The Clockwork Heart (5 page)

Helen's fingers touched something metal. She grabbed it, hoping that whatever it was it would be enough. She punched the tool into Scarlett's shoulder with as much force as she could. Scarlett reeled back screaming. The scissors fell to the ground. Helen moved quickly, her heart pounding fast as she undid the rope around her feet. Then she turned to the rope around her waist, but she couldn't reach the knot.

"You'll regret that," screamed Scarlett as she held one hand on the wound. She fumbled at her waist and pulled out her whip.

Helen looked at the instruments. She saw a knife, grabbed it, and started cutting at the rope holding her down.

"You're stupid if you think you can get away," yelled Scarlett as she came forward with the whip raised. It came down on Helen's legs as the rope fell away. Helen thrust the knife upwards into Scarlett's belly and pushed the woman backwards.

"No, you're the stupid one."

*~*~*

Libby picked her way between bushes towards the shed using the light of the moon to guide her. She had parked the steamcar away from the small shed so as not to alert Scarlett she had found them.

Libby heard a scream. "Helen!" She ran towards the shed. She burst open through the door and gasped. Scarlett was lying on the floor, bleeding, and Helen stood over her with a bloody knife in hand.

"Helen." She rushed towards the woman. "Are you…" She swallowed hard. Blood congealed on Helen's face.

Helen dropped the knife. "I'm fine." Her voice shook and her face was pale.

Libby embraced Helen. "I came to save you."

"Thank you." Helen's voice sounded distant.

"You didn't need saving." Libby hugged Helen tight. "Thank goodness you…" The words choked in her throat. Helen buried her head into Libby's shoulder.

Suddenly Helen went ridgid in the embrace. Libby was about to ask what was wrong when something hard poked into her back. Her heart pounded as her body released more adrenalin. She kept her resolve. This was what she had been training for.
Let's finish this once and for all.

"I've been waiting for you," said Scarlett.

Libby tensed her muscles. "I haven't. But since you are here…" Libby let go of Helen, stepped to the side and did a backwards kick followed by a spinning roundhouse. Scarlett screamed in pain. Each kick hit Scarlett in her wounded stomach and she doubled over from the surprise attack. Libby kept on the offensive, using well-aimed punches to keep her advantage.

"I don't ever want to see you again," said Libby. Scarlett lost her balance and fell to the floor. "I don't love you anymore."

"But you had fun with me. The thrill, the rush of whether or not we would pull off a job." Blood oozed from a cut on Scarlett's lip. "You don't want to say no to that." She forced herself to stand up.

"You won't have any competition where you're going." Libby executed a jump kick, her boot catching Scarlett in the chest, pushing her backwards onto the ground. Winded, Scarlett lay on the ground gasping.

"That's for threatening someone I care about." Libby stood over Scarlett, hands on her hips, glaring at the women. "And if you ever come back again, then you'll get more than a beating from me."

"Oh that sounds delightful," mocked Scarlett. Her breathing was sharp and shallow.

"Should I finish you now then?" Libby picked up the knife from the ground. She'd hid from Scarlet for three years, and now she was ready to stand up to her. She stepped forward ready to strike again. Her body trembled from an overload of adrenalin. There was a lot of blood on Scarlett's clothes. It wouldn't take much now to end her life.

"No." Scarlett's eyes widened. She tried to move backwards, but her wounded body didn't have the strength. Instead she collapsed, groaning in pain.

Libby hesitated. She didn't need to kill her. Unlike Scarlett, she could control her desires. She took a deep breath to settle herself. "Then you remember this. I could've taken your life this time. If I see you again then I will." Libby dropped the knife.

"It was good those times wasn't it? You and me. Alone with the chains," said Scarlett. "Admit it you miss it."

Anger burned inside of Libby. She stepped up to Scarlett, knowing that the woman was baiting her. "Good times are over, dear." She punched Scarlett hard in the face, knocking her unconscious. "Over and finished."

Libby noticed the clockwork heart. She reached down and yanked it from Scarlett's neck. A small mechanism turned slowly, marking each second. Her heart tuned into the rhythm. The power pulsed in her hand.
A handy trinket to have.

"Libby?" Helen's voice bought her back to reality.

Libby blinked, refocusing her eyes. She threw the clockwork heart on the ground, and smashed her heel into it. A crunching sound reverberated in the room. Tiny metal pieces fell apart. Thick, black oil seeped out from its broken parts. She turned to Helen. "I'm so sorry."

Helen smiled weakly. "It's not your fault."

Libby set about tying up Scarlett. The woman mumbled as she slipped in and out of consciousness.

"Where is it?" asked Scarlett, her voice soft and slurred. Libby tightened the piece of rope around her wrist. "I can't feel it ticking."

"That's because it's stopped," said Libby. "For good."

Helen touched Libby on the shoulder. Libby turned to find a pale-faced Helen struggling to stay standing. "I'm here now," said Libby. Helen didn't answer. The situation caught up with Helen and she collapsed into Libby's arms. Libby took her weight. "It's all over now."

*~*~*

"Are you ready to come home?" asked Libby. She walked up to the hospital bed where Helen sat dressed in a smart white walking outfit.

"Yes." Helen held out her arms and embraced Libby. "Thank you."

"For what? You didn't need rescuing."

"Maybe not, but I'm glad you came when you did."

"I wish I had come just a bit earlier." Libby traced the scar on Helen's face.

"Our line of work leaves us with scars," said Helen. "But they don't have to hold us back."

Libby swallowed hard. Her memories of Scarlett weren't resurfacing now like they had been, but they were still there. "We manage the scars."

"Yes." Helen kissed Libby. Helen's warmth filled Libby and helped the memories to stay away. "And sometimes we can have safety nets."

Libby answered by kissing Helen back. Helen's soft lips melted against hers, sending Libby's mind swirling with anticipation of more things to come between them. She had found her safety net. Libby had taken control of the situation. Her old, confident self had returned that night when she had found Helen.

"When does the trial start?" asked Helen.

"Next week." Libby looked at Helen. "You don't have to go."

"I will." She paused and looked at Libby. "And so will you."

Libby looked down at her hands. "I don't think…"

"It will help," said Helen firmly. "You did the right thing."

Libby had turned Scarlett over to the authorities. She'd wanted Scarlett to be accountable for what she had done. "She's crazy."

"Yes. And you aren't." Helen stood up and took Libby's hand. "After the trial we can start up your business again."

"We? Business?"

"I think there's a stone in South America that would be worth finding. The Eye."

"An adventure." Libby smiled. She was ready. She knew it, even more so when she looked at Helen. She took Helen's hand and they walked out from the local hospital into the afternoon sun.

Helen looked at Libby with a glint of naughtiness. "I never did get that swim with you."

Libby smiled. This could work out with Helen. "Well then, we had better do something about that." She took Helen's hand in hers. "How about a swim now?"

"Thought you'd never ask."

Lilliana has lived on a farm in Australia, played with DNA, contemplated Jung’s theories, and travelled, which has fed her imagination and spurred her to write. Lilliana conjures up fantasy worlds full of misguided monsters and fairies who can’t fly and many more odd creatures who are all strangely lovable, and some times a bit frightening. She has a tendency to get (just a little) grumpy if she doesn’t write every day. Check out more of her work at:
www.lillianarose.com
.