her arm and went outside onto the steps.
       "Then I'm coming with you!" Liv called and caught up with him and Rätsel. "You can't fight this alone." she said then looked over her shoulder at Espoir, her eyebrows arched.
       She sighed heavily. "Oh, fine but if I die - I am going to kill you Mort." she said, pointing at him and giving him a death glare.
       Liv and Espoir started forward.
       Why me? Mort mouthed at Rätsel.
       Rätsel shrugged and they jogged to catch up. 
       "Let the saving of the world begin." Espoir said, sarcasm dripping from each sound.






What do you think is gonna happen? Good trip? Bad trip? Going after Opstanak or some new plot twist? I do wonder...


Lynxia x