The Clockwork Conspiracy: A Steampunk Fairytale

⚙5: Of Fevered Flight and Forlorn Flashbacks⚙

"Felix!" I shriek, crawling over to his prone form. The tears flow hot and heavy now, blurring my vision as I shake him. "You've got to get up! We've got to get out of here!" I'm sure the Lady is still writhing above, but when she finally fights all the automatons away, she won't be happy.

He doesn't move.

"Please," I sob, tugging on his jacket. No answer.

A hot, flaring anger sears through me and I clench my fists. She did this. She will pay. The one time I found a friend, and she killed him. Was this the extent of my life? Gain a peek at happiness, only to have it whisked away at the last moment? I hate her. I hate her!

I spring to my feet, ready to storm back up there when I hear a groan from below. Felix shifts slightly, eyes fluttering open and squinting against the light.

He's alive.

"Felix," I breathe. His eyes roam around wildly and finally focus on mine.

"Alek...?" He rasps, breathing hard. "Are you okay?"

"Shhh," I say, crouching and brushing a curl of hair from his head. All lust for revenge drains out of me and I feel weak, dizzy all of a sudden. "You're hurt. We have to get you into town. Away from here."

Felix shifts and winces. It's a miracle he's alive at all. I'm no doctor, but he's probably got at least a few broken bones.

I squint into the distance and see the burning streetlights of the city. Those same lights I spent ages staring at, daydreaming of a far-off future. The spire of a church juts into the heavens and calls me toward it. All that time wishing to be there, and now I'm going. Albeit under very different circumstances.

The Lady's screams die down from above and the adrenaline of action filters through my bloodstream once more. We're still in danger, and we'll die here if we don't get moving. My heart aches at Felix's mangled body. I can't leave him here, but I can't stay for the slaughter either.

"Felix," I take his hand in mine, squeezing it. Even in his state, his gaze gives me chills. "I'm going to get help, but you've got to work with me."

"I can't get up, Alek," he groans. "You'll have to go without me. Don't worry." His arm moves up and cups my face gently. Tears fleck his eyelashes and I feel on the brink again myself. Stay strong for him.

"No!" I hiss. "I'm not losing you. We're in this together, remember?" There's no way I'm leaving him behind. Not after he opened my eyes to the world. Not after he helped me escape. I owe him my life for that much, and if I end up dying here today, I suppose we'll be even.

Felix smiles a sad smile and squeezes my hand weakly. "I remember."

I throw his arm over my shoulder and hook my other arm around his waist. "Hold on to me. I'll drag you if I have to!"

He grabs on for dear life, and I stumble forward. I'm carrying most of his weight, but he's finally upright. "You're heavy," I tease, adjusting his weight against me.

"And you're still rude." Although he leans heavily on me, his legs don't appear to be broken. How that's possible is beyond me, but we have to keep moving.

I smirk. "You're not too hurt to joke, I guess."

"Maybe I'm just joking to keep my mind off the pain."

Oh. That shuts me up for a bit.

We limp along in silence for a few moments until I see the streetlights of the city beyond. I look over at him, raising an eyebrow. "How are you holding up?"